One minute you're fine. The next, your face is flushed, your heart is pounding and you're breaking a sweat. Hot flushes are the symptom most people associate with menopause, yet few of us understand why they actually happen.
What a hot flush is
A hot flush is a sudden wave of intense heat spreading through your body — often with facial flushing, sweating, a racing heart, chills afterward, and sometimes anxiety. Episodes can last from seconds to several minutes.
Why hormones affect your temperature
Your hypothalamus acts as your body's thermostat, and estrogen helps keep it running smoothly. As estrogen declines, that thermostat gets oversensitive to small temperature changes. Your brain responds by triggering a cooling reaction — blood vessels widen, sweat increases, your heart rate rises — and that's the hot flush.
Common triggers
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Stress and anxiety
- Warm rooms
- Spicy foods
- Poor sleep
How long they tend to last
Symptoms often start in perimenopause, peak around the menopause transition, and gradually ease off in postmenopause — though some women notice them for several years.
Quick ways to find relief
- Moving somewhere cooler
- Breathable, layered clothing
- Cold water
- Slow, deep breathing
- Keeping a cooling product close by