Episode 32: The Night Sweats Video
Oh the joys of perimenopause (insert sarcasm here)...
One of the many being HOT FLASHES and NIGHT SWEATS.
Are you waking up in the middle of the night soaked in sweat? Maybe you even need to change your pj's or pillow and sheets. Sometimes, your heart could be racing as well. Night sweats are very common during this phase of life due to extreme swings in estrogen and progesterone, thanks to our ovaries preparing to shut down. And, in the episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, we're discussing the ins and outs of hot flashes and night sweats- why we have them and what to do about them!
The question to ask during this phase of life is "how can we keep our hormones more balanced"? And, "how do we support our body so our hormones don't have sudden drops and peaks"? We must look at the cause (our hormones) and not just the symptom (night sweats).
If you hear nothing else from this episode, hear this. Just because your ovaries are beginning to shut down doesn't mean you no longer need estrogen. At this time, your adrenal glands are asked to take over with estrogen production. The problem is that our adrenal glands are also our stress handlers. They produce cortisol. So, if you go into perimenopause already stressed and worn out, you're more likely to have all kinds of symptoms, one of the many being hot flashes and night sweats.
It goes with out saying, then, that stress management and lifestyle changes should be at the top or your list when it comes to balancing hormones and reducing night sweats. Here are a few other things you can do...
Breath Work
Limit carbs through the day. Eat most of your carbs at dinner to balance blood sugar
Try maca powder once a day in a smoothie
Eat more foods with phytoestrogens like flax seed and hummus
As with any other aspect of our health, remember that everything is interconnected. So happy hormones require lifestyle changes, stress management, a healthy mindset, and physical health. Your body is literally obsessed with keeping your hormones balanced, so before you do anything in the way of supplements, herbs, bioidentical, or HRT, get your hormones tested. Learn more by clicking the picture above to watch this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne.
I don't have hot flashes. I have short, private vacations to tropical-like conditions.
