“During menopause, it’s important to look after yourself.
Healthy lifestyle choices will help to improve physical
and emotional symptoms at every stage of menopause”.1
Umbrella
What may the Hot Flushes Management Umbrella include?
Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:
- Hot Flashes/Flushes Healthy Living
- Hot Flashes/Flushes Management
Management
What may hot flushes management include?
DotS hot flushes management may include:
- Daily Pattern
- Triggers
- Healthy Lifestyle Choices
- Weight
- Alcohol
- Smoking
- Attitude
- Stress
- Relaxation, Meditation, Mindfulness and Yoga
- Hypnosis
- Sleep
- Sex
- Natural Products
- Phytoestrogens
- Evening Primrose Oil
- Non Hormone Treatments
- Hormone Therapy
1. Daily Pattern
Can hot flushes have a daily pattern?
In Who Gets Hot Flashes and When? the (United States) Breastcancer.org elaborate on:
“The most common time of onset is between six and eight in the morning, and between six to ten at night”.2
2. Triggers
What triggers can set off a hot flush?
In Hot Flashes: What Can Trigger A Hot Flash? the (United States) Cleveland Clinic elaborate:
- Hot weather
- Heat
- Smoking
- Caffeine
- Alcohol
- Spicy foods
- Tight clothing
- Stress”.3
In Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Lifestyle and Home Remedies the (United States) Mayo Clinic explain:
- “Watch what you eat and drink. Hot and spicy foods, caffeinated beverages and alcohol can trigger hot flashes. Learn to recognize your triggers and avoid them”.4
3. Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Is there an association between health lifestyle choices and menopause symptoms?
In Looking After Yourself the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) explain:
“During menopause, it’s important to look after yourself. Healthy lifestyle choices will help to improve physical and emotional symptoms at every stage of menopause”.5
4. Weight
Is there an association between weight and hot flushes?
In Managing Your Symptoms: Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats – Maintain A Healthy Weight the JH note:
“Maintaining a healthy weight may help to improve menopausal symptoms. There is some evidence that weight gain can increase the severity of hot flushes and night sweats. More severe symptoms are associated with being overweight”.6
5. Alcohol
Is there an association between alcohol and hot flushes?
Yes and no. In Drink To Your Health At Menopause, or Not? How Much Is Bad? the NAMS elaborate on:
- “Drinking may trigger hot flashes for some women, although that isn’t based in research. So determine whether it’s a personal trigger for you. (As for a general risk of experiencing hot flashes and night sweats, some studies find alcohol increases it, whereas others find the opposite)”.7
6. Smoking
Is there an association between smoking and hot flushes?
In Looking After Yourself: Smoking and Other Drugs the JH note:
According to the Mayo Clinic:
- “Don’t smoke. Smoking is linked to increased hot flashes. By not smoking, you might reduce hot flashes, as well as your risk of many serious health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke and cancer”.9
7. Attitude
Is there an association between attitude and hot flushes?
In Make Your Menopause A Positive Experience the author elaborates on:
“The attitude with which you embark upon this transition can have a tremendous impact on your experience of it, as well as on your choice of behaviors. Many of the changes that come with menopause and aging aren’t avoidable, but how you experience menopause and the years that follow has much to do with your attitude. Far from being the end of life, you may find menopause to be a new beginning, one that can be lived richly, fully, and in good overall health. Knowing the spectrum of what’s a normal experience may help ease your concerns and help you to prepare for what’s to come”.10
8. Stress
Is there an association between stress and hot flushes?
In Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes & Night Sweats the JH elaborate on:
“Many studies suggest that stress and anxiety can influence the frequency and intensity of hot flushes. Some foods or alcohol can also have an impact”.11
9. Relaxation, Meditation, Mindfulness and Yoga
Is there an association between relaxation, meditation, mindfulness, yoga and hot flushes?
