While hot flashes and other changes imposed by menopause may not be of your choosing, it doesn’t mean that you’re at their mercy. Equipped with the right knowledge, you can manage your hot flashes and regain control of your life.
Professor Robert Freedman of Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit studied hot flashes for over 25 years. The participants wore monitors, swallowed radiotelemetry pills and spent nights in a sleep lab to measure their skin temperature, blood flow and sweating before, during and after hot flashes.
Dr. Freedman’s studies show that “paced breathing” can reduce hot flashes by as much as 50%. Women in his studies were trained to take slow, deep, full breaths while expanding and contracting their abdomens at a rate of 6 to 8 breaths per minute.
How to “Pace” Your Breathing
Your goal is to train yourself to take slow, deep, full breaths"gently expanding (inhaling) and contracting (exhaling) your abdomen at the rate of 6 to 8 breaths per minute instead of the average 15-16 breaths per minute.
To develop this skill find a quiet, private place to practice without distraction.
Focus on your breathing. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for five seconds and then exhale slowly for five seconds.
Focus on the air going in and out. When you inhale, breathe into the bottom part of your lungs (your upper lungs and chest will fill up automatically). Your abdomen should expand as you breathe in and contract as you breathe out.
Place your hands on your abdomen and feel it expand and contract.
Without moving your rib cage, inhale for 5 seconds and exhale for 5 seconds.
Allow your lungs to fill completely right down to your abdomen.
Practice every morning and evening for 15 minutes.
As soon as you feel a hot flash coming on, start paced breathing and continue until it passes.
One way to learn paced breathing is to take a yoga or Pilates class but it’s very easy to learn on your own.
Don’t forget your regular check-ups, pap smears and breast exams.
"Hot Flashes 21 Non-Hormonal Strategies to Put Out the Fire" describes 20 other safe and effective strategies. www.stophotflash.com
Julie A. Calligaro, a former nurse and practicing attorney, is the author of Hot Flashes 21 Non-Hormonal Strategies to Put Out the Fire and numerous books on estate planning. To discover the 21 practical ways to stop hot flashes and receive a free ebook of the classic, The Science of Being Well, visit http://www.stophotflash.com
