What Causes Hot Flashes?

Many women think that a decline in estrogen is the real cause of hot flashes. In some cases that is completely substantiated, but not always. Truth be told, no one is completely sure what causes a hot flash. Theories abound, but no one can pinpoint the exact reasons even though numerous studies have been taking place over recent years.

Another possible cause of hot flashes has to do with the individual tolerance for temperature changes. One study agreed that women who have a low tolerance for temperature changes in the body''s core temperature experience up to 50% more hot flashes than a woman who can handle a body temperature change. Normally a body will stay within the same temperature unless it is unusually hot outside, or if you exercise or do something that will raise your body temperature. During menopause your body''s hormones are changing rapidly, causing your brain to think your body temperature is changing. This then causes your nervous system to want to cool your body down, so you start to sweat, sometimes profusely. Supposedly in this study, women who can tolerate the change better have less sweating and only a mild hot flash.

Another study agrees saying that there is no such thing as an estrogen drop because then women would be having hot flashes for the rest of their lives, stating the fact that once estrogen drops it never returns to normal. These researchers believe that the causes of hot flashes are strictly related to your hormonal changes during menopause. Basically they say that your body can no longer accept the demands that your body is making on your hormones, and hence the inability to stabilize your hormones.

Of course, your individual lifestyle and psychological factors will increase the level and severity of your hot flash. In fact, one study that looked at women who have severe anxiety without depression were nearly five times as more likely to have severe hot flashes, many times during the day, and for longer periods of time throughout their menopause and perimenopause. It also included women who smoked, who were told that they have two times more chances of having moderate to severe hot flashes. This does not include a look into the individual diet of the person however, which is a main trigger of hot flashes.

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