Hot flashes and/or night sweats are the one symptom of menopause that makes most women shudder. This is a primary symptom, where you may feel a sudden feeling of heat either in the upper portion of your body or all over. Your face and neck might turn red, and you may feel sweaty or flushed. The intensity of a hot flash can range from mild to severe, and it usually lasts between 30 seconds to 10 minutes. Hot flashes are usually triggered by wearing tight clothing, feeling stressed, or consuming alcohol, caffeine or spicy foods, or smoking. Want to know how to cope up with hot flashes? Here are our top tips:

1. A simple technique is dressing in layers, even on hot days. This way, you can easily adjust your clothing to suit yourself at any moment. Try sticking to cotton clothes and linens as well.

2. Sip ice water as soon as you feel a hot flash coming on. Try keeping an ice pack on your bedside table as well, especially for night sweats.

3. Speak to your doctor about taking supplements, as they help quite a bit.

4. A lot of women find certain herbal products helpful, especially when they need to cool down. Peppermint oil is a favorite.

5. Definitely try out some home remedies to alleviate hot flashes. Tried and tested recommendations include sage tea, coriander leaves and seeds, flaxseed, and Amla.

6. Hormone Replacement Therapy, or HRT, is quite popular nowadays. It is basically treatment with synthetic hormones, consisting of mainly estrogen supplements.

7. Since stress is a common hot flash trigger for many women, meditation may prove to be quite successful in helping you manage these. If you want to try more alternative therapies, acupuncture may be an option as well.

8. It is important to make lifestyle changes like eating a well-balanced diet, exercising regularly, and limiting your drinking and smoking habits.

Also read: 5 Pre-menopause Symptoms Every Woman Should Know