In Managing Your Symptoms: Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats – Reduce Stress the JH note:
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in managing hot flushes and night sweats. While CBT doesn’t usually reduce the frequency of hot flushes, it can reduce their impact.
There is some evidence that breathing and relaxation techniques can help you manage the impact of hot flushes.
Yoga has also been shown to be a safe and effective way to reduce menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes”.12
In Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Lifestyle and Home Remedies the Mayo Clinic elaborate on:
- “Practice mind-body therapies. Although evidence is inconclusive, some women find relief from mild hot flashes through mind-body therapies. Examples include meditation; slow, deep breathing; stress management techniques; and guided imagery. Even if these approaches don’t help your hot flashes, they might provide other benefits, such as easing sleep disturbances that tend to occur with menopause”.13
10. Hypnosis
Is there an association between hypnosis and hot flushes?
In 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices. 1 according to the NCCIH:
- “Mind and body practices such as hypnosis, mindfulness meditation, and tai chi may help improve some menopausal symptoms. Researchers looked at mind and body therapies for menopausal symptoms and found that tai chi and meditation-based programs may be helpful in reducing common menopausal symptoms including the frequency and intensity of hot flashes, sleep and mood disturbances, stress, and muscle and joint pain. There is also some evidence that hypnotherapy may help women manage hot flashes”.14
11. Sleep
Is there an association between sleep and hot flushes?
In Hot Flashes: What’s the Connection To Sex? Sleep Disturbances and Reduced Energy the NAMS elaborate on:
“Although studies have not shown a clear cause-and-effect relationship between hot flashes and sleep disturbance, nighttime hot flashes and night sweats certainly do not make for restful sleep. The result can be fatigue and less energy for sex”.15
12. Sex
Is there an association between sex and hot flushes?
In Hot Flashes: What’s the Connection To Sex? the NAMS elaborate on:
“Studies have shown that severe hot flashes can be negatively associated with sexual activity”.16
13. Natural Products
Is there an association between natural products and hot flushes?
In 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices. 2 the (United States) National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) elaborate on:
“Many natural products, such as black cohosh, soy isoflavone supplements, and DHEA, have been studied for their effects on menopausal symptoms, but scientists have found little evidence that they are helpful. There is also no conclusive evidence that the herbs red clover, kava, or dong quai reduce hot flashes”.17
In Menopause & Herbs the JH also elaborate on the evidence of different herbs used for the management of hot flushes.
14. Phytoestrogens
Is there an association between phytoestrogens and hot flushes?
In Phytoestrogens: Key Points the JH note:
- “The effect of phytoestrogens on menopausal hot flushes varies between individuals, as only a third to a half of individuals have the gut bacteria that convert the phytoestrogens to a more potent form”.18
In Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Alternative Medicine: Dietary Supplements the Mayo Clinic explain:
- “Plant estrogens. Asian women, who consume soy regularly, are less likely to report hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms than are women in other parts of the world. One reason might be related to the estrogen-like compounds in soy.
However, studies have generally found little or no benefit with plant estrogens, although research is ongoing to determine whether specific components of soy, such as genistein, help hot flashes”.19
15. Evening Primrose Oil
Is there an association between Evening primrose oil and hot flushes?
In Effectiveness of Natural Therapies: Don’t Go It Alone the JH explain:
“Recent research on menopause found that out of a large group of women in Australia, the second-most used natural therapy was self-prescribed evening primrose oil for the treatment of hot flushes. Unfortunately for these women, and completely unknown to them, another piece of research found that evening primrose oil is no better than taking a dummy pill for the treatment of hot flushes. There are natural therapies that are effective and evidence-based for the treatment of hot flushes, but evening primrose oil is not one of them”.20
16. Non Hormone Treatments
What does the North American Menopause Society’s (NAMS) Non Hormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats explain?
