Night Sweats - The Sweating Sleep

Night sweats is medically called as hyperhidrosis.

It can disrupt your sleep and leave you feeling all washed up literally.

Night sweats sufferers may awaken in the middle in the night feeling either too cold or too hot, their palms clammy, and their bed sheets moist with sweat.

Night sweats are certainly a nuisance and it can also lead to insomnia-inducing stress. How do you know if you suffer from night sweats? Most likely, your wet bedding and extreme body temperature will be enough to diagnose night sweats. Visit your doctor if you are still in doubt.

Causes of Night Sweats - Menopause

Night sweats are not inherently harmful. Generally, they are a symptom of another condition. Causes of night sweats are many. Perhaps, menopause is the most common cause of night sweats in women. [Sleep and Menopause]

Most menopausal women will experience some form of night sweats. Because of hormonal changes, men too can suffer from night sweats. Andropause, which is sometimes referred to as ‘male menopause,’ can also be a cause of night sweats in men.

Illnesses

Night sweats also commonly stem from any illness that can produce fevers and chills. Night sweats can also be caused due to immune-suppressing diseases such as HIV, AIDS, Hodgkin’s disease, and tuberculosis.

Women who have undergone chemotherapy are also particularly vulnerable to suffering from night sweats. Estrogen is lost to a great extent during chemotherapy. Signs of menopause will emerge when a woman’s body lacks estrogen. These may include hot flashes, insomnia, and of course, night sweats.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep disorders, particularly sleep apnea is another common cause of night sweats. Sleep apnea occurs when individuals experience frequent pauses of breath during the course of a night’s sleep.

Sleep apnea sufferers will experience frequent disruptions in sleep, which can often result in night sweats. Often, night sweats can be indicative of sleep apnea. You may be suffering from sleep apnea if you tend to wake up at night, sweaty and out of breath. You will want to consult your medical professional, who might recommend

Medications

Another cause of night sweats stems from the effect of certain medications. Night sweats can be caused due to certain anti-depression and anti-anxiety medications, as well as some birth control pills.

Other Possible Causes

Other possible causes of night sweats may include:

• Diabetes
• Strokes
• Epilepsy
• Cerebral palsy
• Anemia
• Migraines
• Hyperthyroidism
• Head or brain injury
• Any condition that can cause fever

Treating Night Sweats

As you can see, there are many conditions that can result in night sweats. Finding out the actual cause of night sweats is the best way to take control of your night sweats. Make a list of anything you suspect may be triggering them if the cause of your night sweats is not evident.

Visit your doctor, who will perform a complete health evaluation and conduct tests to identify the cause of your night sweats. Usually, you can eliminate or reduce the frequency of night sweats by finding the cause.

Primary Hyperhydrosis

Although very rare, you may want to be tested for primary hyperhydrosis. Primary hyperhydrosis is a rare disorder that causes very heavy night and daytime sweating. Primary hyperhydrosis can interfere with a person’s quality of life. Surgical removal of the sweat glands may be advised in most of the severe cases.

Tips for Reducing Night Sweats

Here are a few things you can do to reduce their frequency and intensity of night sweats.

• Certain lifestyle changes can help you deal with night sweats.
• It’s very important that you practice excellent sleep hygiene if you are experiencing night sweats.
• Retire to bed at the same time every night, get at least eight hours of sleep, and avoid alcoholic beverages before bedtime.
• If night sweats do strike in the middle of the night, have a cool glass of water or juice to re-hydrate.
• Spicy foods have also been related to the occurrence of night sweats, so abstain from eating hard to digest foods near bedtime.
• You may also benefit from keeping your bedroom at a cool temperature, or sleeping with the window open to increase air circulation.
• You will also want to take a bath, and then change your bedding and sleeping clothes if the night sweats were severe enough.
• Some people swear by taking a cold shower right before bedtime.