One of the most uncomfortable symptoms of menopause is the hot flash, which can be brought on by food, temperature changes, or strong emotions.
When women experience intense hot flashes, their doctors often recommend hormone therapy. However, this treatment comes with its own risks, and many women are hesitant to try it.
Did You Know You Can Reduce Hot Flashes Through Mindfulness?
This brings us to alternative ways to alleviate the symptoms of hot flashes. You can often kick hot flashes naturally just by changing your Superwoman lifestyle! There are a few common-sense tactics that you can practice. For example, you can:
- Make sure your house stays cool
- Drink plenty of ice water to keep your body temperature low
- Stop eating foods that trigger hot flashes
Unfortunately, you can’t always pinpoint where your hot flashes are coming from. When this is the case, we here at JOC urge you to try practicing mindfulness. Why?
Because we believe in MIND over MATTER. And so do scientists worldwide. Multiple studies have shown that you can significantly reduce hot flashes through mindfulness practices!
Mindfulness also has plenty of other physical and emotional benefits that can help menopausal women transform their bodies. Are you thinking positively about your health goals?
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the art of slowing down and connecting to the moment—living your life NOW instead of worrying about the past or the future. It trains us to be completely aware of our surroundings, emotions, feelings, and thoughts. Known to reduce stress and increase positive thinking, mindfulness can be as nourishing for our bodies as exercise.
Meditation is the most accessible form of mindfulness you can practice easily at home. Have you tried it?
Most people think of meditation as something you do while sitting cross-legged and chanting “om,” but that’s not your only option! Some meditation actually involves movement. For instance, gently performed yoga can be a form of meditation.
At the end of the day, the way you practice mindfulness is not important. What’s important is finding a way to ground yourself and become more aware of your surroundings, Superwoman!
Don’t get hung on whether you’re doing mindfulness “correctly.” If your goal is to reduce hot flashes through mindfulness, it’s essential that you choose a form of mindfulness that you really enjoy.
The Connection Between Hot Flashes & Your Feelings
You may be wondering how is mindfulness connected to hot flashes. The answer is: through your emotions! And your control over them.
Many menopausal women report that feelings of embarrassment and stress are not only linked to their hot flashes but actually made their hot flashes more intense and frequent.
In the next section, we’ll discuss several studies that examined the link between mindfulness and negative emotions. Here’s a sneak preview: they both found that women could reduce hot flashes through mindfulness practice!
Studies Prove You Can Reduce Hot Flashes Through Mindfulness
In 2006, doctors at the University of Massachusetts Medical School recruited 110 perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women to participate in a study that measured whether mindfulness training could help treat hot flashes.
During the study, these women used mindfulness methods to teach themselves to be more aware of the physical and mental changes that they were experiencing, and to become less reactive to them.
Over the course of three months, the participants learned how to alleviate many of the negative emotions which triggered their hot flashes. As a result, they had fewer hot flashes—and those they did have were greatly reduced in intensity.
By the end of the study, not only had these women trained themselves to reduce hot flashes through mindfulness, but they were reporting a greater sense of overall well-being.
Another study, conducted by the Mayor Clinic from January 2015 to December 2016, discovered that higher mindfulness scores were correlated with lower stress scores, as well as lower menopause symptoms. The more stressed a participant was, the greater the benefits she received from mindfulness, according to the researchers.
What can we take away from this? Well, clearly the mind is a powerful thing. It can harm you if you let it, but by learning to get your thoughts under control, you can get genuine relief from your physical symptoms.
This makes mindfulness an incredibly effective body transformation tool for women going through menopause.
How You Can Reduce Hot Flashes Through Mindfulness, Starting Today
If you can find a small chunk of time to dedicate to mindfulness every day, you can attempt this method of hot flash reduction on your own.
Here’s the easiest way to do this. When you feel a hot flash coming on:
- Sit in a comfortable position in an area without any distractions. Make sure you aren’t slumping, and that your spine is erect
- Close your eyes and begin breathing slow and methodically. Feel your chest moving in and out
- Pay attention to the way the air is moving in and out of your nose and mouth. If any negative emotions arise, notice them but don’t judge them
- Be aware of your body, from your head to your feet. Imagine that the air you’re breathing is cooling your body, and visualize heat flowing far away from you, leaving through your fingertips and toes
With practice, you can reduce hot flashes through mindfulness, even if you’ve never tried to meditate before.
Other Options to Reduce Hot Flashes Through Mindfulness
If you’d like some help on your mindfulness journey, meditation apps like Insight Timer, Headspace, and YogaGlo can be a great start.
Another way to learn how to reduce hot flashes through mindfulness is to take a class. At Body Academy, we specialize in women’s body transformation training, with a major emphasis on mindfulness and wellness.
Our clients achieve stunning results with our women’s body transformation programs, including:
- An average loss of 16% body fat in the first 3 months
- Massive increases in their energy, confidence, and inner vitality
- A 90% reduction in their need for prescription drugs
- Higher self-esteem and happiness levels
- A 33% reduction in abdominal fat after 1 year
Find some real-life inspiration—read their success stories!
Get Expert Guidance on Using Mindfulness to Reduce Your Menopause Symptoms—for Free
If you’re interested in mindfulness, but aren’t sure whether it’s right for you, check out our free guide, The 7-Day Mind and Body Transformation Plan.
This free women’s body transformation program teaches you how to start living your best life after age 45. Try it today!