On pages one and two in Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats, published July 2023, the NAMS explain:

Recommended
The treatments with research showing they are effective for treating VMS include:
- Clinical Hypnosis…
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy…
- Fezolinetant
- Gabapentin
- Oxybutynin
- SSRIs/SNRIs
- Stellate Ganglion Block
- Weight Loss
Not Recommended
Treatments not recommended for VMS either because there is evidence showing that they do not reduce VMS or because there is not enough evidence showing that they are effective in reducing VMS include acupuncture, paced respirations, supplements/herbal remedies, cooling techniques, avoidance of triggers, dietary modification, exercise, yoga, mindfulness-based intervention, relaxation, suvorexant, cannabinoids, calibration of neural oscillations, chiropractic interventions, clonidine, and pregabalin”.21
What are VMS?
VMS can be an abbreviation for Vasomotor Symptoms which include hot flushes and night sweats.
17. Hormone Therapy
What is the most effective treatment for hot flushes?
On page one in The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement, published 07 July 2022, the NAMS note:
- “Hormone therapy remains the most effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and has been shown to prevent bone loss and fracture”.22
Health Care Provider
What if I would like help with my hot flushes management?
If you would like help with your hot flushes management, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this. Together you can look for a pattern, discuss your options and if required, agree on who maybe the best person to help you.
The Mayo Clinic note:
“Discuss the pros and cons of various treatments with your doctor. If hot flashes don’t interfere with your life, you probably don’t need treatment. Hot flashes subside gradually for most women, even without treatment, but it can take several years for them to stop”.23
Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Hot Flushes Management?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
Links
Where may I find Links related to Hot Flushes Management?
Your Country may have Links similar to:
Links
This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.New or Updated
- An Ob-Gyn’s Top Tips for Managing Hot Flashes
- How Fezolinetant Changes Management of Hot Flashes [Video] [04 October 2023]
- Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
- Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
- The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
- Video Series-2023: NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
- Video Series-2023: New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
- 8 Myths and Truths About Menopausal Hot Flashes
- An Ob-Gyn’s Top Tips for Managing Hot Flashes
- Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
- Avoiding Hot Flash Triggers
- BMS TV: Bioidentical Hormones
- BMS TV: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
- Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
- Certain Characteristics Predispose Women To Different Hot Flush and Night Sweat Patterns
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
- Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy [Video]
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
- Dr Louise Newson: The Truth About the Menopause & HRT
- Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
- Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
- Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
- HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
- HRT: Benefits and Risks
- Harness the Power of Your Mind To Beat Hot Flushes: It’s the Symptom That Plagues So Many Menopausal Women — and Now Here’s A Drug-Free Way That’s PROVEN To Tackle It
- Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
- Hot Flash FAQs: Triggers, Symptoms & Treatments – What Are the Treatments for Hot Flashes?
- Hot Flashes
- Hot Flashes
- Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment
- Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
- Hot Flushes, Night Sweats, Brain Fog? Here’s What We Know About Phytoestrogens for Menopausal Symptoms
- How Fezolinetant Changes Management of Hot Flashes [Video]
- How Long Does Menopause Last? – Ask Dr Jean
- How To Manage and Reduce Stress
- I Forgot To Ask the Doctor – E9: The Menopause: Can Every Woman That Wants It Have HRT?
- Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) [+ Video: Is HRT Bad for You?]
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Signs and Symptoms [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP]
- Learning To Cope With Hot Flashes
- Looking After Yourself
- Managing Menopause
- Managing Your Symptoms
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Combating Weight Gain During Menopause [15 May 2023] [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
- Meditation: A Simple, Fast Way To Reduce Stress
- Menopause
- Menopause & Herbs
- Menopause FAQs: Hot Flashes
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
- Menopause Mindfulness: A Personal Toolkit for Menopause Preparedness
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Lifestyle Tips for Menopause
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Mindfulness & Wellbeing During the Menopause Transition
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Treating Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit: A Woman’s Empowerment Guide
- Menopause Symptoms: Hot Flashes
- Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
- Menopause Treatment
- Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
- Menopause and HRT
- Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
- Menopause-Related Hot Flashes and Night Sweats Can Last for Years
- Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment
- Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Managing Your Symptoms [NICE Guideline]
- Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause [NICE Guideline]
- Menopause: Ensuring A Tranquil Transition
- Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Herbs At A Glance
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Milk Thistle [Silybum Marianum]
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Red Clover
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Sage
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Soy
- Natural Remedies To Help Manage Perimenopause Symptoms
- Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
- Non-Estrogen Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
- Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Black Cohosh
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets
- Perimenopause: Symptoms and Causes
- Physical Activity and Exercise for Hot Flashes: Trigger or Treatment?
