How to deal with hot flushes: 15 practical tips

Hot flushes can arrive without warning, leaving your face, neck, or chest suddenly hot and sweaty. They usually last for a few minutes, although their frequency and intensity vary. Some people also feel chilled afterwards, while night-time flushes can disturb sleep.

There isn’t a guaranteed way to stop a hot flush instantly, but simple cooling measures may make it easier to manage. Treatment can also reduce how often hot flushes happen and how much they affect you. Here are 15 practical tips – including ways to manage hot flushes without HRT and when to seek medical advice.

What helps hot flushes in the moment?

There’s no guaranteed way to stop a hot flush as soon as it begins. Moving somewhere cooler, removing a layer, using a fan, sipping a cold drink, and slowing your breathing may make it easier to manage while it passes.

1. Dress in light layers

Synthetic fabrics are out as are tight-fitting clothes (hurrah we hear you cry!). Invest instead in loose-fitting clothes in cotton, linen, silk and bamboo that will allow air to circulate and cool your skin. Also, avoid colours that are likely to show sweat patches. Research shows the anxiety of having a hot flush will increase your chance of having one.  You can read more in our clothing blog.

2. Handbag must-haves

Don’t even think about leaving home without a portable fan and a cooling spray. Menopause-formulated versions do exist but a regular face mist will work fine too. Keep it in the fridge until you head out.

3. Avoid sweaty nights

No, not those ones! Make menopause night sweats more manageable by switching to cotton nightwear and bed linen. Or push the boat out and go for silk.

4. Be a night-time ninja

Turn down the thermostat or open a window, keep spare nightclothes and a towel by the bed for a quick change so that you won’t disturb your partner’s slumber, or, more importantly, yours.

For more sleep tips, watch Dr Clare Spencer’s video below:

How to reduce hot flushes without HRT

5. Step away from the rosé

Sometimes a cold glass of something alcoholic feels like the only way to a) cool off and b) anaesthetise an embarrassing hot flush moment. We hear you. Unfortunately, alcohol can actually trigger flushes. So have your ice and a slice – but top with something non-boozy instead.

6. Limit the lattes

Caffeine and hot drinks can trigger hot flushes for some people. Try reducing tea, coffee, energy drinks, and cola for a couple of weeks, and keep track of whether your symptoms change.

7. Lighten the spice

You guessed it – curries and chillies might be your trigger. Take note of whether spicy food makes your episodes more frequent or severe and cut down if that’s the case.

8. Let’s get physical

Regular exercise may help reduce hot flushes and improve sleep. Build up gradually, and choose something you enjoy – brisk walking, swimming, cycling, and dancing all count. Try streaming a fitness video with your favourite celebrity via YouTube.

9. Support a healthy weight

If weight loss is appropriate for you, gradual, sustainable changes may help reduce hot flushes. Focus on habits you can maintain rather than restrictive diets or quick fixes – just take it slow and steady. Talking with our nutritionist partner, Joanne Bolger, will help you head in the right direction.

10. Stop smoking

It’s not really surprising that this is on the list of things you need to avoid to make hot flushes and night sweats worse. Try to see it as one more reason to kick the habit. The NHS is a great place to start if you need help quitting.

11. And breathe…

Stress doesn’t cause menopause, but hot flushes can feel more intense when you’re tense or anxious. When you feel one beginning, relax your shoulders, and take slow, steady breaths from your stomach. Check out our blog with our favourite mindfulness apps.

12. Talk it out

Menopause-specific cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, can help you manage hot flushes, night sweats, and related sleep problems. It focuses on practical ways to change how you respond to symptoms, making them feel less disruptive and easier to manage. You can talk to our CBT experts Sue Makin or Claire Lloyd, or check out this great book we’ve come across – Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats, A Cognitive Behavioural Self-Help Guide to the Menopause by Myra Hunter and Melanie Smith.

13. Don’t panic

One of the best tips we’ve got from our CBT squad for minimising the intensity of your hot flushes is to try not to panic. It’s like anything in life – the more you worry, the worse you’ll feel. Most hot flushes last for a few minutes, although everyone’s experience is different. Reminding yourself that the feeling will pass, and using slow breathing or a cooling technique, may make it easier to manage.

14. Know your natural remedies

Some people try herbal remedies, such as black cohosh or isoflavones, for hot flushes. Evidence is mixed, and herbal products can interact with medicines or be unsuitable for some health conditions.

A Traditional Herbal Registration, or THR, mark confirms that a product meets standards for quality and safety and has evidence of traditional use. It doesn’t mean that the remedy has been clinically proven to work.

Speak to a pharmacist or healthcare professional before taking one, particularly if you use other medicines.

You can find a list of herbal remedies in our article on menopause treatment options.

Medical treatments for hot flushes

15. See if HRT could work for you

HRT is usually the most effective treatment for menopause-related hot flushes and night sweats. Whether it’s suitable for you depends on factors including your symptoms, age, medical history, and personal preferences, so the benefits and risks should be discussed with a healthcare professional.

If HRT isn’t suitable there are other options. These range from different non-hormonal medications such as fezolinetant to menopause specific CBT. NICE now recommends fezolinetant for moderate-to-severe hot flushes when HRT is unsuitable. It isn’t right for everyone and requires liver-function blood tests before and during treatment.

Speak to your GP or a menopause specialist if hot flushes are affecting your sleep, work, relationships, or quality of life. You can find out everything you need to know about HRT here.

We’d love to know what you think – share your thoughts or your top tips for dealing with hot flushes and night sweats by leaving a comment on our blog post below, get in touch via our social channels or email us at hello@mymenopausecentre.com.