Introducing the Anxiety-Hot Flash Connection
It is comparable to a wave of warmth across your upper body at times, and in some cases, it only heightens already existing anxiety. Even more interesting is that sometimes anxiety can be the sole cause of a hot flash. When your body secretes stress hormones at moments when you are anxious, this elevates your temperature—something that may spur on a hot flash.
If you are experiencing anxiety and are going through menopause, then you will want to explore a few ways to lighten the symptoms and create some relaxation for yourself. Menopause is very challenging in and of itself without the added emotional symptoms that come with it, but there are some ways these can be balanced out. Some issues such as hot flashes and anxiety, as well as other problems associated with this time in life, can be balanced.
The Facts About Hot Flashes
- Hot Flashes during Menopause: This is one of the cardinal symptoms of menopause. It is described as a sudden sensation of rising heat from the torso to the neck, the face, and the head, profuse sweating, and red, burning skin.
- Duration: Hot flashes normally last from 30 seconds to 10 minutes and vary in intensity.
- Chills: If the flash, or hot flash, results in too much loss of body heat, it may be followed by chills.
- Hot Flashes with Nausea: These are intense hot flashes but are accompanied by nausea, and they can occur anytime during the day or night.
- Night Sweats: If these flashes, or hot flashes, occur at night, then they are referred to as night sweats.
Why Do Hot Flashes Occur?
Low levels of estrogen and progesterone usually cause hot flashes during menopause. These low levels mislead the hypothalamus in the brain to react as if the body is overheating. The hypothalamus controls the temperature of the body. It senses when there is an overdose of heat and brings about a vasodilatory response whereby the heart beats faster and blood vessels near the skin expand to cool down.
There is a review published in the Journal of Mid-Life Health pertaining to hot flashes, their symptoms, and treatments. The most common causes or triggers include spicy food, alcoholic drinks, caffeine, smoking, and sudden changes in the ambient temperature. To be more specific, Mayo Clinic reported that caffeine seems to increase the severity of hot flashes according to one study. These triggers can be reduced in frequency and intensity if they are avoided, and they may also trigger hot flashes and nausea.
While hot flashes vary in regard to their intensities, on the mild side, some women barely notice them; in others, they can be more pronounced. Having both menopause and anxiety hitting simultaneously can hit everyday life and the quality of life hard. This transition can be facilitated by better management of one’s triggers and understanding the symptoms.
Apart from Menopause, What are the Reasons for a Hot Flash?
Hot flashes are not limited to the state of menopause alone. There are other factors that can trigger this symptom. Prescription medications, including some antidepressants, opioids, and vasodilators, are some instances that would cause a person to have the hot flash response.
Too much caffeine may also cause tachycardia and vasodilatation, making you more prone to having a hot flash. Other factors, such as heat in your bedroom, can affect your symptoms and even trigger hot flashes and nausea. If the room is too hot or you are covering up too much, you might have night sweats.
It’s a condition called hyperthyroidism that makes the body produce too much thyroid hormone, resulting in increased metabolism, probably with sweating, hot flashes, and night sweats. Moreover, any type of infection that results in fever can trigger a hot flash.
Anxiety as another possible cause for hot flashes can stimulate the release of stress hormones with symptoms such as fast heartbeats, sweating, and vasodilation of blood vessels. This can then initiate a hot flash, especially if you are already in menopause.
What Are the Sensations Involved in a Hot Flash?
Menopausal hot flashes are a rush of heat, basically over the upper body and mostly confined to the neck, chest, and face. It may be accompanied by facial flushing, similar to a deep blush. Sweating is common at this time of the flash specifically night sweats. Other more serious symptoms include hot flashes associated with nausea in some women.
After the hot flash, some women may then feel chills as their body temperature drops causing them to shiver.
How Anxiety Contributes to Hot Flushes
Symptoms of anxiety can make a hot flash worse, but the real question is does it actually trigger the hot flash? When you are anxious, there are specific kinds of stress hormones that your body releases to create a fight or flight response and ready your body for danger. This might subsequently trigger the physical reaction of a pounding heart, shortness of breath, and profuse sweating. These can increase your body temperature significantly.
