Menopausal hot flashes can leave you feeling tired, anxious and soaking wet. But the big question is what actually causes menopausal hot flashes and what can you do about them. Hot flashes are most often caused by the hormone changes that take place during menopause but they can also be triggered by lifestyle or medications.
Menopausal hot flashes are most often triggered when there is a decrease in estrogen level. This decrease can affect the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls appetite, sleep and body temperature. This drop in estrogen somehow confuses the hypothalamus or the body's thermostat and pushes it up to hot!
This triggers menopausal hot flashes as the heart pumps more blood and sweat glands are activated in an attempt to cool off the body. A woman's skin temperature can rise as high as 6 degrees C during a hot flash leaving you feeling awful and in some cases, soaking wet.
Some tips to keeping cool are have a cool drink close at hand, wear cotton clothing during the day and cotton sleep wear at night, use cotton sheets, keep the temperature down at home and in the office and dress in layers.
