Is It Hot In Here?

September is National Menopause Awareness Month.

Today’s awareness focuses on “hot flashes”. According to medical studies, about 65 to 75 percent of women experience hot flashes, most commonly during late perimenopause. Does this mean that after 17 years (yes, that’s right ladies – seventeen years) of perimenopause, I may soon reach the end? My husband sure hopes so.

Why they are called flashes is a mystery to me. First of all, a flash will suddenly happen then disappear. We should be so lucky. Sure they can come on quickly, but they linger.

I normally experience them in the middle of the night. Every night I start out with a fresh pair of pj’s and before my alarm goes off, they are trashed. I wake up to find them sticking to me, drenched in sweat. This feels pretty damned gross, so no wonder I’m a grump-ass in the morning.

This weekend I am going to spend with my daughter and 2 granddaughters, so I imagine my mornings will be a lot less grumpy. I better pack plenty of pj’s and undergarments! I may not be posting. But hopefully you have more exciting things to do on your labor-day weekend than listen to me whine 😉

For more information on hot flashes and menopause, the Mayo Clinic is a good resource -and in normal English.