5 ways to deal with hot flashes during menopause

Hot flashes during menopause can be reduced with cardio exercises, yoga, weight lifting, and meditation.

Menopause causes women to experience hot flashes and night sweats. These symptoms are called vasomotor symptoms, which are related to the dilation of blood vessels and occur in more than 80% of women.

Women are often advised to take estrogen supplements and certain antidepressants. There are also some natural remedies that can help manage these conditions.

Cardio

Cardiovascular exercise can also be good for menopause by improving overall health. One study found that women who exercised for 16 weeks had fewer hot flashes than women who did not.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT), which alternates between periods of intense and light activity, can also help combat vasomotor symptoms. This is because these exercises train the body to respond more quickly to the expansion and contraction of blood vessels, which helps to cool the body quickly. Additionally, HIIT increases body temperature, which helps the hypothalamus (a part of the brain) learn to better respond to sudden and drastic changes in temperature.

Yoga and meditation

Night sweats can make it difficult for women to get a good night’s sleep. Yoga can help. A study published in June 2022 in the Journal of Nursing & Health Science found that women who practiced yoga for 20 weeks had better sleep, reduced stress, and reduced symptoms of depression.

Meditation also helps reduce the number of hot flashes at night, according to a study published in the journal Menopause . Meditation can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system to enter a state of relaxation.

Yoga exercises, meditation... help the body adapt to hot flashes better. Photo: Freepik — Yoga exercises, meditation... help the body adapt to hot flashes better. Photo: *Freepik*

Weight lifting

In a 2019 study published in the medical journal Maturitas , women who did weight training and strength training three times a week reduced their hot flashes by nearly 50 percent after 15 weeks.

Eat more soybeans

Soybeans contain isoflavones, which are plant estrogens. Among them is daidzein, which is converted by gut bacteria into equol, which has been shown to reduce the severity and frequency of hot flashes.

A study published in 2021 found that women who added a half-cup of cooked soybeans to their diet every day for 12 weeks had a 79% reduction in hot flashes. Most of them stopped having moderate to severe hot flashes.

Use Gastrodia elata

People can use Gastrodia elata extract, an herb that has a similar composition to the hormone estrogen. This herb helps reduce the number and severity of hot flashes in menopausal women. However, women should consult a doctor before using it because Gastrodia elata has side effects and interacts with other herbs.

Chile (According to Everyday Health )

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