Night sweats refer to severe hot flashes and excessive sweating that occurs during sleep. They can soak your sleepwear and sheets and disrupt your sleep.
Causes
Night sweats have several potential causes:
- Menopause - Hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can trigger hot flashes and night sweats. As estrogen levels decline, the body's thermostat becomes dysregulated.
- Medications - Antidepressants, hormone therapies, and medications for diabetes, heart disease, and pain can cause sweating as a side effect.
- Infections - Fevers and infections like TB, endocarditis, and HIV can induce severe sweating, especially at night.
- Cancers - Leukemia, lymphoma, and other cancers may cause drenching night sweats. The sweating starts suddenly and for no clear reason.
- Anxiety disorders - Anxiety attacks and stress hormones may stimulate sweat glands, causing night sweats.
- Idiopathic - Sometimes the cause of excessive night sweats is unknown. These are called idiopathic night sweats.
Diagnosis and Treatment
See your doctor if you have repeated episodes of severe night sweats. They will take a medical history and may order blood tests or imaging to determine the cause.
If night sweats arise from menopause or anxiety, lifestyle changes like stress management and hormone replacement therapy from
Vitality Hormone Center can help. Medication adjustments may be necessary if night sweats are a side effect. Treating infections, cancer, or other medical conditions can resolve sweating as well.
Coping Tips
- Sleep in lightweight, breathable pajamas
- Use layered bedding you can adjust
- Keep the bedroom cool with a fan or AC
- Stay hydrated and limit alcohol and spicy foods
- Practice relaxation techniques before bed
- Change damp sleepwear and sheets right away
In summary, night sweats have many potential causes. See a doctor to diagnose the source of excessive sweating and implement lifestyle changes or medical treatment to manage disruptive and uncomfortable night sweats. The expert physicians at
Vitality Hormone Center can provide customized care plans to address hormone-related night sweats.