Menopause Night Sweats Solution

Menopause night sweats, just like the women who experience them, come in all forms. Some women feel it as a flush that starts slowly and builds, sometimes accompanied by a red, warm face as well as a flushed upper body and even arms. Some women have profuse sweating, others have very little. For some women, the menopause night sweats end as quickly as they begin, and they almost don't know they've had it until it is over. Lucky them!

Some studies have shown that up to 2/3 of women during perimenopause, and almost all women who enter menopause prematurely because of illness or surgery, will experience menopause night sweats. While black women seem to have greater problems with menopause night sweats than white women, other minorities seem to have less complaints, with Asian women reporting the least amount of problems with menopause night sweats. Younger women also seem to have a higher incidence than older women of menopause night sweats.

No one is certain why menopause night sweats occur. Some reasons are thought to be related to hormonal fluctuations and changes which confuse the part of your brain that regulates your temperature. Your body dilates the blood vessels near the skin's surface trying to cool down. This is why your face may appear red. This may also be why you perspire, all in an effort to cool yourself down and be more comfortable. This can also lead to a rapid heart rate and even chills for some women who suffer from menopause night sweats.

The duration and severity of menopause night sweats can be different for every woman. Some women have them only for a short time, others may have them to some degree and in some form for life. Thankfully for those women, menopause night sweats tend to lessen as time goes on.

What about prevention? There are many ways to try to avoid or lessen menopause night sweats, especially with lifestyle changes. Certain things have been found to trigger episodes in the majority of women who experience menopause night sweats. So to try to prevent or lessen menopause night sweats, start by avoiding the following, especially close to bedtime:

• Stress, mental or physical, although light exercise can be helpful.


• Caffeinated foods and beverages.


• Alcohol.


• Spicy foods or hot beverages, soups and stews.


• Tight or uncomfortable clothing.


• Warm temperatures, either with hot showers or baths, or in your home.


• Cigarette smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke.

The first treatment recommended for menopause night sweats is usually changing your lifestyle to try to help manage your symptoms. However, while they may be helpful at reducing your menopause night sweats, lifestyle changes often do not get at the root of what may be causing your menopause night sweats. The major culprit is often hormones, specifically hormonal changes, fluctuations or imbalances.

Alternative therapies are also available which can safely and effectively get those hormones on an even keel with little or no risk. Most experts recommend trying to manage your symptoms through holistic methods and other natural treatments before trying hormonal or antidepressant medications, although these have been shown to have good effect in women who didn't get help from natural therapies.

So the first step should always be lifestyle changes, natural remedies, and then, if your symptoms are extreme or not helped at all by these methods, look to prescription help.

Talk to your healthcare provider about taking short-term hormone therapy. This treatment can prevent menopause night sweats in many women. Hormone therapy isn't for everyone, and you may not want to use it for personal reasons, but there are still other treatments that can help your menopause night sweats, such as over-the-counter or other prescription therapies. These may include vitamins, natural or synthetic estrogens, and even antidepressants. For extreme cases that disrupt the quality of your life, there are still other prescription medications as well. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about all of your options. Together you can make the best decision in creating a treatment plan for your menopause night sweats.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, there are many natural ways that may help ease your menopause night sweats symptoms. Here are just a few of their helpful hints for alleviating your symptoms of menopause night sweats:

* Exercise daily. Walking, swimming, dancing and bicycling are all good choices.

* Stay cool. Keep your bedroom cool at night. Use fans during the day. Wear light layers of clothes.

* Practice deep breathing for 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes in the evening, and at the onset of menopause night sweats.

* Consider acupuncture.

The Cleveland Clinic believes that, although some botanical and herbal therapies have shown promise for relieving menopause night sweat symptoms, more research is needed to determine the benefits and risks of alternative remedies.

However, some botanicals and herbs that may help relieve menopause night sweats and hot flashes include:

* Soy products. Plant estrogens are thought to have weak estrogen-like effects that may reduce menopause night sweats and hot flashes. These can be found in soy foods as well as whole grains and beans.

* Black cohosh. Some studies suggest that black cohosh may be helpful in the very short term (6 months or less) for treating menopause night sweats.

* Flaxseed. This is thought to decrease the symptoms of menopause, including menopause night sweats. It is available in whole seed, ground seeds and oil forms, and can be found in many foods these days, especially in health food stores.

Be sure to talk to your doctor before you take any supplements, especially if you are taking prescription medications or have other medical conditions. And remember, menopause night sweats are usually temporary, so you may be able to get by without any treatment at all.