Common menopausal symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats and changes in menstruation, but there are many others.The first thing to note about menopausal symptoms is that there is a surprisingly long list of them, and that no list is really comprehensive, because every woman experiences menopausal symptoms in an individual way. Hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, a decline in libido and changes in the menstrual cycle are very common menopausal symptoms, but there are many others. Some very fortunate women experience these symptoms only mildly, or not at all, while for others the menopause phase can prove a very challenging stage in life. If you are experiencing hot flashes, night sweats, depression, mood swings or changes in your menstrual cycle, and youre a woman between the ages of about forty and sixty five, its likely that these symptoms are signaling the onset of menopause, but see your doctor for an individual, professional diagnosis. Your doctor is also the best person to talk to about what you can expect in the years to come, and the treatment options which are available to you should you need them.

A brief list of common menopausal symptoms.

Hot flashes, sometimes called hot flushes, is a term used to describe a sudden sensation of warmth in the face, chest and neck, which may be accompanied by redness in the skin, a pounding heartbeat and sweating. This may last only a few minutes, or up to half an hour. A chill or cold sweat may follow. Night sweats are associated with waking in the night with an increased body temperature, often with bedding and nightclothes drenched in sweat.

Emotional and mental symptoms are also very common, and can be very distressing. These may include mood swings, depression, irritability, difficulties in concentrating, mental confusion and memory problems. A decline in libido is another very common menopause symptom. This may be exacerbated by vaginal dryness, and a thinning of the skin around the cervix, which can make intercourse uncomfortable. 

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Tags: Hot Flashes, Menopause and Sweating, Sweating

Hot flashes and night sweats usually go hand in hand during menopause. To differentiate, hot flashes are considered the intense heat and flushing you experience during the daytime hours. Night sweats usually happen when you are sleeping or during the nighttime hours. Essentially they are the same; they are just sometimes triggered for different reasons.

Night sweats are relatively easy to control. Certain changes in your lifestyle can rectify a night sweat before it actually happens. The first thing you need to do is to avoid any foods, caffeine, or alcohol for about 3 hours before you plan on going to bed. Also, you should avoid exercise, hot liquids, hot showers, or smoking for 3 hours before bedtime. This will help to relieve any triggers that may be associated with hot flashes and night sweats and aid in a good nights sleep.

Lowering the thermostat in your house and your bedroom especially will aid in any discomfort you feel from the heat. You should plan on dropping the temperature by 2 to 3 degrees without adding any additional blankets or covers which would defeat the purpose. It may be a bit chilly but you will fall asleep and stay asleep easier. Wearing light clothing such as a t-shirt or light cotton nightgown will also help to control hot flashes and night sweats at bedtime. This, along with cotton sheets should keep you cool and comfortable.

If you have had a particularly stressful day at work or with the family in the evening, take an hour or so to unwind alone before you go to sleep. The most common cause of hot flashes and night sweats is anxiety, so you want to plan on avoiding any unnecessary stress right before bed.

During this time it is especially beneficial to try some easy breathing techniques or meditation routines. Fifteen minutes of deep breathing and exhaling will do wonders for your stressed state. Yoga is also an excellent way to relax before bed. You will find yourself sleeping better and spending less time worrying about your next hot flashes and night sweats.

Tags: Hot Flashes, Night Sweats

Menopause night sweats can be frustrating. According to surveys conducted by medical researchers, some women experience them for several years before the onset of menopause and about 50% will experience them during or after menopause. Doctors can perform tests to determine if menopause is causing a woman?s symptoms, but often it is diagnosed according to a woman?s symptoms.

There are several terms that doctors and researchers use to describe the years leading up to and following menopause. A woman is considered to be pre-menopausal if her periods are still regular; peri-menopausal if some periods have been missed or are becoming irregular; and post-menopausal when she has not had a period for more than one full year. There is no way to predict beforehand when the onset of menopause will begin. The average age for menopause or the year when 12 sequential periods are missed, is 51. Women who smoke typically experience menopause two years earlier than the average. Certain medical conditions and treatments may lead to an even earlier menopause.

There are a variety of different symptoms that may be caused by changing hormonal levels. One such symptom is menopause night sweats. At the onset of menopause, or when women begin to notice lighter or missing periods, is when most women report menopause night sweats and research following women going through ?natural menopause? indicates that about 50% continue to have them for two to three years following menopause. Natural menopause means to researchers that the women participating in the surveys are not using hormone replacement therapy.

Most women who experience menopause night sweats also experience hot flashes during the day. Both of these are called ?vasomotor symptoms?, because blood vessels and circulation are involved. No one knows why these symptoms occur. Low levels of estrogen or other hormones may cause them. Increases in follicle stimulating hormones or other compounds may cause them. It is known that in women who must have their ovaries removed due to illness or injury, which is referred to as surgical menopause, night sweats and hot flashes are experienced. Men taking medication to suppress hormone production also experience them. So, they are either directly or indirectly related to hormones levels.

In women who experience them, the severity of menopause night sweats varies. Some women awaken to find the bed linens wet with sweat. Others say that they feel too hot and kick the blankets off, only to become chilled in a short time, waking up again to search for them. They sometimes lead to difficulty sleeping and insomnia, which can lead to fatigue, irritability and moodiness.

There are many effective treatment options. Hormone replacement therapy was often prescribed at the onset of menopause to relieve menopause night sweats and other symptoms. But, recent research indicates that the health risks outweigh the benefits. To learn about safe and natural treatment options, please visit the Menopause and PMS Guide.

