Let’s Talk About Hot Flushes — The Fire Within 🔥

I am frequently asked about hot flushes, and I thought: this is a conversation that needs more space. Because for so many women, these sudden surges of heat feel disruptive, random, and deeply frustrating.

But what if we looked at them a little differently? What if, rather than something to battle against, hot flushes were an invitation to understand what your body is truly trying to express?

Hot Flushes!

We’re often told they’re just “part of the menopause package,” something to be endured or masked with medication. And while hormonal changes certainly play a role, there’s another layer – a deeper, more emotional side to the story – that’s often overlooked.

The Body Speaks in Sensation

What if hot flushes aren’t just hormonal?

What if they’re also emotional?

Many women don’t realise that their bodies are constantly processing unspoken feelings – grief, anger, frustration, shame, stress – and these emotions don’t just disappear if we ignore them.

They settle in.

They wait.

And then, at some point – often during perimenopause or menopause – the dam begins to crack. The body speaks through heat. A flush. A flare. A burning up from the inside.

It might sound poetic, but it’s actually quite physiological. Let’s break it down.

The Hormonal Landscape

Here’s what’s happening on a biological level:

Oestrogen levels drop – and oestrogen plays a key role in temperature regulation. When it declines, your body’s “internal thermostat” becomes more sensitive and less stable. This means it’s more likely to react strongly to even small changes in temperature, emotion, or stress.

Cortisol rises – this is your primary stress hormone. If your nervous system is frequently in “fight or flight” mode, or you’ve been carrying years of emotional tension without real release, cortisol tends to be higher. This further destabilises your internal temperature regulation, making hot flushes more intense and more frequent.

The nervous system gets stuck in overdrive – and when the body doesn’t feel safe or calm, it can’t regulate properly. You might be running on adrenaline, even without realising it, which amplifies the body's reactivity.

So, while hot flushes are hormonal, they’re also a reflection of nervous system dysregulation and (often unacknowledged) emotional energy surfacing to be seen, felt, and released.

The Emotional Fire

From an emotional perspective, menopause isn’t just a hormonal shift – it’s a life shift. It’s a time when many women begin to reflect more deeply on their lives:

• What have I been holding in?

• What have I not expressed?

• What do I need to let go of?

• Who am I becoming now?

Hot Flushes need a fan!

This gateway often brings up the things we’ve pushed down in order to “just get on with it.” For decades, many women have cared for others, worked hard, stayed strong, kept quiet, and sacrificed their needs.

But the body remembers.

And menopause is often the time it insists on being heard.

That surge of heat? It might be your body releasing frustration that was never allowed to be voiced.

Or grief you didn’t have time to feel.

Or years of people-pleasing, perfectionism, or pushing through.It might be shame. Or guilt. Or a lifetime of saying “yes” when you wanted to say “no.”

The body is wise.

It doesn’t punish – it communicates.

So, What Can You Do?

Rather than seeing hot flushes as something you have to fight, what if you started to see them as your body’s way of trying to bring you back to yourself?

Here are some gentle practices to support that process:

Pause when the heat rises

Instead of brushing it off or pushing through, take a breath. Place a hand on your chest or belly.

Ask yourself:

“What emotion am I feeling right now?”

“What just happened that might have triggered this?”

“Is there anything I need to feel, acknowledge, or express?”

You might not always get an answer straight away – and that’s okay. The point is to start asking the question.

Create space for emotional release

This doesn’t have to be dramatic or intense. It might be journaling, breathwork, a gentle yoga practice, a walk in nature, or talking things through with someone you trust. Sometimes it's in the stillness that the deepest healing begins.

Support your nervous system

Think of this like tending a fire, not trying to put it out.Nervous system support might look like:

• Prioritising rest

• Grounding through bare feet on grass

• Drinking calming herbal teas

• Listening to music that soothes you

• Saying no to things that drain you

• Doing things that feel like you

Honour this phase of life

Perimenopause and menopause are not an ending – they are a transition. A becoming. A return to the self.

Your body isn’t breaking down – it’s waking up.

And when we honour the messages it sends us – whether through a hot flush, a mood swing, or a moment of deep clarity – we begin to move through this chapter with grace rather than resistance.

Final Thoughts

You are not alone.

So many women are moving through this rite of passage in silence, thinking they have to endure it or push through.

But there is power in understanding what’s really happening beneath the surface – and in learning how to support yourself emotionally, physically, and energetically.

The fire within you isn’t something to be feared.

It’s a sign that something old is leaving… and something new is ready to begin.

Ready to support your body, mind and emotions through this transition?

If you’re curious about how practices like yoga, breathwork, meditation, or bodywork could help you regulate your nervous system, release emotional tension and feel more you again — I’d love to support you.

You can:

• Book a 1-1 session tailored to your needs

• Join one of my gentle yoga classes, suitable for all levels

• Attend a wellbeing event or meditation evening to connect and reset

• Or simply drop me a message if you’re not sure where to start

You don’t have to walk this path alone.

Let’s help your body feel safe again – and create space for your next chapter to unfold.

Why not fill in a “contact form” on my website or message me to find out more.

With love, warmth, and deep respect for your journey.