Qigong for Hot Flashes: Simple Practices to Help Cool and Settle the Body
- Matt Van Dyke AEMP MQP
- May 20
- 2 min read
Hot flashes can feel overwhelming — sudden heat rising into the head, flushing, agitation, sweating, restlessness, and discomfort. In Traditional Chinese Medicine and qigong, this is often understood as excess heat rising upward rather than being properly rooted and circulated through the body.
In this video, a simple qigong exercise is shared to help guide heat downward and promote a greater sense of balance and comfort. (Scroll down to the bottom for the video)
These practices may be supportive for people experiencing:
Menopause-related hot flashes
Heat from excessive sun exposure
Stress and overthinking
Headaches associated with rising heat
Heat and discomfort associated with chemotherapy or radiation treatment
The “She” Sound Practice
One of the key techniques taught is the “She” healing sound.
The idea behind the sound is that vibration helps loosen stagnation and encourage excess heat to descend through the body.
How to Practice
Stand comfortably with the knees slightly bent.
Inhale as you gently raise the arms upward.
Exhale while slowly pressing the hands downward toward the feet.
Make the sound:
“Shhhhhheeeee…”
Start the sound at a higher pitch and gradually lower it as you exhale.
Imagine heat moving downward through the body and draining into the feet.
Let the eyes gently look downward — enough to help energy descend, but without collapsing the posture.
The practice is simple, but many people notice a calming and cooling effect fairly quickly.
The recommendation given in the video is to practice:
About 20 repetitions at a time
3–5 times per day when symptoms are active
The Blue Waterfall Visualization
A second cooling practice uses gentle visualization.
Imagine cool blue water rising up the spine, washing through the head, cooling the brain and face, and then flowing down into the lower abdomen (the lower dantian).
The movement is relaxed and natural:
Lift the hands upward
Imagine cool water rising
Let it cascade downward through the head and body
This can feel especially soothing during warm weather or periods of stress and agitation.
A Simple Reminder
Sometimes the most effective qigong practices are also the simplest. Gentle breathing, relaxed movement, sound, posture, and intention can all influence how the body feels and responds to stress and heat.
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