Health Tip: Controlling Hot Flashes

(HealthDay News) -- Hot flashes are a common side effect of hormonal changes that occur during menopause.

Here are suggestions from the University of California San Francisco Medical Center on how to prepare for hot flashes, especially at bedtime:

• Keep your bedroom cool, and keep a nearby fan on while you sleep.
• Wear light, cotton pajamas.
• Put cotton or "t-shirt" sheets on the bed to help absorb sweat.
• Have an extra clean pair of pajamas and sheets near the bed, so you can quickly change them if they get too damp
• Before heading to bed, take a warm bath or shower.

Insomnia at Menopause: Learning to Love My Inner Teenage Night Owl

By Sally Chew

I didn’t mind being an insomniac when I was in high school. Wandering around the house in the middle of the night was annoying, but so was everything else. Besides, like most teenagers (and owls and vampires), I slept fine during daylight hours. Now, as I approach menopause, I find myself returning to those restless teenage nights.

After decades of deep sleep, I’m wide awake again and not amused. Friends traveling with me recently threatened to hit me over the head if that’s what it took to put me out. Read More