What Does a Hot Flash Actually Feel Like?

Menopause can sometimes feel like it's shrouded in mystery. At what age will it all begin? What does a hot flash actually feel like? Do we really need to call it “the change”? So many questions.

While 1.3 million women become menopausal in the U.S. each year, it can still feel like the great unknown. A time when your monthly periods come to an end, hormones change, and you experience hot flashes. It’s a fact of life. You might have heard your mother describe hot flashes to you or seen it alluded to on The Golden Girls (can we have more coverage of menopausal women, please!?), but how do they really feel?

We asked medical doctors about what a hot flash feels like and had them break down one of the most common symptoms of menopause.

What are hot flashes?

In the U.S., the average age women reach menopause is 51—approximately 5% of women experience early menopause between the ages of 40 and 45. According to research journal BMC Women's Health, some of the most common menopausal symptoms include night sweats, insomnia, vaginal dryness, mood disorders, weight gain, and hot flashes.

A hot flash, sometimes called a hot flush, is one of the most common symptoms of menopause. “Hot flashes are a result of an exaggerated but temporary hormonal response of our body's thermoregulator in our brain—the hypothalamus—that leads to a paradoxical dilation of the blood vessels in our skin, thus causing a rush of blood to the surface of our skin,” says Cindy M.P. Duke, M.D., Ph.D., FACOG. “This in turn leads to us feeling suddenly warm and flushed.”

Not all women will experience hot flashes, as they affect approximately 85% of menopausal women. Around 55% of women experience hot flashes as they transition into the menopause stage.

What does a hot flash actually feel like?

Menopause affects everybody differently, and so hot flushes can feel different from individual to individual. “Many women describe a hot flash as a sudden onset of heat that is felt internally especially in the chest, neck, and face,” says Kiarra King, M.D., a board-certified ob-gyn. “Some women will have associated perspiration, flushing, or heart palpitations.” According to a review in the Journal of Midlife Health, hot flashes are sensations of heat, sweating, flushing, anxiety, and chills.

If “the change” isn’t enough menopause lingo for you, King has another one. “Hot flashes have been nicknamed ‘personal summers’ by many women,” she says.

How long do hot flashes last?

Now that you know what hot flashes feel like, you might be wondering, “How long do I have to go through this?” According to King, “Hot flashes usually last for less than five minutes.” That’s right. The time it takes to go for a quick jog around the block, phone a friend, or start reading the classic you promised to read for book club.