Is It Hot In Here?
Please, Tell Me I Have A Fever!
Maybe I'm sick! That's usually the first thought you have when you wake in the morning soaked to the skin from a night sweat.
When random attacks of sweats and then chills happen throughout the day, you may be more convinced than ever that you are sick. The problem is, you feel great (maybe a little moody here and there), and the situation has been going on for quite some time.
If this has been happening to you, then you are probably one of the many menopausal women who suffer from hot flashes.
Hot flashes are one of the most common effects of perimenopause and herald the advent of the transition to menopause. Generally, hot flashes last for a couple of years, but they can go on a lot longer in some women.
Can You Please Explain What A Hot Flash Is?
So, what exactly causes hot flashes? Nobody knows, exactly. The general thought is that during perimenopause, the body begins to reduce the production of estrogen and progesterone and the declining hormones cause the blood rushes, palpitations, and sweats.
Other reasons may contribute to hot flashes, including the fluctuation of neurotransmitters in the brain.
The brain produces a hormone called gonadotropin hormone (GnRH) in order to force fertility when hormones are lowering production.
This same hormone is responsible for regulating heat sensors in the brain. Therefore, in response to the increase production of GnRH, your body believes you are overheating. The way the body deals with overheating and cools itself is by opening blood vessels-causing sweating.
| Table of Contents |
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| 1. Hot Flashes |
| 2. What does it feel like? |
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