Tags: Menopause and Sweating, Night Sweats

Get Relief for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats related to Menopause

It seems like the late 30's or early 40's should be when women can have the time of her lives. The kids are probably gone, or at least a little grown up, and the career choices have been made. Unfortunately, your hormones will soon begin changing and you may soon start gong into menopause. While menopause should be a reason to celebrate (no more monthly cycles), many women experience irritating side effects when there is less of the hormone estrogen in the system. The most common side effect is hot flashes (or hot flushes, as some call them when they cause flushing or redness of the skin).

Only 15% of women do not suffer from hot flashes, for the rest of us, the flashes can last from five to fifteen minutes at a time. Medical professionals have not determined how to tell how long (in months) they will continue. Because the body is trying to compensate to the lower estrogen levels, as soon as it figures out the proper adjustment, the hot flashes will stop.

One way medical science has decided to compensate is with Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), which calls for a prescription of Estrogen pills, or a skin patch, to help estrogen levels go back to where they once were. Unfortunately, once you stop taking the pills, your body has to try to compensate again, and the hot flashes will reoccur. However, it is sometimes possible to decrease the dose of estrogen gradually, allowing the body to adjust more slowly.

But there are there natural alternatives for chemical HRT. And it's sad that less than two percent of doctors even mention alternative therapies (maybe because the pharmaceuticals make more money on the Estrogen Replacement Therapy). Thousands of women have tested natural therapies and agree that they work! There are a few natural things you should consider if you're not ready to put another chemical into your body.

Natural Care for Hot Flashes or Night Sweats

When hot flashes occur at night, you will experience night sweats (or worse yet, cold sweats). In the worst cases, sweating can get excessive and soak bedding and nightgowns. Here are a few things that you can do stay as comfortable as possible. During the day, dress in layers so you can remove items, and put them back on when the hot flash is finished. At night, wear cotton underwear and gowns that will absorb perspiration. These keep you cooler than synthetic garments.

Most importantly, start keeping a record of your daily routine and try to determine when you are most likely to get a hot flash. Certain foods or drinks can cause an increase in the amount and severity of the hot flash. Watch out for alcohol (especially red wine), caffeine, sugar, fatty dairy products, salt, spicy foods, saturated oils and monosodium glutamate (added to prepared foods to enhance flavor).

Last but not least, there are some herbs that contain healthy compounds that have proven to be affective. One of the main herbs is Black Cohosh, which is a thoroughly researched herb containing phytoestrogens and is approved by the German 'Kommission E" - a body similar to the FDA. You can find Black Cohosh in the appropriate portions in MellowPause.

In the case of severe menopausal symptoms, it is recommend that MellowPause be taken together with Dong Quai, which has been used for many centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. In time this too shall pass. Menopause usually ends by the age of 51; but hot flashes may, if you're lucky, end much sooner than that.

Tags: Hot Flashes, Menopause and Sweating, Night Sweats, Sweating

Because of the health risks associated with hormone replacement therapy, many women want to know what alternative therapies are available for hot flashes. There are many alternatives available. Some people even recommend supplements like vitamin B for hot flashes. Here we look at some of the herbs and vitamins that may be help relieve hot flashes and night sweats. Not all products work for all women, but there are some products that seem to be more effective than others.

What alternative therapies are available for hot flashes?

Much research has been conducted concerning alternative therapies for hot flashes. Everything from acupuncture to Zoloft has been tried. In this article we focus mainly on herbs and vitamin supplements that have been shown to be effective, but the first place to start is with diet, exercise and lifestyle. Caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants can bring on hot flashes. Regular exercise seems to reduce the number and frequency for some women. Once you are exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet, adding herbs and vitamin supplements should relieve most, if not all of your symptoms.

Does taking vitamin B for hot flashes work?

According to a recent report published by the University of California, there are clinical trials that support the effectiveness of vitamin B supplements for painful menstruation, but there are no studies concerned specifically with the effectiveness of taking vitamin B for hot flashes.

The B complex vitamins are important for overall good health. Vitamin B3 or Niacin is found in every cell of the body. One small study at Columbia University in New York demonstrated that estrogen levels rose in obese postmenopausal women after implementing a vitamin regimen including C, B6, B12 and folic acid (another vitamin belonging to the B complex group).

If decreased levels of estrogen cause hot flashes, something no one is sure about, then this study seems to indicate that taking vitamin B for hot flashes could be effective for women who do not get enough in their diet. Generally speaking, a good daily multi-vitamin should be a part of every woman?s routine.

What alternative therapies are available for hot flashes and night sweats?

Hot flashes and night sweats are similar, but night sweats can disturb a woman?s quality of sleep, which in turn can lead to insomnia, irritability and other emotional issues. Most products that effectively reduce hot flashes, work for night sweats, as well. Additionally, women have found that sleeping in a cooler room, using a fan and wearing lightweight cotton clothing to bed is helpful.

What alternative therapies are available for hot flashes that really work?

As previously mentioned there are many therapies that work for some women. Step one is to eat a healthy diet, get regular exercise, quit smoking and limit caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. The most effective herb for relieving hot flashes, according to clinical research, is black cohosh. Soy isoflavones, which are a type of plant estrogen, is nearly as effective as black cohosh. Red clover isoflavones have been shown to be effective in some studies, but not in others. Some supplement companies have products that contain several different herbs, minerals and other plant components designed to provide the most relief possible for women suffering from symptoms of menopause.

Tags: Hot Flashes, Menopause and Sweating, Night Sweats