Anyone who’s ever been through a hot flash knows how hard they can make many day-to-day activities. There are many supplements and therapies that claim to reduce hot flashes, but not everyone finds solace in those remedies. Many people don’t want to use harsh chemicals to treat their menopausal hot flashes.
Check out these 10 ways to naturally reduce your body heat during a hot flash.
- Drink Water: Being dehydrated can be a factor in the severity of your hot flash. By keeping yourself hydrated, you may be able to lower the frequency and severity of hot flashes. Coconut water can offer a faster relief when needed due to the vitamins and electrolytes it contains. Many people find that adding water-based foods to their diet can also help. Some examples are: cucumbers, watermelon, strawberries, lettuce cantaloupe, oranges, celery, zucchini, and tomatoes.
- A Cold Foot Bath: If you have a hot flash at home, placing your feet in a cold foot bath can cool down your body AND allow you to relax.. Simply fill a bucket with cold water and ice and place your feet in. If you are having a severe hot flash, a cold shower or ice bath can be unpleasant, but may offer almost instant relief. These techniques can also work to reduce a fever when you’re sick.
- Sitali Breathing Exercises: The Sitali breath technique has been hailed by many women for calming down their hot flashes. This one can be done at home, in the car, or even at work – if you don’t mind looking a little bit silly. Read Healthline’s guide to Sitali breathing below:
- Sit in a comfortable seated position.
- Stick out your tongue and roll the outer edges together, similar to a hot dog bun.
- If your tongue doesn’t curl like this, you can pucker your lips.
- Slowly inhale through your mouth.
- Then exhale out through your nose.
- This is one round.
- Continue breathing like this for up to 5 minutes.
- Aloe Vera Gel: Many people use aloe vera gel to reduce the heat and pain of a sunburn, but you may not know it can reduce your hot flashes too! Just apply directly to the area in which your hot flash is the worst and feel the benefits almost immediately. Aloe vera water/juice is also becoming increasingly popular, and many women feel that consuming this can help reduce their hot flashes.
Tip: keep the aloe gel in the fridge between uses for added benefit. - DIY Cool Pillow: For those that get hot flashes while they sleep, or night sweats, making a DIY cool pillow (sometimes referred to as a “chillow”) might help keep you cool while you sleep. All you need is an inflatable pillow, a small funnel, and a sink. Just follow these quick steps!
- Fill the inflatable pillow with water using the small funnel
- Place in the refrigerator for a few hours (the longer, the better)
- Place the pillow in a case for comfort, and fall asleep!
- Tip: some people also find that this can work for migraines and headaches as well
If you are suffering from hot flashes, you aren’t alone! Talk to a local doctor today about enrolling in a clinical research study.
