The stage of menopause is a natural process that occurs in every woman's life. Once she is in her 40s or older, menopause begins to creep in. Part of the reason why menopause is considered a transition is because it makes it possible for a woman to enjoy pleasures in life and explore many possibilities. The children have grown, there is no fear for responsibilities, and she can now have more time for herself. But menopause is not a very bright episode. Along with it are the symptoms of menopause like hormonal fluctuations, cold sweats, weight gain, and of course, hot flashes.

So what are hot flashes?

Hot flashes happen to women during years leading to menopause. Hot flashes occur due to a drop of estrogen level in a woman's body, leading to a sudden rise of body temperature, and a feeling of warmth on her chest, neck, head, arms and shoulders. Not all women have them, but to those who do, they are a pain in the neck. To make matters worse, hot flashes can also cause insomnia in women. Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine interviewed 982 women, aged 3565 years old by phone between June 28 and April 2004, by asking their age, stage of menopause, severity of hot flashes and sleeping habits. 57.2 percent of the participants were premenopausal. Another 20.5 percent were postmenopausal, without experiencing having periods within the past year, and 22 percent were perimenopausal.

33 percent of the subjects they had hot flashes. Half of the women who had hot flashes said they usually did not cause sweating. Onethird said they had moderate hot flashes that made them perspire but not enough to make them stop what they were doing. On the other hand, 15 percent said their hot flashes caused them profuse perspiration, which made them
stop their activities.

81 percent of the women who experienced severe hot flashes said they had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep for long. Researchers found that as the severity of their hot flashes increased, so did their insomnia symptoms.

Another interesting finding: According to a study done by researchers of the University of California, Davis, in general, women who were overweight were at greater risk of frequent vasomotor symptoms as were smokers.

To women reading this article, you might be saying, "So what's the use of counting sheep? The odds are all against me."

No, not at all. Simple changes to your habits daily will improve your sleep. Here are some things you can do.

1. Say no to caffeine. Caffeine is found in chocolate, tea, coffee and certain medicines.

2. Get lots of morning sunshine by walking outside the house.

3. Quit smoking and lose weight. As stated earlier, smoking and being overweight make you experience hot flashes more frequently. Besides, they don't do anything good to your health.

4. Do relaxation exercises like breathing exercises, meditation and guided imagery.

5. Exercise during the day, during late afternoon. The more tired you are, the better chances you have of falling asleep. And exercise decreases your chances of getting heart illnesses, osteoporosis and other conditions that may occur due to a drop of estrogen in the body.

To reduce the effects of hot flashes, here are the things you can do.

1. Exercise regularly. Taking a brisk walk for 30 minutes helps you cool down when hot flashes arise. Avoid anything that can worsen your hot flashes, like spicy foods, a hot weather, or alcohol.

2. Black cohosh. A series of German studies done in the past have shown its efficacy in relieving hot flashes and other menopause-related symptoms. The North American Menopause Society supports its use for up to 6 months, because of its low side effects. However, cases vary in each woman, but it's still worth a try.

3. Hormone therapy seems controversial because of a large study funded by the National Institutes Of Health. The study was stopped because the participants were found to have an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and breast cancer. Low doses are recommended, depending on your doctor's advice.

So cheer up. Insomnia is not inevitable just because you are menopausal. If these strategies do not work it's high time for you to seek your doctor's help.