Cooling Strategies: Tips for Managing Hot Flushes Naturally

Just when you think you’ve got a handle on your hormones, another major life transition can bring with it all kinds of profound changes. For many women, the transition into menopause is one of these, bringing the common – and highly disruptive – symptoms of hot flushes into the mix. Hot flushes are sudden and abrupt surges of heat that can impact daily routines, affect sleep, and challenge every sense of your well-being; this menopausal symptom requires the highest degree of support and care for simplified management.

If you’re looking for effective cooling strategies to manage hot flushes naturally, we’ve gathered a range of potential tools that can help you minimise the impact they have on your everyday rhythms and routines.

Why do we have hot flushes?

Hot flushes are the direct result of hormonal fluctuations experienced throughout menopause. Varying in intensity and duration, they’re also likely to be accompanied by a rapid heartbeat, sudden sweating, and a flushed complexion.

Hot flushes can also become more likely due to individual triggers, which can differ in severity from woman to woman. These may be environmental, emotional, or related to diet. By examining the triggers in your own experiences, you can enhance the coping tools at your disposal and look to reduce the likelihood of a hot flush occurring.

[Are you struggling with your menopause symptoms? Contact the Australian Menopause Centre today for treatment options that can reduce hot flushes and more.]

The impact of our diet on hot flushes

Since the food we eat can play a pivotal role in helping to manage the severity and frequency of hot flushes, this is one of the first places to begin when it comes to managing them. Foods that are rich in phytoestrogens – like soy, flaxseeds, and legumes – can all contribute to more naturally balanced hormone levels by mimicking the effects of oestrogen on the body.

Along with increasing what’s beneficial in your diet, it’s also helpful to remove what could be exacerbating hot flushes. Unfortunately, for those of us who love coffee and a glass of wine at the end of the day, reducing your intake of caffeine and alcohol may be beneficial. For some women, these substances can trigger, or worsen, hot flushes.

It’s also important to stay hydrated. Since increased sweating ( as a result of hot flushes) can lead to dehydration, making sure you’re replenishing yourself is crucial. Keep a full water bottle on hand and try a range of herbal teas to make it easier to keep yourself hydrated and cool throughout the day.

Potential lifestyle changes

With so many different lifestyle factors playing a role in how likely hot flushes are, examining which ones may be useful to modify in your own life can be a helpful process throughout menopause’s changes.

The maintenance of a healthy weight (supported by a balanced diet and sustainable regular exercise) is one way that hot flushes can be reduced. As a bonus, a healthy diet and physical activities can also help to regulate mood swings and contribute to improved overall well-being, all of which are beneficial in navigating the changes menopause brings with it.

Alongside weight management, diet, and exercise, sleep is a vital part of managing hot flushes. While hot flushes can lead to night sweats that disrupt sleep, building stress-reduction and sleep aid techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or sleep tools can be helpful in falling back to sleep as quickly as possible. 

Cooling strategies for when a hot flush hits

So you’ve modified your diet, built in some lifestyle changes, and are sticking to a healthy sleep routine wherever possible – and a hot flush hits anyway. What options are you left with?

It can be helpful to remember that while it may feel like your body’s turning on you, this is one of its natural responses. Reaching for some natural strategies can help you to reduce the discomfort.

Start by focusing on your breathing, taking slow, deep, and even breaths. This can help to lower your heart rate, as well as increase your sense of calm and presence.

Look for the coolest spot possible (whether inside or outside) and loosen or remove any extra layers of clothing to support your body as it works to reduce its temperature. By choosing outfits that are built around layers, you can be prepared for whatever the day brings, including unexpected hot flushes that may require a change of outfit in an instant. Loose-fitting garments and clothes made of cooling fabrics, such as breathable cotton or linen, can give you more comfort throughout the hormonal changes brought on by menopause. 

Portable fans can also be lifesavers, so carrying one with you throughout the day can give you a tool you can reach for when it comes to a hot flush incident. 

While you’re in the midst of a hot flush, keep sipping cold water and try a cool, damp cloth on both your forehead and the back of your neck. 

Much of managing a hot flush is also about mentality. It’s important to remember that these are transient, and while intense in the moment, turning to cooling strategies can help to reduce their impact. Patience and calmness in the moment of experiencing the hot flush can significantly help when it comes to letting the flush pass and resuming your day. 

Further support for managing menopause symptoms

Menopause isn’t meant to be navigated on your own. At the Australian Menopause Centre, we provide support for Australian women in the midst of every change that menopause brings, including advice for treatment options, regular follow-ups and monitoring, support from naturopaths and nutritionists alongside our doctors, and more. 

If menopause symptoms are disrupting your life or causing ongoing pain, it’s time to call in support. Connect with us today to learn more about how we can help you to reduce the impact of hot flushes, and menopause’s many other symptoms, on your wellbeing. Hot flushes don’t need to be the end of the story!