I have had hot flushes at night for about four years and it was seriously affecting my ability to function during the day due to sleep deprivation.
My GP gave me zopiclone, which helped, but I was not happy about taking them. She doesn't like to prescribe HRT (bet the bitch will change her mind when she gets menopausal
).
So in desperation I tried acupuncture. I am not a big believer in alternative therapies, but my sister had a course of treatment for hot flushes and it worked for her.
I had four treatments and I now sleep - deep sleep. I still get hot flushes, but they are more like a warm feeling that you get when you drink a hot cup of tea. I still wake at night, but it is maybe once or twice whereas before it was five or six times. Plus I go back to sleep straight away.
I can't say that I liked the needles. Some when into my hands, arms, wrists, some into my ankles and occasionally my forehead and my breastbone.
It is only now I am getting a decent night's sleep that I realise how bad things were before.
It cost me about £35 a visit - the first visit was £45 - but it was money well spent.