You can reduce hot flashes with hypnosis if you’re looking for a medication-free treatment. When a woman goes through menopause, she may get sudden flares of heat coming from within her body. These events are called hot flashes. Afterward, they’re often followed by a clammy and uncomfortable feeling. Hot flashes can leave a woman feeling drained and irritable. At night, hot flashes turn into night sweats and can leave a woman feeling sleepless and restless.
What Causes Hot Flashes?
Hot flashes and night sweats affect about 80% of women. Estrogen levels decrease during menopause and some medical conditions. The lower levels cause the body’s temperature to go up and down. Hot flashes can occur anywhere, even in cold air-conditioned rooms. When they happen at night, increased sweating occurs, making sleep uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, because hot flashes are caused by low amounts of hormones, the main treatment doctors do is to replace hormones using medications. However, those medications have a lot of side effects. Many women may not want to take medications to manage their hot flashes, but there aren’t many medication-free treatments out there—except for hypnosis.
Hypnosis is a Proven Treatment for Hot Flashes
The North American Menopause Society recognizes hypnosis as a helpful treatment for hot flashes, and research agrees with them. In a study of 187 women, hypnosis was found to reduce hot flashes and night sweats by at least 50%. Using hypnosis, they were able to improve their quality of sleep and feel good again.
The women in the study were divided into two groups. One group received hypnosis and the other did not. In the hypnosis group, the women reported 74% fewer hot flashes. The non-hypnosis group only reported a 17% reduction. Data from skin sensors displayed a 57% reduction in hot flashes in the hypnosis group. The non-hypnosis group’s sensors only picked up a 10% reduction.
The study also found the effects of hypnosis to last. The positive effects in the hypnosis group were still there at a 12-week follow up. Best of all, the women reported no side effects related to hypnosis. On a scale of 0-10, with ten being the highest positive rating, the hypnosis group reported an average satisfaction of 9.3.
How to Reduce Hot Flashes with Hypnosis
Now that you know hypnosis works, let’s discuss what happens during hypnosis for hot flashes. Hypnosis changes your mind and body’s reaction toward hot flashes. Once you’ve experienced a hot flash, your body expects the same discomfort the next time another one begins. Once a hot flash starts, the body tenses up. This tension makes hot flashes even worse. During hypnosis, however, a hypnotist places you in a relaxed and focused state. Although you’re alert and aware, you’ll be open to suggestions and programming from your hypnotist.
In calm and soothing tones, your hypnotist will train your mind to use visual imagery when hot flashes begin. Your mind will automatically turn to imagery, creating a very detailed scene. Your mind can be programmed to focus on “cool” scenarios and feelings, like snowy days and cold swimming pools. You will feel the icy snowflakes on your face and the chill of the water on your skin.
Instead of focusing on the feelings of heat and discomfort from the body, your mind will focus on feelings of coolness instead. By changing where the mind’s attention turns to the body tends to follow suit. When a hot flash begins, your mind can be programmed through hypnosis to enter a relaxed state. In this relaxed state, you will recall the imagery and feel more comfortable. You’ll have less hot flashes and sleep better at night, without the help of medications. You can reduce hot flashes with hypnosis.