Menopause Night Sweats
Menopause night sweats are also referred to as nocturnal hyperhydrosis. This is when you wake up in the middle of the night feeling cold and your sheets drenched in sweat. This condition is caused by interactions that involve fluctuating estrogen levels, the hypothalamus and norepinephrine which is a key brain chemical. The interactions will also involve specialized receptors in the brain as well as the body’s vessels and the sweat glands.
The hypothalamus is a region in the brain that regulates body temperature. It is affected by hormones and therefore changes in the levels of estrogen can trigger it to respond as if it senses an increase in your body temperature. In an effort to cool you down, the hypothalamus can set off a number of events. One of these events can be dilating the blood vessels to release heat. You will feel a hot flash and this will trigger the sweat glands.
The result of this action is that you wake up drenched and chilly. Your heart may be pounding and you may also feel a sensation of anxiety. Menopause night sweats can be relieved through a number of ways. One of these ways is to breathe deeply. Studies suggest that slow, rhythmic deep breathing also referred to as paced or relaxations breathing can help relieve this problem as well as the hot flashes. Relaxation breathing can also help you to go back to sleep.
Although hormone replacement therapy has a number of potential risks, it continues to become one of the most popular ways to negate not only this symptom but other menopausal symptoms as well.
Mercy Maranga Reports on Health and Fitness issues. Visit Her Site here for more information on menopause and how to effectively go through it. Menopause
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