Does Exercise Make Hot Flashes Worse? How to Train Cool | Papayya

You’re there, mid-set, feeling strong and focused, when a wave of heat suddenly rushes up your chest or neck. Your face flushes, sweat starts and your heart pounds. What is it? The workout or a hot flash? And can exercising make it worse?

Is there a relation between exercise and hot flashes

Both exercising and hot flashes rely on the same cooling system. Hot flashes are a sudden manifestation of heat-dissipation events that showcase warmth, sweating and a faster heart rate. These are the exact same mechanisms that exercise engages, which means that a hard workout can feel like a hot flash and, in some women, may even set one. The hypothesis built here is that acute exercise can trigger hot flashes in symptomatic women by pushing core temperature past their sweating threshold.

A 2016 study published in Menopause has put symptomatic women through 16 weeks of supervised training or in a control period. The trained group had surprisingly fewer hot flashes, lower resting core temperature and sweating and skin blood flow kicked in at lower temperatures. This showcased that regular training seemed to make the body’s thermostat more efficient.

What does the Menopause Society actually says

In its 2023 statement, The Menopause Society reviewed the evidence on exercise for hot flashes and night sweats. Exercise and yoga were not recommended as treatment for vasomotor symptoms.

Some observational studies found that regular exercisers report fewer symptoms, which shows, in conclusion, that studies are still very conflicting with this theme.

This doesn’t mean you should stop exercising altogether. The same Menopause Society’s panel noted other health benefits in working out, such as bone density support, muscle mass, heart health, mood and sleep through menopause. Their only message is that exercising is not a proven cure for hot flashes and treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy and clinical hypnosis as nonhormonal solutions.

How to train without hot flashes

Time your sessions wisely

• The room, the sun, your effort and a hot flash all add to your thermal load. Notice when your own hot flashes tend to cluster and plan around them.

Cool down before you start

• Pre-cooling can raise the temperature at which your body starts to struggle. Try a cool shower, a cold drink or a cooling towel for a few minutes beforehand.

Hydrate before, during and after

• Sweating is the way your body dissipates heat, so, sip water through the session rather than big gulps of it. If you’re doing longer, sweatier workouts, electrolytes might help.

Choose fresh clothes

• Wear lightweight, breathable fabrics. Avoid heavy cotton that can trap your sweat.

Manage the environment

• Use a fan or a window to ventilate the space. Cooler settings, or a spot near the door can make all the difference.

Structure your sets around your body

• Longer rest intervals, circuit formats with gentler stations, or swapping steady high-intensity cardio for intervals can all help. Build intensity gradually.

Know when heat is a warning sign

• Dizziness, nausea, confusion, a pounding headache or chest pain are not normal. Stop, cool down and seek medical help if your symptoms persist or worry you.

Help matters

Menopause-related symptoms are pretty common and many women quietly cut back on exercise because of them.

Papayya’s view is that training in midlife is not necessarily choosing between your health and your comfort. You should still have your workout sessions, with the pacing and information that fits on how your body works nowadays.

The research is obvious: staying consistent with exercise protects you long-term and small adjustments to timing, environment and intensity can help you stay consistent.

In summary

Exercise can, in fact, trigger hot flashes because they both rely on the same cooling system. Although regular exercise can improve thermoregulation over time it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a solution for hot flash treatment.

You should never stop exercising, as it is essential for bone, muscle, heart and mental health, but time your workouts, pre-cool, hydrate and control your environment.

If hot flashes are affecting your life, ask a professional or go to your doctor.

Sources

• The Menopause Society (NAMS) 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement, summarized by HealthEd: “Non-pharmacological strategies for vasomotor menopause symptoms.” https://healthed.com.au/clinical_articles/non-pharmacological-strategies-for-vasomotor-menopause-symptoms
• Vajenda (Substack), “What nonhormonal therapies for hot flashes…”, commentary on the 2023 NAMS statement. https://vajenda.substack.com/p/what-nonhormonal-therapies-for-hot
• Jones H, Cable NT, Aziz N, Dobson R, Sprung VS, Low DA, Bailey TG. “Exercise training reduces the frequency of menopausal hot flushes by improving thermoregulatory control.” Menopause 2016;23(7):708-718. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27163520/
• “Physical Activity and Exercise for Hot Flashes: Trigger or Treatment?” (PubMed Central). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9886316/
• Women’s Mental Health (MGH), “In Brief: Why Exercise Helps with Menopausal Hot Flashes.” https://womensmentalhealth.org/posts/brief-exercise-helps-menopausal-hot-flashes/
• EMAS Position Statement: Non-hormonal management of menopausal vasomotor symptoms (Maturitas, 2015). https://menopause.org.au/hp/position-statements/emas-position-statement-non-hormonal-management-of-menopausal-vasomotor-symptoms
• Pure Sports Medicine, “Heat, Hot Flushes & Training: Your Real-World Thermoregulation Playbook.” https://puresportsmed.com/blog/posts/heat-hot-flushes-training-your-real-world-thermoregulation-playbook/
  

‍