Hot Girl Summer: Midlife Style

Trust me on this... when you're in perimenopause or menopause, "hot girl summer" takes on a whole new meaning. While hot flashes are common during this phase of life and occur throughout the year - combining the summer heat and humidity can make a summer day feel like you're living in an inferno.

It's not in your head!  According to the Mayo Clinic, fluctuating estrogen levels cause the hypothalamus to become more sensitive to temperature changes. This is what triggers hot flashes. It can also explain why we may find that we are less tolerant of extreme temperatures than we used to be.

Are hot flashes more frequent during the summer?  One small study did show an increase in hot flashes and nightsweats during June and July, but for the most part the jury is still out on this.  There is one thing we can all agree on though. If it's already 90⁰ and humid when a hot flash starts - it is just going to feel that much more intense. 

So, what can we do to keep our cool during hot girl summer season? Here are a few tips that might help:

• Keep your home cool. Run  your air conditioning and use fans to circulate the air. Close the blinds and curtains to reduce heat gain from sunlight. 

• Wear light, breathable fabrics such as linen and cotton.  Avoid tight, restrictive clothing.

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and spicy foods. These can trigger or worsen hot flashes.  Drink plenty of water.

• Use cooling products.  From cooling wraps (or towels) and eye masks to bracelets, even cooling gel pads to wear in your bra - there are many products on the market designed to help lower your body heat.

• Talk to your doctor.  Hormone replacement or low-dose antidepressants can help ease or eliminate hot flashes associated with perimenopause/menopause. 

Perimenopause in the summer may feel like nature turned the heat up just for you, but you’re not alone, and you’re definitely not powerless. With a little planning, a lot of water, and maybe a fan in every room, you can stay cool and feel more like yourself. Listen to your body, and don’t be afraid to slow down when you need to. This season of life—and this season of the year—might be intense, but so are we!

What's your best tip for staying cool when summer and perimenopause turn up the heat?

What No One Told Me About Menopaus: Puberty - The Sequel

This post is meant to share what I have learned about menopause based on my personal experience. It is in no way intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment before undertaking a new healthcare regimen.  Never disregard medical advice or delay seeking help because of something you read on this website.

Your body is going through all sorts of changes that you may or may not understand.  Your hormones have you feeling all out of sorts.  Your emotions are up one minute, down the next, irrationally angry and then weepy.  You might be growing hair in unexpected places.  Your skin is doing things you've never seen it do before. 

Sounds like puberty. Right? Well, hold on to your hat - because I'm actually describing perimenopause!

You remember puberty, right?  That time of change as your hormonal changes to get ready for the years of menstruation, ovulation, childbearing, and adulting.  Perimenopause is the time of hormonal changes as the body prepares to stop ovulating and menstruating. If you think about it - it's sort of a second puberty. Just in reverse.

Let's compare the two...

In puberty,  breast changes occur as hormones cause the development of milk ducts and mammary glands.  The breasts will typically increase in size. During perimenopause, the lack of estrogen causes those glands and ducts to shrink.  This can lead to breasts losing some volume and becoming less firm... and sagging.

During puberty, body hair begins to appear under the arms, in the genital area, and on the legs.  In menopause, hair may become thinner, or could possibly start appearing in areas we didn't expect (or want!) such as the face.

Young women may experience acne as a result of hormonal changes and an increase in sweat and oil production.  Midlife women can experience the same thing - years after we thought we were done with it!  On the other hand, our hormonal changes may instead cause our skin to become dry and itchy. 

That increase in oil and sweat production may also cause a young woman to experience increased body odor.  The same thing can happen during perimenopause.

Puberty is when menstrual cycles typically begin.  They may begin having monthly periods right away, or their cycles may be irregular to start.  In perimenopause, we can also experience irregular cycles.  They may become shorter at first, or they may be longer.  You will probably begin skipping periods altogether.  Eventually, the cycles come to an end. 

Young women going through puberty may experience moodiness and emotional outbursts.  Perimenopause - well... same!

Whether it's puberty or menopause, some of it is amazing, some of it is frustrating, and some of it is messy - the important thing to remember is that it's all just a natural part of life. And whether your symptoms are minor or you are struggling with severe symptoms, help is available if you need it. 

What No One Told Me About Menopause: It's Hot

This post is meant to share what I have learned about menopause based on my personal experience. It is in no way intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new healthcare regimen.  Never disregard medical advice or delay seeking help because of something you read on this website.

If I had a dollar for every time I have said "Why is it so hot in here?" over the last couple of years, I would have - well, a LOT of dollars!  

Everyone knows about hot flashes and menopause.  Right?  Most everyone?  Probably everyone.  The majority of women going through perimenopause or menopause experience them.  But what do we really know about them?  What do they feel like? What causes them? And what can we do about them?  

Let's start with what we feel during a hot flash:

• a sensation of heat in the upper body - chest, face, neck, and arms (makes sense, right?)
• redness of the skin causing it to appear blotchy or as if you are blushing
• sweating
• increased heart rate
• feelings of stress or anxiety

In my experience, these symptoms can range from mild where I just feel a little warmer and flushed, to a full-on "I'm on fire" sensation with sweat pouring out of my chest, back, and underarms.  (you're welcome for THAT mental image)  They can be rather short - just a minute or two.  Or they can last for several minutes. 

Why do we experience these flashes of heat during perimenopause and menopause?  Well, to be completely honest - no one exactly knows for sure.  But, according to the Mayo Clinic, fluctuating estrogen levels cause the hypothalamus to become more sensitive to temperature changes - even slight ones. When our body's thermostat thinks we've become too warm, it starts a series of events to cool us down resulting in a hot flash.  

This makes sense to me because I seem to be much more sensitive to temperature these days - both hot and cold.  I'm constantly adding or shedding layers of clothing, opening and closing windows, and adjusting the heat or air in my car in an attempt to stay comfortable. 

So, the big question - what can we do about them?  Unfortunately, if you are one of the many women who will experience hot flashes, there doesn't seem to be anything we can do to completely avoid them.  But there are things we can do to help reduce the frequency or intensity of them and ways to cope when they do strike.

• Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods which may trigger hot flashes. 
• Sip cold water when you feel a hot flash coming on.  
• Adding plant estrogens into your diet may with the frequency and severity of hot flashes. Examples of plant estrogens include soy, chickpeas, lentils, and flaxseeds.
• Dress in layers. 
• Keep your room at a cooler temperature. 
• Quit smoking
• Try meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises to help relax and ease stress
• Herbal  and/or vitamin supplements such as black cohosh, evening primrose, Vitamin E, etc 
• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

I recommend talking with your health care provider before starting any supplements or making any drastic dietary changes. They can help you decide what might work best for you and assure that they won't react negatively with any medications you are currently taking. 

For the first few years, my hot flashes were not bad at all.  They happened infrequently and didn't bother me too much.  Until they did.  It seemed as if all of a sudden they were happening much more often. Several times a day.  And they were more intense when they occurred.  I started cutting back on caffeine and added sugars, and started taking Black Cohosh, Red Clover, and Evening Primrose supplements.  This seems to be helping and my hot flashes are feeling less frequent and more manageable. 

Stay cool!