Menopause and hot flushes seem to go together, and during the summer that problem can get much much worse so have you considered whether any of these could help call you down?

Dress sense

It’s not just about looking stylish here and it is certainly not the amount of clothes that matter, but the type as well.

Lightweight, loose-fitting, absorbent materials like cotton or linen work best. Keep it to one layer and look for lighter colours because darker ones can absorb the heat and make you hotter.

Choose your bedding wisely

Start with the right material for your sheets: Cotton or linen is best to let enough air in, keep you cool, and wick away sweat.

Polyester/cotton blends won’t keep you as cool and dry and after that, look for a “thread count” of 200 to 400.

More than that means the fabric won’t breathe as well and might trap more heat and moisture.

Chill out

A very handy trick at bedtime is to put your sheets folded inside the plastic bag and stick them in the freezer for a few minutes and then put them back onto your bed.

If that’s too cold, you could put them in the fridge instead and in both cases use a resealable plastic bag so they don’t touch food, moisture, or ice.

The chill won’t remain all night, but it may last long enough for you to fall asleep.

Take a cool dip

A bath, a shower or even a simple sponging off with cold water will work, too. It should help cool your body.

Warm water also works because you cool down as the water evaporates from your skin and hair. But try not to steam up the bathroom too much as that could make things worse.

Frozen bottle

Do you take a “hot water bottle” to bed to warm up in the winter? Well, you can also use it to cool down.

Just fill it with water and put it in the freezer. You may need to wrap it in a towel to protect your skin before you use it.

You also could toss any buckwheat packs/pillows that you normally use to heat up in colder months into the refrigerator or freezer.

Move the air

Air conditioning is your best bet if you have it so that when you feel hot you simply turn the temperature down.

If that’s not an option, you can get the air moving with a fan or two or three. Create a path for the air through open windows and for an even bigger cooling boost, put an oven roasting pan full of ice cubes in front of the fan.

Ice cold help

If you’re really hot, you could use an ice pack. Or wet a towel with cold water and put it on “pulse points” like your wrists, ankles, the crooks of your elbows, and the backs of your knees.

Just be sure to cover your skin with a towel to protect it, and only do it for 20 minutes at a time.

Take it easy

If you suddenly find yourself in a new place that’s much hotter than you’re used to, such as on holiday, don’t rush into lots of activity, especially outdoor exercise.

Slowly add more activity over to let your body get used to it. If you feel faint, lie down and raise your legs above your head.

Try to get to a cool area and drink fluids as soon as possible.

Watch the caffeine

That’s the “stimulant” in your morning cup of coffee that fires you up and gets you out the door. It’s pretty safe for most people, but it can raise your body temperature.

That might not be good if you already feel hot. And it’s not just in coffee. It’s also in chocolate, tea, soft drinks, sports drinks, and many nonprescription drugs.

Read the label to know for sure.

Cut down on alcohol

An ice-cold beer or cocktail might seem like just the thing if you’re baking in the heat. But the alcohol can make you feel even warmer while actually cooling your core temperature.

This is not a good combination and may make you nauseous and dizzy if you’re already hot.

And if you drink too much, you might upset your body’s hormones, which sometimes spikes body temperature for short periods and before you know it you are having a hot flush.

Bed sense

In the winter, a sleeping partner can help keep you warm. But if you’re struggling with the heat in the summer, you might consider your own bed.

You could even look for a cooler room that’s lower down in the house or that has more windows.

Though you may miss your sleeping partner, you’ll be in better spirits the next day after a good, cool, night’s sleep.

Drink water

Sweating is your body’s air conditioner, and it needs water to run properly so keep hydrated.

That is especially important if you are exercising so have a good drink of water before you start out for exercise.

Bring a water bottle with you to your class or gym and try to take about 10 big gulps from your water bottle every 15 minutes or so.

Remember, you might not see the sweat you lose if you’re in the pool or air conditioning.

Helpful information:

No matter what the outside temperature is doing, at Menopause most women are dealing with an internal heating system as well but can really contribute to you feeling hotter.

Remember that stress can also affect how are you are reacting to the heat so try and stay calm, cool and collected and personally I’ve always found carrying a fan it’s not just an accessory creates a wonderful cooling breeze.