This is the fourth in a weekly series of helpful tips pulled from the Appetizer sections of each chapter in The Menopause Menu book.
: : :
Did you know that a hot flash can last anywhere from 30 seconds all the way up to 10 minutes? Even when only momentary, they can be quite upsetting. It is distressing to suddenly turn red, become dripping wet with sweat, and feel like you are about to demonstrate that spontaneous internal combustion is not a hoax!
Here is a simple, mindfulness-based exercise to try from Cheryl Lamin, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist who offers a way to manage hot flashes by moving toward a position of self-compassion and away from struggle.
Step 1 >> Imagine the hot flash
During a neutral time of your choosing, imagine yourself while the flash is just starting. Note where you feel it in your body, the temperature, your feelings and thoughts. Make the image as vivid and all-consuming as possible. Hold that image.
Step 2 >> Slow rhythm breathing
Activate your soothing parasympathetic nervous system by:
✅ Counting to 4 while inhaling through your nose
✅ Counting to 2 while holding your breath
✅ Counting to 6 while exhaling through your mouth
Step 3 >> Waves on the beach
🌊 Inhale, imagining waves on the beach coming up to the shore
🌊 Hold, imagining a wave cresting and bubbling up
🌊 Exhale, imagining the wave retreating into the ocean
Repeat this three-step sequence as many times as is comfortable. This will create a new response pattern that you can activate during an actual hot flash.
: : :
From The Menopause Menu, available here on Amazon—an all-in-one giftbook, medical guide, and recipe book for navigating menopause!