Hot flashes, or flushes as they are called in some places, are common in women going through perimenopause or menopause. They are also very bothersome and greatly disruptive, especially if they happen at night, called night sweats.
Hot flashes at night disrupt sleep and with that a whole plethora of symptoms can develop, such mental fog, lack of energy, irritability, weight gain, etc. That’s why it is very important to deal with hot flashes.

What to do to eliminate hot flashes naturally
Before moving into potential solutions we need to understand what the causes of hot flashes are. Doctors don’t know what causes them, not all women get them (I didn’t) and in many cultures they are almost unknown. We need more research to find out what causes hot flashes. Doctors know that there are some things that make hot flashes worse for some women, such as:
- Spicy foods
- Foods with caffeine
- Alcohol
- Some medicines
- Certain health issues, such thyroid problems and diabetes
- Smoking
- Anything that makes the normal body temperature rise such as exposure to high temperatures, thick clothing, saunas, etc.
- Emotions such stress, fear and anxiety
The first thing to do when suffering hot flashes is to try to identify which items on that list make your hot flashes worse. Then you can at least lower your exposure if not totally avoid it.

How to eliminate hot flashes naturally
A healthier lifestyle can greatly reduce or eliminate hot flashes. A healthier lifestyle will help you eliminate toxins, eliminate excessive bad hormones, make your organs work better, and more. All of this will reduce or stop hot flashes. What is a healthier life style? Eat clean, drink your water (hopefully purified) and avoid stress.
Move it baby
Working out is one of the most effective ways to reduce or eliminate hot flashes. There have been many studies on this topic and all of them have found a relationship between working out, especially sweaty workouts, and a reduction in hot flashes. Working out checks off many boxes, including eliminating toxins and stress, and helping the body generate good hormones, as well as maintaining muscle and bone mass.
Cool it
Controlling stress, is another important aspect to controlling hot flashes. Stress causes a lot of problems in the body and they result in more or more intense hot flashes. You can read this article about stress and hormonal balance.
Can herbs help to eliminate hot flashes?
Herbs can certainly help. Black cohosh is the most studied herb against hot flashes and definitely worth trying. Herbs combined with a healthier lifestyle are more effective than only taking the herbs. Other recommended herbs are: ashwaganda (to strengthen adrenals), maca (testosterone), chaste tree, Dong Quai, Ginkgo biloba and red clover. There are many teas and supplements that use some combination of these and other herbs. Some of these herbs interact with other medications so it is important to check for potential issues.
Beyond herbs, Ayurveda, aromatherapy, homeopathy and other natural medicine modalities have treatments to effectively lower hot flashes and other menopause and perimenopause symptoms.
I have an article on aromatherapy for menopausal symptoms that explains how it can help.
Hot flashes in Ayurveda
Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, has complete treatments to treat hot flashes. In Ayurveda, we believe that hot flashes are an imbalance, and there are herbs and treatments to bring back the balance. All Ayurveda treatments, as well as Chinese medicine treatments, include lifestyle changes and they can be very effective without negative side effects.
Functional medicine
You can also consult a functional medicine expert. In functional medicine, we look at the cause of the symptoms to treat them at the root level. However, functional medicine can be expensive and many practitioners order too many tests that many times are redundant. But if you are suffering from severe flashes and want natural alternatives this can be one of the best options.

Some tips to eliminate or reduce hot flashes
Keep a diary and write down what did you do or eat prior to a flash. After a week or so you will be able to identify some culprits.
- Try to work out at least 30 minutes 3 times a week or more
- Try some yoga to lower stress
- Practice deep breathing
- Talk to yourself kindly
- Reduce or avoid coffee
- Reduce or avoid alcohol
- Lower sugar intake
- Stop smoking
- Keep your room temperatures on the cool side
- Have an electric fan on hand (handheld or normal) in case you need it
- Wear layers of clothes. This way you can easily add on or take off according to your needs.
- Sleep with layers of blankets and/or sheets to adjust your temperature
- Try to keep cold water at hand. If you feel a hot flash coming apply some water with a cotton towel or spray on your face and drink some cold water.
- Use cold gel pack if water is not possible.
- Avoid hot showers and baths. You can use lukewarm water instead
If your hot flashes don’t improve with lifestyle changes, look for professional help; there are many therapies that can help you, including traditional hormonal replacement therapy and bioidentical hormonal replacement therapy. Read more about hormonal replacement therapy here you can also take the natural path either with HRT or without, check out my program BLISS in Menopause.
You always choose a great topic to share with us. I appreciate the time spent researching and sharing thoughtful content. Some nights I feel like I am having hot flashes, but I keep telling myself that I am too young. Nevertheless, I will keep this blog post handy to help any future hot flash encounters.
You are doing the right thing Latisha, I wanted to include that, mind power. Many women expect hot flashes so they get them is called nocebo, the evil cousin of placebo. Keep telling yourself that you won’t get them and feel it in your gut and you probably won’t.
Great tips! Thank you for mentioning that herbs can interact with medications. As a pharmacist who works with cancer patients, I often have to tell breast cancer patients not to take certain herb as it may compromise their treatments. Many herbs that are used for hot flashes are not recommended for breast cancer patients.
Hi Minda. Thanks for the tip, it makes sense if those herbs help to produce estrogen they can interfere with breast cancer.
I really like the breakdown of different options we have to treat hot flushes. And I was surprised that stress can be the root cause of them. Wow! It really does affect everything.
Why, oh why do we have to get hot flushes. It’s so irritating and embarrassing and hot and ……. My poor kids already know when Mommy starts getting red lobster spots they need to get out of the way so I can charge for the fridge. And my poor hubby is forever bringing me wet towels to wrap around my neck. That helps a lot. Thanks for the other tips too. It looks like I’m going to have to try to cut down on my coffee intake.