Hot flash symptoms strike 85% of women entering menopause and may continue on the average of 1-2 years after their last period. There is also a hefty percentage of women who will face further hot flash symptoms for more than a couple of years. And an unfortunate handful of women actually experiencing the effects for the rest of their lives. One thing is for sure - the intensity of hot flash symptoms seems to decrease as time passes. Overall, this speed bump in life is rather irritating, causing varying levels of discomfort.

When it comes to hot flash symptoms, no two women will experience the same fate. While some women suffer long and intense bouts of hot flashes, others deal with milder hot flash symptoms. The onset, duration, frequency, and symptoms of hot flashes differ for each woman. For instance, one woman may experience an episode that lasts a few seconds while others are plagued with hot flash symptoms that last close to an hour.

Hot flash symptoms are rather unmistakable. Women describe these episodes as the rapid appearance of a deeply hot sensation that travels across the face and throughout the upper body. Some women experience an increase in their heart rate, while others may feel sick to their stomach. Additional occurrences associated with hot flash symptoms include dizziness, anxiety, headaches and weakness, as well as profuse sweating. Some women complain of feeling suffocated.

You can incorporate a variety of prevention measures into your daily routine to reduce the onset of hot flash symptoms. Staying cool is one of the main strategies to both control your body heat and also to decrease the chances of suffering from hot flashes. At night, using a fan keeps a room at a cooler temperature. During the day, fans also come in handy. When dressing in the morning, turn to the clothes made from natural fibers, such as cotton.

There are also ways to reduce the intensity of hot flashes when you feel an episode coming on. Deep, slow breathing from the abdominal muscles helps to ease the tension of hot flash symptoms. These techniques are rather easy to catch on, usually consisting of 6 to 8 breaths per minute. Some women practice this approach for a short amount of time each morning and night.

When you increase the amount of exercise in a day, you may decrease your risk of suffering from hot flash symptoms. It doesn't matter what you do to get the blood pumping; taking a walk or dancing to the radio are all feasible options to consider. A home remedy for hot flashes to consider before going to bed is to chill your pillows. Cooler objects against the skin will improve your sleep at night.