In recent years‚ research has


begun to tease out who’s most likely to get them. The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (the SWAN study)‚ a multiethnic‚ longitudinal study of women in the US‚ found that African-American women are more likely than white and Hispanic women to have hot flashes; so are heavier women (defined as those who have a greater body mass index‚ or BMI). “The reason why overweight women are more likely to suffer hot flashes isn’t known‚” says Schiff. “It may be that the extra body fat is acting as insulation


Turn down the thermostat.


Lower the temperature in your home and office‚ if possible‚ or use a fan to cool off when you need to. Drink a glass of cold water‚ splash cool water on your face‚ or run your wrists under cool water when you feel a flash coming on. Exercise regularly. “Based on


my patients‚ it seems that women who exercise have fewer hot flashes than do sedentary women‚” says Douglas H. Kirkpatrick‚ MD‚ an ob-gyn in private practice in Denver‚ CO‚ and a past president of The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.


Women who exercise have fewer hot flashes than do sedentary women.


and keeping the heat in.” In addition‚ smokers have


more hot flashes than non- smokers‚ though the mechanism isn’t fully understood. Plus‚ they go through menopause earlier.


Coping Cues The good news is you don’t have to withstand the heat. You can take steps to adjust your body’s internal thermostat and combat hot flashes with lifestyle changes. Approaches that may help include: Go for the layered look. If


you dress in layers of clothing‚ you can peel them off when your body starts heating up. Shawls‚ sweaters‚ and scarves give you stylish options that help.


“It may have something to do with the endorphins that are released.” Lose weight. While it’s been


known that women with a higher BMI tend to have worse hot flashes during menopause‚ it wasn’t clear whether losing weight helps—until now. In a study at the University of California‚ San Francisco‚ women who were overweight or obese— half of whom were bothered by hot flashes—participated in a weight- loss intervention or a control group; those who lost weight or inches from their waist experienced an improvement in hot flashes over the six-month program. Practice yoga. Researchers at


the University of California found that when postmenopausal women


SPRING / SUMMER 2012 pause 17


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