Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause, with about 75 percent of all women experiencing sudden, brief, periodic increases in their body temperature. Usually hot flashes start before a woman's last period. For 80 percent of women, hot flashes occur for two years or less. A small percentage of women experience hot flashes for more than two years. These flashes seem to be directly related to decreasing levels of estrogen.
Hot flashes vary in frequency and intensity for each woman.
Avoid foods and beverages that may cause hot flashes, such as spicy foods, alcohol, coffee, tea, and other hot beverages. Drink a glass of cold water or fruit juice when a hot flash begins. Reduce your stress level, which may aggravate hot flashes. Keep a thermos of ice water or an ice pack next to your bed during the night. Use cotton sheets, lingerie, and clothing that allow your skin to breathe.