On the Move May Mean Feeling the Heat: Study Links Physical Activity and Warm Nights to Hot Flashes in Midlife Women

A recent study has uncovered that sudden bursts of physical activity and warmer temperatures during the night markedly increase the likelihood of hot flashes among women aged 45 to 55. Researchers equipped 270 women with special monitors to track skin conductance, exertion, temperature, and humidity continuously for 24-hour periods, collecting data that could lend insight into the triggers of hot flashes.

The study, published in Menopause: The Journal of The Menopause Society, found that during wakeful hours, women who experienced a quick increase in physical activity had heightened odds of having a hot flash as registered by the objective measure of skin conductance and their subjective reporting. Simply put, the more women moved abruptly, the more likely they were to feel a sudden onset of heat.

Interestingly, warmer conditions overnight were linked to a higher probability of reporting a hot flash, although only subjectively. This suggests that the discomfort of increased temperatures while asleep could rouse women enough to note hot flashes, even if not captured by the skin sensors.

These findings, part of an extensive analysis from 2019 to 2023 by researchers at various institutes including Smith College and the University of Massachusetts, reinforce the theory that even minor fluctuations in physical activity or environmental temperature can push body temperature over a threshold, prompting a hot flash.

The study crucially distinguishes between waking and sleeping periods, showing that movement and ambient warmth at night may disrupt sleep due to hot flashes. Given the sample was predominantly European in descent and well-educated, the results point to a need for further research across diverse populations.

This ground-breaking research, funded by grants from institutions like the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, also emphasizes the role of menopausal stages in hot flashes during sleep, suggesting that peri- and postmenopausal women may experience these symptoms more frequently than their premenopausal counterparts.

While the study has several strengths – including the use of round-the-clock, objective hot flash monitoring and a sizable sample covering various menopausal stages – it also has limitations. For instance, the analysis did not measure core body temperature changes, which can be erratic around hot flashes. Moreover, the wrist-worn activity monitors may not precisely capture the intensity of physical exertion.

In conclusion, the study advises that sudden physical activity could be followed by hot flashes, and warmer bedroom temperatures at night might contribute to the sensation. However, since physical activity has numerous health benefits, women should not shy away from staying active. Instead, practical measures like lighter bedding and fan use might help manage nocturnal hot flashes.

For more detailed findings, readers can access the full study in Menopause: The Journal of The Menopause Society.

This article was built with the help of https://www.buoyhealth.com. Readers interested in the original document can consult the DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002373 for the complete study.