Hot Flushes and Stress: What Is the Connection?

Hot flushes and stress are more closely connected than many women realise. While hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause are a major reason hot flushes occur, stress and anxiety can sometimes trigger them or make them feel more intense and much harder to manage.

Understanding what is happening in your body, and why, can make these sudden waves of heat feel far less frightening and help you feel much more in control.

Have you ever noticed that your hot flushes seem to appear at exactly the wrong moment?

You are about to walk into an important meeting. You are rushing to get somewhere. You feel under pressure. Perhaps you are worrying about something, and suddenly you feel that familiar wave of heat rising through your chest, neck and face.

Then comes the thought:

Oh no. Not now.

And almost instantly, you feel even hotter.

If this sounds familiar, you are certainly not alone.

Hot flushes are one of the most common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. What many women do not realise, however, is that stress and anxiety can become part of the hot flush cycle too.

And once you understand that connection, you can start doing something about it.

Can Stress Cause Hot Flushes?

This is a question I am frequently asked by women experiencing menopause symptoms.

The simple answer is that stress does not cause menopausal hot flushes in the same way that hormonal changes do, but stress and anxiety can trigger or intensify hot flushes in some women.

During perimenopause and menopause, changing hormone levels can affect the way your brain regulates your body temperature. Your internal thermostat becomes more sensitive, which means relatively small changes in temperature can sometimes trigger a much bigger response.

At the same time, when you feel stressed or anxious, your nervous system responds.

Your heart may begin beating faster. Your breathing can change. You may start sweating. You can feel warmer and become increasingly aware of what is happening inside your body.

If your temperature regulation is already more sensitive because of hormonal changes, this stress response can add another layer.

This is why you may notice your hot flushes appearing more frequently when you are tired, worried, rushing, overwhelmed or under pressure.

What Does a Menopause Hot Flush Feel Like?

A hot flush can seemingly come from nowhere.

One minute you are absolutely fine and the next you may experience an intense feeling of heat, particularly around your face, neck and chest.

Your skin may become red or flushed. You may sweat. Your heart may beat faster, and some women experience dizziness or anxiety at the same time.

At night, the same response can cause night sweats, disturbing your sleep and sometimes leaving your clothes or bedding damp.

But there is another part of the experience that we do not talk about enough.

It is the fear of the hot flush itself.

The Connection Between Hot Flushes and Anxiety

Imagine you have experienced a particularly uncomfortable hot flush during a work meeting.

You felt yourself becoming hotter. You were convinced everybody could see it. You felt embarrassed and desperately wanted it to stop.

The next time you have a meeting, your brain remembers.

Before you even enter the room, you may find yourself thinking:

What if it happens again?

You begin checking your body.

Am I getting warm?

Does my face feel hot?

Can anyone see?

That worry creates stress. The stress creates more physical sensations. You notice those sensations and become more anxious.

And suddenly you have created a cycle.

Hot flush. Worry. Stress response. More heat. More worry.

The original hot flush is physical and very real. But the fear and anticipation surrounding it can make the whole experience much more difficult.

This is why learning to change your response to a hot flush can be so helpful.

Why Can Stress Feel So Much Harder During Perimenopause?

I hear this so often from women.

"I've always coped with stress. Why am I suddenly struggling with things that never bothered me before?"

It can be incredibly frustrating, and sometimes frightening, when you no longer feel quite like yourself.

You may have spent years managing work, children, relationships, ageing parents, finances and all the usual pressures of everyday life. Then suddenly things that you would previously have brushed off can feel overwhelming.

Perimenopause and menopause can bring changes in mood, anxiety, problems with sleep and difficulties with memory and concentration. Add hot flushes and night sweats into the mix, and it is easy to see how one symptom can begin feeding another.

You have night sweats, so you do not sleep properly.

You wake up exhausted.

Because you are tired, everyday stresses feel bigger.

You become more anxious or overwhelmed.

Your nervous system becomes more reactive.

Then your hot flushes feel harder to manage.

Before long, you can find yourself caught in a cycle that affects your sleep, confidence, work and everyday life.

Why Do I Get Hot Flushes When I Am Nervous or Stressed?

When we feel threatened, pressured or anxious, the body's natural stress response prepares us to react. The interesting thing is that your brain does not necessarily distinguish between an actual danger and something you are simply worrying about. An important presentation can create a stress response. So can running late. So can a difficult conversation. And so can worrying about whether you are going to have a hot flush.

This can be particularly frustrating because the more desperately you think, I don't want to have a hot flush, the more attention you are giving to the possibility of one.

Your mind starts looking for it. This is something I often explain to my clients.

Our brains are incredibly good at learning patterns. If your brain begins to associate certain situations with embarrassment, anxiety or hot flushes, it can start preparing for the same response whenever you find yourself in that situation again. The good news is that learned responses can also be changed.

How Can You Reduce Stress and Manage Hot Flushes?

There is no single technique that will stop every menopause hot flush, and I think it is important to be realistic about that.

However, if stress is one of your triggers, learning to calm your stress response can help you feel much more in control.

Start Noticing Your Hot Flush Triggers

For a week or two, simply pay attention to what is happening immediately before a hot flush.

Were you rushing?

Feeling anxious?

Had you been worrying about something?

Were you particularly tired?

Had you been drinking coffee or alcohol?

Had you eaten something spicy?

Were you in a stressful situation at work?

You are not looking for problems. You are simply looking for patterns.

Once you understand your own triggers, you have much more choice about how you respond to them.

Stop Fighting the Hot Flush

This might sound strange, but desperately trying to stop a hot flush can sometimes create even more anxiety. Instead, try changing the message you give yourself.

Rather than thinking:

Oh no. Here it comes.

