Let’s Stop Calling Them “Hot Flashes”

It's way worse than a flash

Let’s get one thing straight:

“Hot flash” is a terrible name.

It sounds like something that happens when you open the oven too fast. Or when your phone overheats on the dashboard. Cute, inconvenient, no big deal.

But let's not underestimate the gravity of this symptom.

Women aren’t being woken up multiple times a night for fun. They’re being jolted awake, drenched in sweat, hearts racing, as if their bodies have suddenly decided to microwave themselves from the inside out. They quit work over them. And 80% of midlife women have them. And they can start in perimenopause. And they can last for decades.

And we’re calling that a flash? Okay, sometimes people call it a flush.

I don’t think so.

Photo by Gleb Lukomets on Unsplash

First, Let’s Consider the Alternatives

In trying to find a better name, I went on a creative journey. Here are some of the contenders, with the help of ChatGPT:

🔥 Lava Moments – Dramatic, yes. Slightly ridiculous? Also yes.

🔥 Hormone Hellfire – Accurate. Sounds like a death metal album.

🔥 Rage Sweats – Hilarious and relatable. It may also double as a band name or clothing line.

🔥 Thermal Tsunamis – Visual, powerful, and now I can’t unsee it.

🔥 Sudden Sauna Syndrome – Feels like a TikTok challenge gone wrong.

Funny, yes. But none of them quite captured the truth of what’s happening in the body.

Because this isn’t just about feeling warm. It’s not even just about sweating.

This is a full-body neurological and vascular event.

The Science Behind “Neurovascular Storm”