Menopause Symptoms & Diagnosis Ways to Relieve Menopausal Hot Flashes By Tracee Cornforth Tracee Cornforth LinkedIn Tracee Cornforth is a freelance writer who covers menstruation, menstrual disorders, and other women's health issues. Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 03, 2020 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Jessica Shepherd, MD Medically reviewed by Jessica Shepherd, MD LinkedIn Twitter Dr. Shepherd is board-certified in obstetrics-gynecology and is affiliated with Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Shepherd appears regularly as an expert on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and more. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print If you're approaching or in the midst of the "change of life," or menopause, hot flashes are probably an unwelcome visitor. Hot flashes can include a feeling of intense heat, sweating, flushed cheeks, increased heart rate, and even tingling. These symptoms are often the bane of menopausal people everywhere. Due to plummeting estrogen levels, about 75% of all menopausal people experience hot flashes—a symptom that lasts for about two years, but some can experience it for longer. Hot flashes usually start before the final menstrual cycle, but the transition of menopause (marking 12 months from the last period) and its symptoms can start up to seven years prior to the cessation of bleeding. Peter Dazeley / Getty Images Traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that includes estrogen and progesterone replacement provides effective relief from hot flashes associated with menopause. However, some people may not be able to use HRT, such as those recently treated for breast cancer. And others may be curious about trying lifestyle changes to keep them from constantly burning up. Here are some nonhormonal suggestions for reducing the severity of your hot flashes. Add Phytoestrogens to Your Diet Some research suggests that phytoestrogens, which are plants that have estrogen-like effects in the body, can help reduce hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Phytoestrogens are made up of isoflavones and lignans. Soybeans and soy products such as tofu, tempeh, miso, and soy milk contain isoflavones, while lignans are found in flaxseed, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes such as chickpeas and lentils. The chemical structure of phytoestrogens is similar to estradiol, a natural estrogenic hormone, and several studies have shown that they have an estrogenic effect in the body when circulating estrogen levels are low. Avoid Food Triggers Many foods or substances within them can trigger a bout of hot flashes, including alcohol, caffeine, and cayenne and other spices. If your hot flashes seem to worsen after consuming these foods, try eliminating the suspected offenders and see if the hot flashes subside. Try Medications Effexor (venlafaxine HCI) is an antidepressant that has been found to reduce hot flashes in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Because it works so well in breast cancer patients, researchers believe it may be an option for those not wanting to use traditional hormone replacement therapy during menopause. Paxil (paroxetine) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat hot flashes and has been shown to improve them in well-designed studies. Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) and Lexapro (escitalopram) have also been proven to help. Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant drug used to treat nerve pain and seizures. Anecdotal evidence has found that the drug is moderately effective in reducing hot flashes. Get Enough Exercise Although exercising when there's a possibility you may experience a hot flash at any time doesn’t sound like a good idea, exercise has been proven to help. In fact, two studies published in 2016 found that people experiencing menopausal symptoms who were put on an exercise program of jogging and bicycling four to five times a week showed an improvement in their ability to regulate their body heat. Also, during a hot flash, they perspired less and showed less of a rise in skin temperature when compared to the control group that didn't exercise. And best of all, by the end of the study, the participants who exercised experienced a 60% drop in the frequency of their hot flashes. Consider trying exercise at least a few times a week at a moderate or strenuous pace to get this benefit. Just don't exercise within three hours of going to bed, or you may increase your risk of experiencing night sweats. Utilize Supplements and Herbs Many people use black cohosh, a large plant from the buttercup family, to reduce hot flashes, although little evidence exists as to how effective it actually is. Still, some swear that black cohosh root provides effective relief from these and other symptoms of menopause, including headaches, heart palpitations, and anxiety. According to the North American Menopause Society, despite the lack of definitive evidence, "it would seem that black cohosh is a safe, herbal medicine." Some other herbs with anecdotal evidence of helping hot flashes include red clover, dong quai, and evening primrose oil. Keep Cool Hot flashes are often worse during hot weather. Wear cotton clothes that allow your skin to breathe, and keep a fan nearby during hot weather to reduce the number of hot flashes you experience. You may also want to sip on ice water and wear layers during the colder months so you can remove clothing as needed. Reduce Your Stress Level Stress can be a hot flash trigger for many women. Taking up a calming practice such as meditation or restorative yoga, or a creative practice such as painting or writing, may provide a helpful outlet. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 11 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Introduction to Menopause. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Menopause Treatment. Office on Women’s Health. US Department of Health & Human Services. 2019. Chen MN, Lin CC, Liu CF. Efficacy of phytoestrogens for menopausal symptoms: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Climacteric. 2015;18(2):260-9. doi:10.3109/13697137.2014.966241 Menopause: Non-Hormonal Treatment & Relief for Hot Flashes. Cleveland Clinic. 2017. Pachman DR, Jones JM, Loprinzi CL. Management of menopause-associated vasomotor symptoms: Current treatment options, challenges and future directions. Int J Womens Health. 2010;2:123-35. doi:10.2147/ijwh.s7721 Carroll DG, Lisenby KM, Carter TL. Critical appraisal of paroxetine for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms. Int J Womens Health. 2015;7:615-24. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S50804 Stubbs C, Mattingly L, Crawford SA, Wickersham EA, Brockhaus JL, Mccarthy LH. Do SSRIs and SNRIs reduce the frequency and/or severity of hot flashes in menopausal women. J Okla State Med Assoc. 2017;110(5):272-274. Bailey TG, Cable NT, Aziz N, et al. Exercise training reduces the frequency of menopausal hot flushes by improving thermoregulatory control. Menopause. 2016;23(7):708-18. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000000625 Bailey TG, Cable NT, Aziz N, et al. Exercise training reduces the acute physiological severity of post-menopausal hot flushes. J Physiol (Lond). 2016;594(3):657-67. doi:10.1113/JP271456 Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes. North American Menopause Society. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do?. National Institutes of Health. US Department of Health & Human Services. 2017. Additional Reading Alyson Huntley, Ph.D., and Edzard Ernst, MD, Ph.D., FRCP(Edin). “A systematic review of the safety of black cohosh.” NAMS. Bailey, Cable, Aziz, Atkinson, Cuthbertson, Low, Jones. Exercise training reduces the acute physiological severity of post-menopausal hot flushes. J Physiol. 2016 Feb 1;594(3):657-67. doi: 10.1113/JP271456. Epub 2015 Dec 30. Cleveland Clinic. Non-Hormonal Ways to Cope with Hot Flashes & Menopause. John Hopkins Medicine. Introduction to Menopause. S. Ziaei, A. Kazemnejad, M. Zareai. The Effect of Vitamin E on Hot Flashes in Menopausal Women. Gynecol Obstet Invest 2007;64:204-207.