Tea
Sage tea for hot flushes
Sage is Salvia in Latin, from salvare, to save. The Romans thought it could do most things, and they were not far wrong about hot flushes.
This is one of the most convincing herbs for hot flushes and night sweats, and the effect can be felt relatively quickly, often within a couple of weeks. It dampens sweat production directly.
It tastes strong and a little bitter. You get used to it, and you are not meant to drink litres of it.
Ingredients
- 1-2 tsp dried sage leaves
- 250 ml boiling water
Equipment
- Strainer or tea infuser
- Cup
- Plate to cover with
Method
- 1
Pour 250 ml boiling water over 1-2 tsp dried sage leaves, cover and steep 10 minutes, strain and drink twice daily.
Dosage
2 cups daily, for no more than 4-6 weeks at a stretch. Then take a couple of weeks off.
Steep covered for 10 minutes. If night sweats are your main trouble, take the second cup an hour or so before bed.
Shelf life
Dried leaves keep 1 year, dark and airtight.
Safety
Sage contains thujone, which is potent in larger amounts. Hence the 4-6 weeks and the break. Do not drink it as a permanent daily tea all year.
Not with epilepsy. Thujone can lower the seizure threshold.
Not during pregnancy.
Sage reduces milk production. If you are breastfeeding, leave it be, unless you are weaning, where that effect is wanted.
It can lower blood sugar. If you have diabetes and take medication, keep an eye out.
If you have a hormone-sensitive condition, speak with your doctor first.
Hot flushes that disturb your sleep night after night are worth discussing with a doctor. Treatment exists, and you should not simply endure it because it is a natural passage.
How the herbs work
Sage dampens sweat production directly through its action on the sweat glands, which is why it reaches hot flushes and night sweats better than most other herbs. The effect has been studied in clinical trials with measurable reductions in both the number and intensity of flushes.
The leaves also contain thujone and other volatile oils, which is both what makes the plant potent and why it must be dosed and rested.
Sage has traditionally been used to wind down breastfeeding as well, precisely because it suppresses fluid production.
The content here is general knowledge and folk herbal lore, not medical treatment. In illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding or alongside medication: always talk to your doctor first.