Day 15: What is a Hot Flash?

This week is all about demystifying the hot flash.

There’s probably no other symptom of menopause that’s more well-known, more feared and more steeped in mystery than the hot flash. The truth is, hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause. In fact – three quarters of us will experience hot flashes to some degree during our journey.

Just what exactly is a hot flash and why does it happen at all?

The answer lies in our hormone estrogen and our vasomotor systems. The medical term for the experience of hot flashes and night sweats is vasomotor symptoms. Vasomotor refers to the network of nerves and muscles of the body that control dilation and restriction of your blood vessels. Hot flashes occur when these signals get misinterpreted or misdirected.

So what’s going on inside?

Estrogen is one of the hormones that helps to regulate the body’s internal temperature. Hot flashes are thought to be related to the changes in estrogen that occur as our bodies move through menopause. Sometimes the body gets signals that it’s getting too hot, even when it may not be at all. In response, blood vessels in the skin are dilated to allow for quick cooling. (That’s the rush of heat you feel.) Sweating usually accompanies the heat and it can be profuse. Once this happens, you may start to feel chills and even shiver a bit as the sweat evaporates. This is your body’s internal air conditioning at work.

A single hot flash can last from about a minute to 5 minutes or more. Some of us can experience hot flashes several times a day. Hot flashes generally occur more frequently the closer we get to actual menopause, or the end of our periods. For most of us, hot flashes generally occur over a period of several years as actual menopause approaches.

So what does a hot flash feel like?

That depends on who you ask. The sensations can be intense or they can be more subtle. In general, you may experience a sensation of heat rising from your head and upper chest, flushed skin, sweating, lightheadedness, a faster heart beat, and maybe even a headache.

Some of these symptoms can be quite intense and it can definitely be a little unnerving. We can all probably agree that hot flashes are not fun but it’s important to know that they’re a normal part of the process. You’re not sick. You’re not alone. You’re just really, really uncomfortable. Those 5 minutes can feel like the longest 5 minutes of your life. The good news is, there are things you can start doing right away to control them.

Remember from your first course that your thoughts can influence your symptoms. That’s 100% true for hot flashes. Understanding your experience with hot flashes can help you to identify thoughts, feelings and reactions that can be helping or hurting.

I’ll see you in the next lesson, where we’ll take a deeper look at how to do that.