Menopause--the time in a woman's life when she is no longer able to reproduce--brings with it a variety of side effects and symptoms, most often caused by a decrease in the amount and quality of hormones found in the body. At this time, hormone levels fluctuate and cause a variety of reactions that include but are not limited to hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, headaches and heart palpitations. Home remedies to treat such symptoms offer many women effective and welcome relief.
Hot Flashes
Hot flashes are a common and annoying symptom of decreased hormone levels in women experiencing menopause. Hot flashes are usually followed by sweat. Sometimes, women feel cold or chilled despite warm temperatures. Many women benefit from taking vitamin E, starting at about 400 IU (international units) twice a day. However, before self-medicating with herbs or vitamin supplements, check with your doctor to make sure such herbs or vitamins won't interact with any medications you may currently be taking.
Other women find relief from hot flashes by drinking teas that contain black cohosh, sarsparilla or Dong Quoi. These herbs are commonly found in pre-formed tea bags in your natural health food store and can be brewed with about 8 ounces of hot water for effective relief.
Insomnia
Many women going through menopause experience some difficulty sleeping, which when it goes on long enough, can lead to sleep deprivation, irritability, inability to concentrate and mood swings. Jasmine tea provides effective relief from insomnia and promotes relaxation and calm. Jasmine contains serotonin that helps enhance neurotransmitters in the brain that encourage sleep. Serotonin also can be found in foods like bananas, chicken and turkey.
Evening primrose is another time-tested remedy for insomnia and may be purchased in capsule form. You may take between two and eight capsules a day, depending on the severity of your symptoms.
Night Sweats
Night sweats often occur during sleep, causing intense sweating and heat. Night sweats usually follow hot flashes, but are actually a hot flash that occurs during sleep, prompting women to throw covers off or become soaked, requiring a change of nightclothes. One common remedy for night sweats is to take between 10 to 15 drops of motherwort with a few sips of water at night when awakened. Chaste berry also has long been used to decrease the frequency and severity of hot flashes and night sweats when used for a minimum of two to three months, with more permanent effectiveness achieved after about a year of consistent use.
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