Myth 1: Hot flashes burn calories: 🔴False. Sorry, but these aren’t the kind of sweat sessions that’ll burn off breakfast! Hot flashes do not burn calories. For that, you’ll need to hit the gym or otherwise get moving. Myth 2: Hot flashes mean you’re in menopause: 🔴False. You might be surprised to learn that you don’t have to be in menopause — or even all that close to it — to start having hot flashes. Though the typical age of menopause is about 51, many people have symptoms of perimenopause (the lead-up to menopause) for years before their final menstrual period. Myth 3: Hot flashes cause a fever: 🔴False. Hot flashes make you feel hot, but they’re different from fevers, which indicate a higher-than-normal rise in your core body temperature. When you’re going through perimenopause, your body is extremely sensitive to even small changes in temperature. When it senses a change, it jumpstarts the process of trying to cool you down — which is, ironically, the very thing that makes you feel so hot. Myth 4: Supplements like magnesium and black cohosh can help with hot flashes: 🟡Mostly false. Lots of supplements and botanicals — including magnesium and black cohosh — have been studied for their possible role in making hot flashes more manageable. But so far, there’s no definitive evidence that any of them live up to their claims. And some can do more harm than good. Myth 5: Hot flashes can make you dizzy: 🟢True, but it’s uncommon. Dizziness is a possible symptom of hot flashes, but it’s not a standard one. Myth 6: Having sex helps relieve hot flash symptoms: 🔴False. There’s no research confirming that to be the case. Myth 7: Smoking makes hot flashes worse: 🟢True. Studies show that women who quit smoking were less likely to have severe hot flashes than those who continue to smoke throughout menopause. Myth 8: There’s nothing you can do about hot flashes, so you just have to live with them: 🔴False! When it comes to hot flashes, things like eating a balanced diet and avoiding triggers like spicy food and drinking alcohol can go a long way