- Phytoestrogens
- Relaxation
- Risks and Benefits of MHT
- Self-Help Tool: Menopause and Mental Wellbeing
- Sleep, Food, Exercise, Stress: Why Working on One of These Can Improve the Others
- Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes & Night Sweats
- The Reality of Menopause Weight Gain
- The Truth About Hormone Therapy for Menopause
- The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
- Therapy for the Effects of Menopause
- Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
- Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
- Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
- Video Series-2022: Perimenopause, Signs, Symptoms, and Solutions
- Video Series-2023: NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
- Video Series-2023: New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: A Simple Approach To Menopause: The Menopause Quick Six (www.MQ6.ca)
- Webinars: Previous – Management of Menopause in Patients with Obesity
- What Can I Do To Help With Hot Flashes?
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- Looking After Yourself. Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Who Gets Hot Flashes and When? Last Updated: 01 February 2022. Breastcancer.org https://www.breastcancer.org/tips/menopausal/treat/hot-flashes/who Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Hot Flashes: What Triggers A Hot Flash? Last Reviewed: 21 March 2022. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15223-hot-flashes Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Lifestyle and Home Remedies. 20 May 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Looking After Yourself. Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Managing Your Symptoms: Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats – Maintain A Healthy Weight. Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Healthhttps://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/managing-your-symptoms#managing-hot-flushes-and-night-sweats Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Drink To Your Health At Menopause, or Not? How Much Is Bad? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopauseflashes/exercise-and-diet/drink-to-your-health-at-menopause-or-not Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Looking After Yourself: Smoking and Other Drugs. Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself#smoking-and-other-drugs Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Lifestyle and Home Remedies. 20 May 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Make Your Menopause A Positive Experience. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopauseflashes/menopause-symptoms-and-treatments/make-your-menopause-a-positive-experience Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes & Night Sweats. Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-symptoms Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Managing Your Symptoms: Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats – Reduce Stress. Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Healthhttps://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/managing-your-symptoms#managing-hot-flushes-and-night-sweats Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Lifestyle and Home Remedies. 20 May 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 07 September 2023
- 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices. 4. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health https://nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/menopause Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Hot Flashes: What’s the Connection To Sex? Sleep Disturbances and Reduced Energy. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/sexual-health-menopause-online/causes-of-sexual-problems/hot-flashes Assessed: 07 September 2023
- Hot Flashes: What’s the Connection To Sex? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/sexual-health-menopause-online/causes-of-sexual-problems/hot-flashes Assessed: 23 May 2023
- 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices. 2. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health https://nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/menopause Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Phytoestrogens: Key Points. Last Updated: 26 August 2023 | Last Reviewed: 17 February 2104. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/natural-therapies-supplements/phytoestrogens Assessed: 07 September 2023
- Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Alternative Medicine: Dietary Supplements. 20 May 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Effectiveness of Natural Therapies: Don’t Go It Alone. Last Updated: 26 August 2023 | Last Reviewed: 15 June 2016. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/natural-therapies-supplements/effectiveness-of-natural-therapies Assessed: 07 September 2023
- Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats. July 2023:1-2. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/nonhormone-treatment-menonote.pdf Accessed: 07 September 2023
- The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement. 07 July 2022:1 North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/press-release/ht-position-statement-release.pdf Accessed: 07 September 2023
- Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment. 20 May 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 07 September 2023