Try:

I know what this is. It will pass.

Instead of:

Everyone is looking at me.

Try:

I probably notice this far more than anyone else does.

And instead of:

I can't cope with this.

Remind yourself:

I've handled this before, and I can handle it again.

You are gradually teaching your brain that the sensation may be uncomfortable, but it is not something it needs to fear.

Slow Your Breathing

When we become anxious, our breathing can become faster and shallower without us even realising it. Try gently slowing everything down. Take a comfortable breath in through your nose and allow the breath out to become slightly slower and longer. There is no need to force it or take enormous breaths. You are simply giving your body the message that you are safe and that it can begin to settle.

Look at Your Overall Stress Levels

Sometimes the hot flush is not really the whole problem.

It is simply the thing that finally makes you realise how much pressure you have been carrying.

Ask yourself:

When did I last properly switch off?

Am I sleeping enough?

Am I constantly rushing?

Am I worrying about everybody else?

Do I ever give myself permission to stop?

Many women arrive at perimenopause already carrying an enormous mental load.

Sometimes your body is telling you that something needs to change.

Can Reducing Stress Help Menopause Hot Flushes?

For some women, reducing stress can certainly help. It does not mean that managing stress will remove hot flushes completely because hormonal changes remain an important part of why they occur. However, reducing stress may remove one of your triggers and, perhaps just as importantly, change the way you experience and respond to a hot flush.

Sometimes success is not simply about never having another one. It is reaching the point where a hot flush begins, and instead of immediately panicking, you think:

There it is. I know what to do.

And you carry on with your day.

That is a very different experience.

Can Hypnotherapy Help With Hot Flushes and Menopause Anxiety?

This is where the work I do can be particularly helpful.

Hypnotherapy is not a replacement for medical menopause treatment, and I would always encourage women to speak to their GP or an appropriately qualified menopause specialist about their symptoms and treatment options.

However, when stress, anxiety, overthinking or fear surrounding hot flushes have become part of the problem, hypnotherapy can help you work with those patterns.

Our minds learn through repetition.

If you have experienced several hot flushes in a particular situation and felt embarrassed, frightened or out of control, your brain can begin to anticipate the same thing happening again.

Hypnotherapy can help to calm that automatic stress response and change some of the anxious patterns that may have developed around your symptoms.

We can work on helping your mind become less reactive, reducing the anticipation surrounding a hot flush and building a much greater feeling of calm and control. For some women, one of the biggest changes is simply no longer spending their day worrying about when the next hot flush might happen.

Rather than thinking:

What if I have a hot flush?

The thought becomes:

If I do, I know I can manage it.

That is a very different message for your brain.

What Else Can Help With Menopause Hot Flushes?

There are practical things you can try alongside managing your stress. Keeping your bedroom cool, wearing lightweight clothing, having cool drinks, exercising regularly and identifying your own personal triggers can all be useful.

Some women find that caffeine, alcohol, spicy food and hot drinks make their symptoms worse.

It is also important to remember that you have medical options.

Hormone replacement therapy, commonly known as HRT, can help with symptoms including hot flushes and night sweats, and there are other options for women who cannot or prefer not to take HRT.

If your hot flushes, night sweats or other menopause symptoms are affecting your quality of life, speak to your GP or a menopause specialist rather than feeling that you simply have to put up with them.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hot Flushes and Stress

Can Stress Cause Hot Flushes Even If I Am Not Menopausal?

Stress and anxiety can cause physical sensations including feeling hot, flushed or sweaty even when you are not experiencing menopause. However, recurring or unexplained flushing should not automatically be assumed to be caused by stress. If you are concerned about new or unexplained symptoms, speak to your GP.

Can Anxiety Make Menopause Hot Flushes Worse?

For some women, yes. Anxiety activates the body's stress response and can make the physical sensations surrounding a hot flush feel more intense. Worrying about having another hot flush can also create a cycle of anticipation, stress and anxiety.

Why Are My Hot Flushes Worse When I Am Tired?

Poor sleep can leave you feeling more stressed, anxious and less able to cope the following day. Night sweats can also disturb your sleep, creating a cycle of tiredness, stress and increased awareness of your symptoms.

Can Calming My Nervous System Stop Hot Flushes?

Calming your stress response cannot guarantee that hormonal hot flushes will stop completely. However, if stress or anxiety is one of your triggers, learning to regulate your response may help you manage them more comfortably and reduce the fear surrounding them.

When Should I See My GP About Hot Flushes or Night Sweats?

If your symptoms are worrying you, significantly affecting your everyday life, or you are unsure whether menopause is the cause, speak to your GP. It is also important to seek medical advice about new, unusual or severe symptoms rather than automatically assuming they are related to menopause.

Hot Flushes Do Not Have to Control Your Day

Hot flushes can be frustrating, uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassing, but the fear of them does not have to begin controlling what you wear, where you go, how you work or how confident you feel.

Understanding the connection between hot flushes and stress is an important first step.

Your body may be changing, but that does not mean you have lost control of it.

When you begin calming the stress response, changing the anxious thoughts surrounding your symptoms, and teaching your brain that a hot flush is something you can handle, the cycle can begin to change.

And sometimes that change starts with something very simple.

Instead of thinking:

Please don't let it happen.

You begin to think:

If it happens, I can handle it.

If menopause anxiety, hot flushes, poor sleep or feelings of overwhelm are beginning to affect your everyday life, I work with women to help calm the mind, reduce anxious patterns and feel more in control again.

If you would like to find out how hypnotherapy could help you, please get in touch with Angela Cain Hypnotherapy for an informal chat.

www.angelacainhypnotherapy.com

Tel: 07393 335228.