1. a state of misfortune or affliction. 2. something hard to endure. 3. something that causes or entails suffering. Familiarity information: HARDSHIP used as a noun is uncommon.
A single hot flash can last anywhere from one to five minutes and may occur a few times a week for some women or daily for others. When hot flashes are severe, they may strike four or five times an hour or 20 to 30 times a day, Omicioli says.
There may be many different causes of hot flashes, but hormones are always at the root of the problem. When estrogen reaches low levels, it affects the hypothalamus in the brain. The hypothalamus manages several body functions, including sleep, regulation of sex hormones and the temperature within your body.