How can hot flashes vary during menopause?

The intensity and frequency of hot flashes varies dramatically between individual women. Hot flashes also vary over time for each woman as she progresses from perimenopause to postmenopause. For some women, the hot flashes come and go over days, weeks, or months. Some women experience hot flashes for a brief time before the flashes disappear, never to return again. Some women get hot flashes or night sweats while they still have periods; others get them when their periods are infrequent or after they have stopped.

You may be comfortable during the day but awaken every hour or two during the night with night sweats. Night sweats are identical to hot flashes, except for their timing. It is possible to have only daytime hot flashes, only night sweats, or both. Although it is not as common, some women find hot flashes troublesome for decades.

Hot flashes can come and go, without warning, over a period of days, months, or years. In some women, they resolve spontaneously without any intervention; other women only find relief with treatment. Hot flashes and night sweats may be easily tolerated or debilitating. At one point, your hot flashes may be mild or infrequent, causing little or no disruption in your routine. At another time, you may suffer from intense hot flashes that recur every hour, compromising your ability to function effectively at home or work.