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Key takeaways
- Explore Rachel Nania’s expert tips for fast hot flash relief, from wearable tech wristbands to ice packs.
- Leverage mind-body techniques like CBT and hypnosis, which research shows can decrease hot flash severity.
- Consult your doctor about long-term relief, including hormone therapy and new FDA-approved nonhormonal medications.
Summary
Hot flash relief is a top concern for women navigating menopause, as about 80% experience these sudden heat surges due to shifting estrogen levels. AARP Health Editor Rachel Nania shares the most effective ways to cool down, from cutting-edge wearable tech wristbands that provide instant relief to classic remedies like ice packs on pulse points. Mind-body techniques, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnosis, have also been scientifically proven to reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes.
For those seeking more long-term hot flash relief, doctor-approved options like hormone therapy or newly FDA-approved nonhormonal medications offer solutions tailored to each woman’s needs — even for breast cancer survivors. By exploring these proven strategies and talking with your doctor, you can take control and minimize menopause symptoms, improving your comfort and quality of life.
The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
Full Transcript:
[00:00:00] If you’re experiencing hot flashes, you are not alone. Hot flashes can affect about 80% of women in menopause and perimenopause,
[00:00:08] and during this time, research suggests that estrogen levels decline and cause the body’s heat manager to respond to slight changes in body temperature.
[00:00:17] When it thinks the body becomes too warm, it starts a chain of events trying to cool the body down, starting with those intense bursts of heat.
[00:00:25] But simple treatments, including some new products on the market, can help ease symptoms. Number one, cool tech. Wearable tech can now help you beat the heat.
[00:00:35] These wristbands generate a cooling sensation to your wrist through wave forms, which you can control from an app on your phone. For a low-tech version,
[00:00:43] you can also wrap small ice packs or cold washcloths around your wrist, neck and armpits.
[00:00:49] That’s where blood flow is closest to the surface and should reduce the intensity. Number two, think chill thoughts.
[00:00:57] If you can’t cool off quickly, experts say training yourself to think about a cold or calming place can help your symptoms.
[00:01:04] Cognitive behavioral therapy can teach you to shift your thoughts and emotional response when a hot flash starts. In a clinical trial, women reduced night sweats by
[00:01:13] nearly 40% and felt less disrupted day to day. Hypnosis is another option.
[00:01:19] A recent study found it cut the frequency and intensity of hot flashes in participants by more than half.
[00:01:25] These techniques require a trained professional and take a few weeks to learn, but the science shows they can work.
[00:01:32] Number three, hot flash medication. Hormone therapy is the most effective and
[00:01:37] best-studied treatment. For many women, it can start easing symptoms in just a few days to a few weeks, making hot
[00:01:44] flashes less frequent and less intense. For women who aren’t good candidates for hormone therapy, like breast cancer
[00:01:51] survivors or patients with blood clots, the FDA has approved two nonhormonal drugs to treat hot flashes.
[00:01:58] In clinical trials, one of these medications helped reduce hot flashes by 74%. Menopausal women should not suffer in silence.
[00:02:06] If you’re feeling the heat, talk with your doctor to find a solution. And for the latest health news and information,
[00:02:12] go to aarp.org/health
