Night Sweats – Menopause – Hot Flashes – Sleeping hot

Are you hiding from menopause? Do you think you are too young, or too old? Do you feel you have to hide your true feelings, put on a brave face, just to feel normal? Suffering is not compulsory!

The pain, discomfort and inconvenience of menopause symptoms are hormone related. Change will come when you commit to change. It’s about ‘wanting’ to make changes to feel ‘yourself’ again. It’s definitely possible. After all, I did it!

Let’s just start with what are probably the most well known symptoms – Hot Flushes and Night Sweats.

Hot Flushes always catch you out when you least expect them. It’s a feeling of intense heat that seems to start around the shoulder/back area and works its way up through your neck and face and down to your chest. Can be triggered by stress, hot drinks, hot showers. Hot flushes are merciless.

Treatment
* Re-balancing your hormones will be your true salvation. Naturally or pharmaceutically, don’t let hot flushes rule your life.
* Change your diet, eat more naturally, more fresh fruit and vegetables and some exercise.
* Discuss using natural bio-identical hormones(private doctor), or pharmaceutical HRT (hormone replacement therapy) from your GP.
* Ask if the surgery has a Menopause Clinic.
* A few drops of sage in a drink every day, can be helpful. Available at health food shops.
* Try to keep a ‘fan’ handy, manual or battery type. Other people may think you are nuts, but who cares, as long as it makes you more comfortable.
* Hot flushes can be attributed to psychological problems – stress and anxieties in your life that need sorting.
* Say ‘NO’ more often and learn to delegate and ask for help – multi-tasking is not all it’s cracked up to be!

Night Sweats can happen at any time, perspiring profusely and regularly. It’s a feeling you have just been immersed in a bath and remain covered in water – it’s quite awful and difficult to convey your distress. You will feel more comfortable with cotton or natural fabrics. If you really suffer badly, take a fan and a change of top with you, to work; drink plenty of water. Also, your sleep cycle will change; this sleep disturbance causes tiredness and distress. Is there no end to this!

Changing sheets at night and taking cooling showers is more common than you think. These sweats can last well into post-menopause.

Treatment
* Cut down on alcohol, caffeine (including fizzy drinks) and processed food.
* Eat fresh fruit and vegetables, lots of them, daily!
* Embark on a more natural diet
* Other methods are Bio-identical natural hormones, or pharmaceutical HRT (hormone replacement therapy).
* Red Clover and Black Cohosh have been shown to work in some women but Black Cohosh can have side-effects when taken with other medication. Always consult your GP. Caution: If you have high blood pressure and/or are taking Tamoxifen please consult your doctor.
* Sage, in liquid form can be beneficial. Take about 15 drops in water or juice, every day. It takes about a month to work.
* Red Clover, is endorsed by the British Menopause Society. It is cholesterol lowering and may combat hot flushes.

About the author
Kathryn Colas is founder and author of SimplyHormones.com providing specialist advice and support for women at all stages of menopause. She is a regular speaker on radio, to women’s groups and the medical profession.

Contact information:
Kathryn Colas www.simplyhormones.com, email kathryn@simplyhormones.com, or call 01825 700492.

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