I mainly have hot flushes during the night affecting both my husband’s and my own sleep. We don’t feel we have slept at all. How long do the flushes last - Weeks? Months? Years?

There isn't any way of telling how long the flushes will last for any one woman.

If, however, this is your main symptom then you can usually sort it out using an extract of sage. It comes in tincture or tablet form and I suggest starting with the tincture form, as it often gives swifter effects than the tablet and you don't want to wait one more night than you have to without sleeping well! Take 15 drops in a little water or juice at tea time and then 30 drops before you go to bed. You don't need to eat anything with it.

You may also find that avoiding eating a heavy meal late at night reduces the severity of the flushes, so maybe consider eating your main meal at lunch time and having a lighter evening meal, finishing it at least 3 hours before bed time. Caffeine sometimes triggers flushes, so keep caffeine intake (coffee, tea, fizzy drinks) to a minimum and ensure that you are drinking plenty of water to rehydrate yourself. Dehydration can cause feelings of anxiety, which then makes flushes worse.

Let me know how you get on. 

Eileen Durward