Self-administered hypnosis may ward off hot flashes
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- Reviewed by Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
JAMA Network OpenResearchers divided 250 postmenopausal women (average age 56) - all of whom reported having at least four hot flashes a day - into two equal groups. Every day for six weeks, the first group listened to a 20-minute hypnosis recording that included prompts to relax and imagine feeling cool. Over the same duration, the second group listened daily to 20-minute white noise recordings labeled as hypnosis. All participants tracked the frequency and severity of their hot flashes.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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