Their lives are very complicated. While some of its symptoms may resemble PMS, perimenopause is a multifaceted phenomenon aggravated by life circumstances, says Jones. There are many, many things that happen in midlife, and they aren't all related to the ovaries. The sudden ups and downs of estrogen and other hormones can indeed add an extra edge to an already stress-filled life. You can be sure that a drop in estrogen is responsible for those hot flashes women sometimes get at night, Jones explains.
Most women have hot flashes, to one degree or another, in the years surrounding menopause.
While all women understand what a classic, major hot flash is, they may not recognize the more subtle ones that occur at night, says Cindy's gynecologist, Suzanne Trupin, MD, a clinical professor at the University of Illinois-Urbana. It could feel like an adrenaline rush. It could feel like you drank a whole lot of hot coffee on a hot day. Women say they wake up and their neck is dripping wet. Some get a lot of wetness, others don't.