11/18/2025
WHY do hot flashes and drenching night sweats happen in perimenopause?? (More coming in my December newsletter).
As estrogen declines, our internal thermostat starts to go haywire. The body starts to interpret a much narrower window of comfort. Because of the presence of estrogen receptors in sweat glands and blood vessels, vasodilation and sweating gets triggered when it’s “not actually that hot.” The joys, right? Estrogen and the complex transition into menopause has far more wide reaching effects and involvement in areas like melatonin production / sleep, cholesterol/heart health, and even joint and bone health. And more….!
Acupuncture can “smooth the landing of the plane” by
-Reducing frequency and intensity of hot flashes, especially when treatments are consistent.
- Supporting hypothalamic–pituitary regulation, helping the body find more stable hormonal rhythms.
-Improving sleep quality by influencing melatonin and cortisol patterns.
-Increasing blood flow to areas influenced by estrogen shifts like skin and other tissues.
There is sooo much more I want to say about perimenopause and about estrogen specifically. Especially considering the removal of the black box warning on estrogen (HRT). Stay tuned, I will get to it!
I am hoping to post many videos and resources to bridge the gap between biomedical physiology and the traditional Chinese medical lens - my goal is to demystify the inner workings of our bodies so we can understand and trust them better!
