It's not uncommon to sweat in summer's heat, but women going through menopause can experience intense sweating year-round. Although hot flashes are assumed by many women to be a normal part of menopause, that isn't true, says an article by Fox News.

Hot flashes are a signal that something is off-kilter in your body. Although a sign your estrogen levels have dropped, other hormonal issues can cause hot flashes as well, and there are natural ways to beat them, says gynecologist Jennifer Landa.

"I've observed that women can suffer two types of hot flashes," she says. "The first begins at your feet and feels like an inferno. It’s accompanied by a soaking sweat that often results in wanting to change your clothes. This one is usually associated with low estrogen levels, and hormone therapy can often treat it.

"The second type seems to start at your body's trunk or neck," Landa says. "Your face can get red and you sweat, but it's not a soaking sweat like the first. This type is more related to cortisol."

Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. It's often called the "stress hormone." High levels of cortisol have many negative effects on the body including disrupting sleep, elevating blood pressure, and lowering immune functioning.

Even if your estrogen levels are normal, rising cortisol levels can also cause hot flashes. According to Landa, recent research is showing methods that can lower cortisol levels:

1. Relaxation. Several studies found that relaxation therapy lowers cortisol levels. A study published in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis found that hypnosis relaxation therapy lowered hot flashes and cortisol levels in women. In another study, women who suffered severe hot flashes were treated with relaxation therapy. After three months of treatment, their cortisol levels had dropped significantly, and their hot flashes had dropped from at least seven a day to only two.

2. Acupuncture. A study published in the journal Menopause found that women who underwent acupuncture saw a larger decrease in the number and severity of menopausal symptoms after 12 weeks than women who received a placebo treatment.

3. Herbs and Supplements. The Indian remedy ashwagandha root has been found to reduce cortisol levels, according to a study published in the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. In addition, a supplement called phosphatidylserine was found to lower cortisol levels in as few as 10 days.