In the first study of its kind, Baylor University researchers have found hypnosis therapy can help cut hot flashes in postmenopausal women.
The study, funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, found women who underwent five weekly sessions of hypnosis reported 75 percent fewer hot flashes after just 12 weeks. During the sessions the women received suggestions for mental images of “coolness, a safe place, or relaxation.” They also received an audio recording of a hypnotic induction and were asked to practice it daily.
For comparison, researchers had a second group of women participate in five sessions in which a clinician provided discussion of their symptoms and encouragement, but no hypnosis; they also received an audio recording containing information about hot flashes. After 12 weeks, this group also reported a reduction in hot flashes, too, but at a far lower level — 13 percent.
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All the women kept diaries to record hot flash frequency and severity, and a skin monitor was used to track them as well.
Overall, the hypnosis participants reported significantly less interference with their lives from hot flashes, better sleep, and a high level of satisfaction with the treatment.
How hypnosis eases hot flashes isn't clear, said the investigators. They speculated that it may be because hypnosis may positively affect the "fight or flight" response of the nervous system that controls body functions such as sweating and heart rate.
The findings of the study will be published in the journal Menopause.