Adapted from https://www.drstreicher.com/dr-streicher-blog/2019/12/is-a-device-going-to-lead-to-hot-flash-help

• Hot flushes are a common symptom of peri- and postmenopause, affecting at least 65% of women^1,2
• They are believed to be related to declining levels of oestrogen³
• Hot flushes may continue after menopause^1,2
• Oestrogen therapy may be effective in treating hot flushes. Black cohosh and red clover supplements are no more effective than placebo^4,5

• Night sweats are episodes of excessive sweating during sleep that can be due to a number of underlying causes⁶
• Night sweats, or heavy sweating due to hot flushes at night, may occur in women at or around the time of menopause⁶
• Hot flushes and night sweats when sleeping may result in sleep disturbance, which could lead to irritability during the day.⁶  Evidence suggests that sleep-disruptive hot flushes and night sweats related to menopause are more likely to occur during the first half of the night, when there is less rapid eye movement sleep⁷
• Treatments for hot flushes and night sweats associated with menopause include, lifestyle changes, over-the counter (OTC) remedies, and prescription therapy⁶

• Between one quarter to one half of women will have trouble sleeping during menopause. They either can’t fall asleep, wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, or wake up too early. Sleep problems seem to get worse closer to menopause⁸
• Hormonal shifts during this time can contribute to sleep problems, including waking up more often, having trouble falling asleep, and feeling like your sleep is not restful⁹
• Other reasons for sleeping problems at this time of life include waking at night to go to the bathroom, aches and pains, depression and other psychological conditions, life stressors, and even the disruption that comes from sleeping with a partner or a pet¹⁰

• There is mixed evidence about the effect of menopause on mood. Some studies find a higher risk of depression as you move through perimenopause. Others find that some women actually feel better as they move into menopause¹²
• If you have a history of hormone-related depression, including postpartum depression and premenstrual syndrome, you may be more likely to experience depression during the menopausal  transition¹³

• The menopause transition is frequently accompanied by depressive symptoms and subjective declines in cognitive function¹⁴
• The loss of estrogen could have an effect on cognitive abilities and on the brain itself, above and beyond aging^14,15

Talking to Your Partner

• The first step to restoring intimacy is conversation. Remind your partner how you feel about your relationship and how important intimacy is to you¹⁹
• Explain why sex has not been enjoyable
• Explain how menopause has affected your vagina, leading to dryness, which causes pain²⁰
• Talk about how you can remain intimate while you begin treatment

• There is some evidence that joint and muscle pain worsen during the menopausal transition, possibly due to the loss of oestrogen, which seems to serve as a natural anti-inflammatory^21,22
• Oestrogen deficiency renders postmenopausal women vulnerable to degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease²²