Hot flashes are more than annoying—they could be hurting your health.
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The study's results showed a correlation between hot flashes and
sleep apnea even after researchers adjusted for common sleep apnea
factors like smoking and obesity. The type of problem seen most often
for study participants is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a form that
occurs when throat muscles relax, blocking your airway as you’re
sleeping.
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The study's results showed a correlation between hot flashes and
sleep apnea even after researchers adjusted for common sleep apnea
factors like smoking and obesity. The type of problem seen most often
for study participants is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a form that
occurs when throat muscles relax, blocking your airway as you’re
sleeping.
“Sleep disruption is a common complaint at menopause,” says JoAnn
Pinkerton, MD, executive director of NAMS. “It is important to recognize
the high number of undiagnosed sleep disorders, including OSA.” She
adds that early morning headaches and excessive daytime sleepiness
should raise concern for OSA, and signal a possible need for sleep apnea
testing.
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If you suspect you have sleep apnea, you should definitely visit your
doctor: The medical condition is closely linked to a higher risk of
coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke, according to
Lila Nachtigall, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at NYU
Langone Health.
“For years, women have simply been told that they have to ‘get
through’ these hot flashes, as if they’re irritating but harmless,” she
says. “But there is a great deal going on in the body during these
moments and we need to acknowledge that.” (This is your body on a hot flash.)
For example, she notes, studies have shown that there’s a marked
decrease to blood flow in the brain while a hot flash is occurring.
That’s likely tied to lack of estrogen production, which causes a
reaction by the estrogen receptors in the brain, Nachtigall says.
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There may also be decreased blood flow throughout the rest of the
body, she adds, which can raise the risk of blood pressure problems and
heart disease. Even though hot flashes tend to last only a few minutes,
this dramatic reaction can make that timeframe seem much longer, and
each one may be putting your heart and sleep at risk. (Here are 7 things your night sweats are trying to tell you.)
Nachtigall’s advice for women facing the issue is to ask their doctor
about treatment options. Prescription estrogen tends to work well, she
says, but there are some non-hormonal drugs that have also proven
effective, such as low-dose anti-depressants.
“These medications aren’t given at a dose high enough to do anything
psychologically, but they’ve been found to stop hot flashes,” she says.
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Most of all, understand that there’s no reason to “tough it out,” says Nachtigall.
“We need to change our thinking about hot flashes,” she says.
“They’re not just annoying, they can actually raise our risks of
developing chronic illness. But fortunately, they can be treated.”
