Although you can’t always avoid every hot flash or night sweat, you can help reduce their severity and their frequency by knowing the five most common triggers:
- Hormone changes, especially low or dropping estrogen.
- Alcohol.
- Sugar (from treats like ice cream, cookies, or sugar-laced tea) before bed.
- Stressful thoughts or worries about tasks not completed.
- Caffeine, especially without adequate water for several days.
Learn more about midlife health and menopause at spectrumhealthblog.org/menopause. Dr. Diana Bitner blogs weekly about symptoms, treatments, and her own life stories about perimenopause.
Written by: Diana Bitner, MD, Menopause Specialist, Spectrum Health Medical Group Photo: stock.xchng
