Burn baby burn
Night sweats, hot flushes, power surges, vasomotor symptoms (VMS – the technical term), call them what you will, when they hit, they can be extremely uncomfortable, disturbing your sleep, peace and general wellbeing.
A staggering 79% of us will get hot flushes as we hit perimenopause. What bothers me more though, is that we still don’t really know why we get them!
As Professor Rebecca Thurston said “It suggests we have a high cultural tolerance for women’s suffering. It’s not regarded as important”. (Dominus, 2023) The truth is, we’re under studied! In fact, as I researched this article I came across a study where men were given estrogen and then put in stressful situations to measure their stress hormones! I mean really…
Here’s another thing that really annoys me (I’m on my soapbox now 
), men can get Viagra on the PBS, the same can’t be said for much of HRT (yes, some of it is, but not enough – you can read more about that here)
Here’s what we do know...
It’s all in your head.
Remember, perimenopause is occurring in your brain and it’s thought that hot flushes originate here.
Your hypothalamus (the gland responsible for homeostasis – aka keeping your body balanced and stable) becomes more sensitive to slight changes in body temperature. Hello power surge!
Interestingly, the hypothalamus is also involved in insulin secretion. There is some evidence that poor insulin handling makes hot flushes worse (Lowry, 2012). We ALL become more insulin sensitive as we age, but especially as we go through menopause. Dame, this is a critical window for metabolic health and how well you age.
If you’re struggling with weight gain, I’m offering a six-week program for only $799 (that’s a saving of over $400). All you need to do is book and pay in April (start when you’re ready). Read more about it here.
You’re coming down off a powerful drug.
And that drug is estrogen but it’s not because you have low estrogen per say (pre-pubescent girls don’t get hot flushes…), it’s because you’re withdrawing from it.
Things that can make that estrogen ‘drop off’ worse are:
- Oral contraception
- Hormone therapy (more so if you come off it – I’ve gone ‘cold turkey’ in the past, believe me, it wasn’t pretty)
- Obesity – if you’re struggling with weight gain, download Battle of the Bulge.
- Inactivity
- Xenoestrogens – these are environmental estrogens that are hormone disruptors – think plastics.
A vicious cycle
Everyone I treat for hot flushes tells me that stress plays a huge factor in the frequency and intensity of their hot flushes.
Have you noticed that you feel that your ability to cope with stress is lowered? Well, when you have a hot flush there is a MASSIVE discharge of every neurotransmitter (brain chemical) and stress hormone known to Damekind!
HOT FLUSH → RELEASE OF STRESS HORMONES + NEUROTRANSMITTERS → HOT FLUSH
That’s another really good reason to manage your stress as much as humanly possible. Check out Moody Blues and Running on Empty for great tips on managing stress and burn out.
Help is at (sweaty) hand
Start by monitoring your symptoms. You can download a diary from here. Fill it in and feel free to email it back to me before your next appointment or take it to your doctor next time you visit them.
If you’re on HRT, talk to your GP about adding in progesterone (Prometrium) to your prescription. Emerging research shows that it may have less long-term side effects than estrogen therapy alone and helps with sleep quality. What’s not to like about that.
Quit smoking (does anyone do that anymore?) – ‘durries’ increase the release of norepinephrine (think fight or flight response).
Manage your weight – OMG this feels very pertinent post Easter… Here’s another interesting factoid – oestrogen is an appetite suppressant, that’s why as she lowers, we feel more hungry.
Reduce your alcohol intake – especially if you’re not sleeping. Upside – light alcohol use may help, emphasis on light Dame.
Get moving – remember, inactivity makes them worse.
Try Nadhi Shodhana – alternate-nostril breathing.
Check out these blog articles:
There’s also plenty of herbal remedies (black cohosh, red clover for example) that may help. The wonderful thing about herbs, is that we can tailor them just for you.
Lastly, don’t be embarrassed. Let people know you’re having a ‘Royal Flush’. The more we talk about this, the more we remove the stigma and discomfort!
The most important thing Dame, is that you shouldn’t just ‘put up’ with whatever’s going on. There are tonnes of things we can do. Book yourself in for a chat to see what solutions will work best for you.
Remember, you should not be doing menopause alone. Together we’ve got this.
Until next week, keep being Great.
Marnie
P.S If you haven’t already done so, make sure you download your FREE Survivor’s Guide to Menopause (did I say it’s free?).
P.P.S If you know someone who is struggling with all the changes, please share this with them.
References
Dominus, S. (2023, February 1). Women Have Been Misled About Menopause. Retrieved from New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/01/magazine/menopause-hot-flashes-hormone-therapy.html
Lowry, F. (2012, Oct 11). Hot Flashes Linked to Insulin Resistance. Retrieved from Medscape: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/772465
Mansberg, D. G. (2020). The M Word How to Thrive in Menopause. Sydney: Murdoch Books Australia
Prior, J.C. 2023. The Origin of Hot Flushes. Health Masters Live.
