By: Claire Jack Ph.D.
Posted May 24, 2020
If you are going through menopause, you may find yourself researching alternative and complementary ways of dealing with the hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, and other symptoms that so many women experience at this time.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is commonly prescribed to women to help with menopausal symptoms, but HRT is not suitable for everyone and is associated with a small but relevant risk of causing cancer.
One approach which is recommended by the North American Menopause Society for the management of menopause symptoms is hypnotherapy.
Whilst Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has been shown to help reduce the stress experienced from hot flashes2 and yoga can help women improve their sleep and reduce anxiety3, hypnotherapy has been shown to reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flushes in addition to helping with mild depression and anxiety. Research has shown that focusing on cooling imagery whilst in a state of hypnosis allows for greater control over hot flashes and can help prevent them altogether. In fact, hypnosis has been shown to reduce hot flashes and night sweats by up to 74%, showing it to be as effective as HRT in managing these symptoms4.
Here are three techniques you can practice.
1. Cool imagery. Take some time to allow yourself to access a relaxed, calm state. If you have a favourite meditation or breathing technique to help you reach this state, use that. Otherwise, imagine you’re breathing a cool, silvery light in through your nose and allowing it to flow all the way down through your body as you exhale. Keep repeating this process and say to yourself, “I am becoming more and more relaxed” after every breath. When you’re in this relaxed state, imagine what, for you, is the most lovely cooling sensation you can think of. For instance, you might imagine the cooling feeling of stepping into a swimming pool or being outside, feeling a cool breeze on your skin. Focus all your attention on this image and feeling, imagining it flowing through your body. Next time you feel a hot flash, focus your mind on this cooling sensation.
2. Your future self. Imagine how you would like to feel in six months' time. Close your eyes and imagine this in as much detail as you can – seeing what’s in that image, noticing the sounds and scents, and stepping into the scene of that future you. Focus on how you will feel at that time. Work out what you need to do to create this future you. This might include taking more time for yourself, incorporating yoga or other exercises into your life and working out what it is you really want from life at this stage. Keep returning to this visualisation – the more you do it, the more real it will feel, which is a great motivator to put those changes into place.
