Hot flashes, and the rapid heart rate that usually accompanies them, are both exceedingly common symptoms of menopause, affecting nearly every American woman to some degree at some point in life, usually during perimenopause (pre-menopause) or actual menopause and hormonal transition.
Many women become distressed and alarmed when they experience spontaneous hot flashes and rapid heart rate during menopause, as they often arise without any prior warning. Therefore, it is in your best interest to garner as much information as possible regarding hot flashes and the ensuing quickening pulse.
The Relationship between Heart Rate, Hot Flashes and Menopause
Although it is largely unknown as to what exactly causes hot flashes during menopause, an increased body temperature in the upper regions of the body is likely at blame. This condition is almost always accompanied by sudden and profuse sweating and a reddening or flushing of the face, chest and neck. Both of these side effects can prove incredibly embarrassing. The drastic and sudden rise in body temperature that signifies the arrival of a menopausal hot flash can be likened to the heat felt during a minor fever.
Heart rate is among the most common side effects that accompany hot flashes. Your pulse tends to add an additional 8 to 16 heartbeats per minute, although this number will vary between individual women. Also varying wildly is the duration of menopausal hot flashes, sometimes persisting for up to five minutes per episode for some unfortunate women. Almost three out of four menopausal women experience hot flashes and an increased heart rate to some degree.
Know more about hot flushes late at night.
Menopausal hot flashes have been categorized based on intensity as follows:
Mild hot flashes:
Because these benign hot flashes cause such a minute change in your body temperature, they often go unnoticed by the afflicted.Moderate hot flashes:
More noticeable that mild flashes, these tend to be accompanied by some perspiration and an increased pulse.Severe hot flashes:
Being the harshest school of menopausal hot flashes, these produce severe sweating and heart palpitations, and often require medical intervention for alleviation.Why Do Hot Flashes Increase Heart Rate and Pulse?
Although the exact and tested culprit of menopausal hot flashes continues to elude the scientific community, the lack of estrogen and fluctuations of hormones that develop within your body during menopause is thought to be the cause of this condition, as well as a whole host of other aggravating symptoms. This lack of estrogen is to blame for the incessant, rapid heartbeat and profuse perspiration that commonly accompany menopausal hot flashes as well.
During menopause, the hypothalamus (the region of the brain that regulates body temperature and the production of heat) often becomes confused because of fluctuating levels of hormones, especially those of estrogen and progesterone. It will often falsely detect a necessity for more body heat, and will therefore dilate blood vessels within the skin, producing sweat and sensations of warmth. This miscommunication between body temperature and the hypothalamus is believed to be the primary culprit of menopausal hot flashes.
Sudden hot flashes and increases in heart rate can be alarming and distressing if you are unprepared. There are, however, ways you can alleviate and prevent this annoying symptom.
Coping With Hot Flashes and Fluctuating Heart Rates during Menopause
Because hot flashes and fluctuating heart rates are products of menopause and hormonal instability, treating this condition is as simple as addressing its culprit. By promoting stable levels of estrogen and progesterone within your body, you can avoid a majority of hot flashes during menopause.
This can be accomplished through living healthily. Eating from a diet rich in essential nutrients and developing a regimen of regular aerobic exercise are just two of the many alterations you can make to your lifestyle and daily routine to become less conducive to menopausal hot flashes and fluctuating heart rates. Alternative remedies and herbal supplements can also be implemented into your daily regimen to address hormonal instability, allowing you to avoid hot flashes effectively. Most women find that a combination of lifestyle alterations and alternative medicines is the most effective and safe way to treat menopausal hot flashes and fluctuating heart rates. These methods will alleviate many other symptoms of menopause as well.