At this point, this condition will most probably trigger a hot flash if you are already in menopause. On several occasions, menopause and anxiety will travel together as the result of hormonal fluctuations that create mood swings and increase tension.
Studies Linking Anxiety and Hot Flashes
Research has shown that there is some element of truth that anxiety and hot flashes are linked. One of the Articles published in Cleaveland clinic showed a significant association between somatic anxiety with the emergence of hot flashes. It pointed out that anxiety is just one of the predictors for menopausal hot flashes and, as such, is targeted to be the main feature of treatment in perimenopausal women.
Hot flashes, which last anywhere between 30 seconds to 10 minutes, are a common feature during menopause when the estrogen levels are low. The body temperature rises up to 6 degrees centigrade.
Other symptoms include heat in the upper body, taken here as the face, neck, and chest area; red or flushed skin; an increased heart rate; excessive sweating, especially at night, and hence called night sweats; and chills when the attack ends, accompanied by a moist upper lip.
Some women also report anxiety before a hot flash, which may be accompanied by nausea or weakness, or a feeling of smothering.
Differentiating Anxiety And Menopause
There may be a little bit of overlap with the symptoms of menopause and anxiety, particularly in terms of hot flashes. However, they have very different roots. Anxiety represents a real or perceived threat with the resulting release of stress hormones and the implementation of fight or flight. This can then result in many symptoms that are very similar to a hot flash, such as a racing heartbeat, fast breathing, and sweating.
On the other hand, menopause symptoms occur because of hormonal fluctuations—the change in estrogen level to be specific. This shift in hormones tricks the hypothalamus in the brain that the body is overheating and tells it to cool itself by producing a hot flash. Menopause hot flashes can heighten anxiety, and anxiety can trigger a hot flash.
Strategies to Reduce Anxiety And Hot Flashes
Here are some effective ways to reduce hot flashes and anxiety, and to improve other menopausal symptoms. As with other situations, many of these approaches can be combined to maximize menopausal comfort.
- Mindfulness meditation: Being present in the moment may decrease physical and psychological symptoms of menopause such as anxiety and depression. Several studies show that it decreases hot flashes and night sweats.
- Social Support: Good social support makes this menopausal transition much easier. One’s own symptoms are more easily discussed with others who are having similar symptom experiences. Consider joining a support group.
- Medications: Hormone replacement balances estrogen and minimizes such symptoms as hot flashes and nausea. Discuss medications and their side effects with your physician.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: CBT reduces anxiety and low mood associated with the onset of menopause by changing the pattern of thinking. Studies have established the effectiveness of CBT in treating menopausal symptoms.
- Exercise: Regular exercises lower hot flushes, anxiety, and low mood and promote bone health. It helps maintain weight during menopause.
- Avoid Smoking, Alcohol, and Caffeine: These are some of the substances that can stimulate the menopause state. Their restrictions may help in reducing hot flashes, anxiety, and depression. It has been seen that Smoking causes early menopause.
- Sleep Pattern: Maintain a regular sleeping pattern to counter the effect of poor sleep caused due to menopause. Wear loose clothes and keep your room cool to alleviate anxiety and night sweats.
Natural Supplements in Hot Flashes:
There are various 100% natural supplements in the market that involve powerful ingredients aimed at the relief of a myriad of menopause symptoms. They may alleviate hot flashes, low libido, vaginal dryness, anxiety symptoms, mood swings, and other related issues to menopause.
They usually contain phytoestrogens, which are plant-based estrogens that help balance the levels of hormones and reduce these symptoms. Added to this, they often include antioxidants for general health and immune system support of the body in dealing with stress and energy promotion.
Such supplements can prove a useful augmentation to the holistic handling of menopause if taken with a balanced diet and regular exercise.
The Last Word
Anxiety has a lot to do with the onset of hot flashes during menopause. Stress is a very predominant symptom of menopause and it can add to the probability of developing hot flashes. Also, hot flashes might cause or increase anxiety and that would only add to the intensity of it all.
There are many natural ways to reduce the incidence of both hot flashes and anxiety. Any medical plan of action for menopausal women should always include both menopause and anxiety since they are so interrelated.
This is due to the simple fact that menopause and anxiety need to be treated together for good management. By ensuring you pay attention to your mental and physical health, you can make the menopause years a lot easier to go through.