3 Simple Ways to Outsmart Summer Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are never welcome — and during the summer season, they can make you more uncomfortable than ever. Thankfully, these easy hacks will help keep you cool!

Stash mints in your bag.

When you feel a hot flash coming on, simply pop a peppermint. University of Southern California research reveals that a compound in mint’s menthol tricks your nervous system into cooling you down from the inside out.

“The brain detects the difference between hot and cold as part of our complex sensory system,” says Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS. “And although peppermint itself isn’t cold, it contains a protein that triggers signals in the brain to send a message of coldness.” The payoff: You’ll feel instantly chillier, rapidly reducing a sweaty flush.

Ice this tea.

Aah! When temperatures soar, kick back with refreshing milk thistle iced tea (it has a mild floral taste). Sip two tall tumblers of it daily, and a study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research suggests you’ll have 70 percent fewer hot flashes, plus experience a 69 percent drop in flash severity.

Scientists credit the compound silymarin in the herbal brew with helping the liver deactivate and flush away excess hormones that throw your internal thermostat out of whack.

Tip: Prefer a hot cup of tea? Add a splash of soy milk. It’s packed with plant compounds called phytoestrogens that counterbalance the body’s natural drop in estrogen that triggers hot flashes.

Try a 2-sheet trick.

Trading your blanket for two sheets can block night sweats. Scientists at Wayne State University in Michigan suspect the lighter topper helps keep your body’s “internal thermostat” at the ideal temperature, preventing it from triggering flashes. Also smart: Place a gel pack under your pillow. Israeli research finds that chilling your neck instead of other parts of your body lowers your core temperature 63 percent more efficiently.

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.