Women with severe hot flashes said their condition improved after taking mindfulness classes that included meditation and stretching exercises, according to a new study.
Researchers based at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester studied women with frequent and severe hot flashes. These women often also complain about anxiety and stress related to their symptoms.
The women were divided into two groups. In one, participants went to weekly 2.5-hour mindfulness classes focusing on body awareness, meditation, and stretching. They also received CDs to guide them through mindfulness activities on their own on the days when they didn't have classes. Women in the second group did not attend any mindfulness classes during the study.
By the time they finished the mindfulness program, the women were less stressed and anxious and were no longer considered out of the normal range for those symptoms.
They also slept better, rated their quality of life higher, and were less bothered by their hot flashes.
This kind of mindfulness program is widely available, and may be covered by insurance for some women, according to the study's lead author, Dr. James Carmody.
The drawback to this kind of program, Carmody told Reuters Health, is that "this requires a time investment that for many women is not possible."
"We want to see if a shorter program would have the same effects," Carmody said. "Anything that makes it more accessible for women."
