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You’re at work, feeling fine, doing your job, and suddenly you’re hit with an internal heat wave. It’s a menopausal hot flash. Without warning, your face feels flushed and sweat gathers on your face and body. You’d give anything to cool off in front of a fan.
Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause. And they have a way of striking at the worst possible times, like when you’re at an important meeting.
Hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms can strike throughout the day. They’re a normal part of aging, but that doesn’t mean they’re not annoying, especially when they occur while you’re at work.
The good news is that some simple steps can provide relief for most menopause symptoms. Here are eight tips from the medical staff at Virtuosa GYN for handling menopause symptoms while you’re on the job.
You know they’re going to happen, so be ready for them. Dress in layers so you can cool down fast. And carry a portable fan, spray bottle, and ice-cold water to drink when you heat up.
Certain triggers make hot flashes more likely to occur. These triggers vary by woman, but if you pay attention, you may start to notice what sets off hot flashes for you. Once you figure out your personal triggers, you can try to avoid them.
Typical triggers include stress, spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, warm rooms, and heavy clothing.
Stress can cause menopause symptoms to worsen, but stress-relief techniques such as meditation can provide relief. The trick is to practice meditating when you’re calm, and then when you feel stressed — like before a big meeting — you can employ your familiar meditation routine to calm yourself down.
The changing hormone levels of menopause can interfere with your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. As a result, daytime fatigue can slow you down at work. Lack of sleep can also affect your mood and your ability to concentrate at work.
To help improve your sleep, follow these important sleep tips:
If a hot flash strikes at an inopportune time, you can get upset about it — or you can laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Whenever possible, try to laugh it off.
Some women find that menopause weakens their memory. If this happens to you, use memory tools such as calendars, phone reminder alarms, and other aids to remember appointments and other easily forgotten work-related info.
HRT can help ease menopause-related symptoms. Here at Virtuosa GYN, our team of doctors has extensive experience using bioidentical HRT to treat hot flashes and other symptoms brought on by menopause.
Your care providers at Virtuosa GYN in San Antonio, Texas, offer a full range of menopause care. If your menopause symptoms are interfering with your job, sleep, sexual enjoyment, mood, or concentration, we can work with you to identify solutions. Call us to schedule an appointment.
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