How to Handle Hot Flushes

Hot flashes are a symptom of hormonal changes, particularly menopause, that result in a feeling of being sweaty and overheated. Also known as hot flushes, they can range from mildly irritating to severe enough to disrupt your daily life. Learning how to handle hot flashes helps you deal with the discomfort. Although prescription medicine and other medical interventions are available to help you handle hot flashes, there are many things you can do at home to ease your symptoms.

Instructions

• 1

  Dress in layers to avoid retaining body heat.

  Wear clothing made of natural fibers, such as cotton and silk. Layer clothing by wearing a tank top or short-sleeve shirt so you can remove layers when you're hot.

• 2

  Drink ice-cold beverages to cool your body. Choose nonalcoholic beverages to avoid making yourself feel hotter.

• 3

  Cool air relieves the discomfort of hot flashes.

  Run an electric fan to keep a steady stream of cool air on your body. Any measures you can take to cool your skin and body help relieve discomfort from hot flashes.

• 4

  Dampen washcloths with cold water to make cold compresses for the skin. Lay the cloths across your forehead, forearms and on your thighs, if possible, to cool your body. Leave the cloths on your skin for 10 to 15 minutes at a time.