Hot flushes and night sweats & why they can come and go
Flushes and sweats are the number one symptom of perimenopause and menopause. They are also one of those symptoms that can come and go as you progress through perimenopause and menopause. So, you might find you get them for a few months. They disappear and you go, "Oh, thank goodness." And then suddenly, a few months or six months down the line, they come back again with a vengeance.
This can be due to a number of things. The problem is that when we get symptoms whilst we're in perimenopause and menopause, then perimenopause or menopause is often blamed for them. But remember, with hot flushes and night sweats, they can be caused by so many different factors. If you find that they've disappeared and they come back, just look at what's going on at that time and you might find there is a very specific trigger here.
Triggers that can make flushes and sweats come and go
Here are a few things to be aware of:
Stress and anxiety: The number one trigger for flushes and sweats, especially when hormonal changes are already causing them, is stress and anxiety. Remember, our nervous system takes a lot of the strain during perimenopause and menopause. The hormonal fluctuations cause a lot of extra anxiety and stress, and physical stress as well as emotional and mental stress, and that in itself can put further pressure on the nervous system, making you much more vulnerable to flushes and sweats.
Low blood sugar: You might find that you're okay most of the time, but on days when you're extra hungry or you've missed a meal, the flushes come back.
Dehydration: This can be a big one, and very easy to remedy. Strangely enough, the more dehydrated you are, the more likely fluid-wasting sweats become.
What you eat and drink: Things like caffeine, alcohol, processed foods, high salt content, and sugary foods can all trigger flushes and sweats. Spicy foods can do this as well.
A good indication that your flushes and sweats are not necessarily hormonally connected is if they happen at roughly the same time every day, because that usually means that something you did or didn't do, maybe one or two hours previously, has affected the nervous system and triggered your flush and your sweat.
This is one of these situations where doing a diary for maybe over a week or so can be helpful. Be absolutely honest and truthful about when you get your flushes and sweats, and then note down everything you eat and drink or when you didn't drink, or if you missed meals, and you might find that there is something specific or a noticeable pattern.
Caffeine is quite an interesting one because I know for a lot of people, the first thing they do when they get up in the morning is have a cup of coffee before anything else. It should be water first thing, but a lot of people do have that cup of coffee. They then have a second cup of coffee after breakfast. And then they wonder why at 10 a.m. they've suddenly got a hot flush or a sweat. And it's just the accumulation of caffeine in your system that's doing this, rather than anything else.
It might be that you get a hot flush at 3 o’clock every afternoon when you're working, but you're okay when you're at home on the weekend. And again, it could be just the fact that you've had a rushed lunch. You haven't eaten very much, or maybe it's been a high carbohydrate lunch like a pasta salad, or a big sandwich and a biscuit or a bit of cake or something. And it's just, again, the fact that you haven't had any protein or very little protein and very little fat in that meal so that the carbohydrate content is giving you a big sugar rush. And that then triggers your nervous system and, hey presto, you're getting that flush at 3 p.m.
So, try doing the diary and you may find that it can be something so simple. I had one lady who just cut out her cup of coffee after her evening meal, and her night sweats disappeared within about 10 days. So, just doing a little bit of research into what you're doing yourself can make such a difference.
Other triggers: If you find that you haven't had the flushes for maybe five or six months, and then they've come back again and you're wondering what's going on, then maybe look at what’s going on in your life. It could be that you've been extra stressed, you've been extra busy, you've been running around a lot more.
It could be the change of seasons. If you're somewhere where the weather has suddenly got a lot hotter and you're not drinking so much water, it could be the factors of heat and dehydration.
It could be going on a diet. If you're cutting calories, that can put extra pressure on your body and trigger flushes and sweats.
If you've suddenly decided to have a really good exercise regime, then again, it's all the extra pressure that you're putting on your body.
Just look back. Whenever your symptoms get worse or suddenly reappear after months of not having them, then it could be that it's something you're not doing or something you're doing that's been a big change in your life at that particular moment. And again, these things are easily fixed just by doing a few little tweaks to your diet or your daily regime.
Relieve hot flushes and night sweats with Sage
Remember too that the herb Sage is fabulous for hot flushes and sweats, whenever they come back or they're being a little bit stubborn. We have our registered product, Menoforce Sage tablets, which is an extract of Sage leaves in a convenient one-a-day dosage, and is recommended for the relief of hot flushes and night sweats.
A.Vogel Menoforce Sage Tablets for Menopausal Hot Flushes and Night Sweats, One-a-Day, 30 tablets
£15.99 (30 tablets) In Stock
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I hope you found this one helpful. Have you found that there's been something in particular that has triggered your flushes or your sweats, and when you've resolved that, your flushes and sweats have disappeared? Again, share your stories. You know that I love reading them all.
Until next time, take care and have a lovely week.
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