You suddenly feel very hot.
You wake up at night drenched in sweat.
You feel more irritable or more emotional than usual.
Then you wonder:
“Could all of this be connected?”
Hot flashes, night sweats and certain mood changes can be reported during perimenopause and menopause.
They do not, however, appear the same way for everyone.
What does a hot flash feel like?
A hot flash can feel like a sudden, intense sensation of heat in the upper body, particularly in the face, neck or chest.
It can also come with:
- sweating;
- chills;
- a feeling of anxiety;
- a rapid heartbeat;
- a need to remove a layer of clothing.
Frequency and intensity can vary considerably.
Some people experience them occasionally. Others experience them much more often.
Night sweats can disrupt sleep
Night sweats are hot flashes that occur during sleep.
They can wake you up, soak your clothes or bedding, and make it harder to fall back asleep.
Then, the next day, you might feel:
- fatigue;
- irritability;
- difficulty concentrating;
- a feeling of brain fog;
- mood changes.
A symptom experienced at night can therefore have repercussions during the day.
What about mood changes?
Some people report irritability, mood fluctuations, or symptoms of anxiety or depression during the menopausal transition.
That does not mean every emotional change is caused by menopause.
Sleep, stress, life events, certain medications and various medical conditions can also play a role.
RAPELIA does not determine the cause of a mood change.
The app instead helps you observe how that change evolves and what was happening during the same period.
Why track these symptoms together?
Imagine:
You have several night sweats.
Your sleep is interrupted.
You are more tired the next day.
Your patience wears thin.
You have more trouble concentrating.
A few weeks later, it becomes hard to remember in what order these changes appeared.
Tracking symptoms together can help you see their evolution and possible timing links more clearly, without concluding that one symptom necessarily causes another.
What can be helpful to track
You could observe, among other things:
- how often hot flashes occur;
- their intensity;
- when they happen;
- night sweats;
- waking during the night;
- your sleep quality;
- your energy level;
- your mood;
- important changes in your routine;
- your treatments or other relevant changes.
The goal is not to monitor every minute of your day.
The goal is to keep a better overview of what is actually changing.
Your memory should not have to reconstruct everything
When it is time to talk to a healthcare professional, you might wonder:
“Since when have my hot flashes been more frequent?”
“How many nights did I sleep poorly this week?”
“Did my mood change before or after my sleep?”
“Is this change occasional, or is it becoming more regular?”
Simple tracking can help you answer with a clearer timeline.
RAPELIA turns your observations into perspective
No mandatory long notes.
No need to try to remember everything.
You observe what you feel.
You note it quickly.
Then you see how your symptoms evolve over time.
Less tracking. More understanding.
Frequently asked questions
Are hot flashes common during perimenopause?
Hot flashes and night sweats are among the frequently reported symptoms during the menopausal transition. Their frequency and intensity vary from one person to another.
Is a night sweat a hot flash?
A night sweat is a hot flash that occurs during sleep. It can disrupt rest and contribute to fatigue the next day.
Can menopause affect mood?
Some people report irritability, mood fluctuations or other emotional changes during this period. These changes can, however, have several causes.
When should I see a healthcare professional?
It is appropriate to consult when symptoms concern you, become significant, persist, or affect your sleep, your mood or your daily life.
Important disclaimer
RAPELIA is intended for tracking and information. It does not diagnose any medical condition and does not replace a consultation with a healthcare professional.