the menopause
HOT FLASHES AND NIGHT SWEATS WHAT HAPPENS? Hot flashes are extremely common, affecting up to 80 percent of perimenopausal women. Mild hot flashes can be a nuisance, but severe hot flashes can be life-altering, affecting things like your ability to attend social events, do your job confidently, and sleep well. Hot flashes start with a sudden feeling of warmth. The blood vessels in the skin dilate to allow blood to surge to the skin’s surface, making the skin hot. This is the same response the body uses to cool off on a hot day or after vigorous exercise. But with a hot flash, this response is triggered by normal activities or, seemingly, by nothing at all! A mild hot flash may feel uncomfortably warm, but a severe flash feels stifling and can be accompanied by sweating, rapid heart rate, and heart palpitations, then it may be followed by chills. If your face and neck turn red, this event is sometimes called a hot flush. When hot flashes occur at night, they’re called night sweats and ca...