{"id":26571,"date":"2021-10-25T15:16:50","date_gmt":"2021-10-25T15:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=26571"},"modified":"2021-12-16T19:38:09","modified_gmt":"2021-12-16T19:38:09","slug":"what-causes-night-sweats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/what-causes-night-sweats\/","title":{"rendered":"Cool Down Night Sweats with These 11 Expert-Approved Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Night sweats are unpleasant, at best, and dangerous, at worst. Here\u2019s what causes night sweats\u2014and what you can do to banish them from your bedroom for good.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

There\u2019s nothing better than crawling into your bed, snuggling under the covers, and settling in for a long, restful night of sleep<\/a>. And there\u2019s nothing worse than waking up a few hours later, way before your alarm is set to go off, drenched in sweat and unable to fall back to sleep. Welcome to the nightmare of night sweats.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

While these episodes are anything but pleasant when they happen, we have some good news for you: Night sweats are incredibly common, and in most cases, they\u2019re not indicative of a serious medical condition. In fact, they can often be eradicated with a few simple tweaks to your lifestyle or, if necessary, a prescribed medication. Other times, though, they\u2019re a symptom of something troubling that needs to be addressed ASAP. To find out what\u2019s going on with you, you\u2019ll need to put on your detective hat and do a little investigating, because your treatment will depend on what\u2019s causing your nighttime bouts of sweating.<\/p>\n\n\n

What are night sweats?<\/h2>\n\n\n

Night sweats, also called sleep hyperhidrosis, are exactly what they sound like: profuse sweating in the middle of the night. \u201cNight sweats are episodes of extreme perspiration in which your clothing and bedsheets are not damp but drenched to the point that they require to be changed,\u201d explains Eric Ascher<\/a>, DO, a family medicine doctor at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. \u201cIf it happens only for a night or two, it is likely not of concern. These episodes are considered concerning when they occur repeatedly.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

If you fall into that camp, you should check with your doctor. \u201cNight sweats are so common and associated with so many things that it will likely be something simple. But on the off chance that it\u2019s not, it\u2019s better to get a full evaluation,\u201d advises Rashmi Mullur<\/a>, MD, clinical associate professor of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.<\/p>\n\n\n

What causes night sweats?<\/h2>\n\n\n

Chances are, you\u2019ve already eliminated the most obvious causes of night sweats: a thermostat that\u2019s too high, a heavy comforter that you forgot to switch out when the seasons changed, and a cold or viral infection that you\u2019re recovering from. Still sweating? Read on for the most common causes of night sweats and what you can do so your sleep isn\u2019t unceremoniously disrupted night after night.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Menopause and perimenopause<\/h3>\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a woman of a certain age, you might expect hot flashes<\/a> during the day\u2026but extreme sweating in the middle of the night? Yep, put that on your list of common menopause<\/a> symptoms. According to Dr. Mullur, your brain is releasing hormones that tell your ovaries to work, but your ovaries are slowing down estrogen production. \u201cAs a result,\u201d she says, \u201cthe hormones from the brain kind of go into overdrive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Dr. Ascher adds that as estrogen levels deplete, your blood vessels relax and expand; this, in turn, causes the sensation of heat in the skin. Also, we hate to break the news to you, but in some women, this can also happen in perimenopause, years before actual menopause hits, and last well into their 60s, according to a study published in the journal Menopause<\/em><\/a> in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n

So, how can you stop menopause night sweats? If cooling down your living space isn\u2019t enough, your doctor may suggest one or a combination of the following options: a hormonal treatment, a non-hormonal supplement (like HUM’s Fan Club<\/a>), or the antidepressant Effexor, which works neurochemically in the brain to stop hot flashes<\/a>. Dr. Mullur also often suggests altering your diet to reduce carbohydrate intake, which can keep the body cool. (More on that below.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Low<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Too many carbohydrates<\/h3>\n\n\n

Don\u2019t worry\u2014we\u2019re not going to tell you to give up your favorites. We are, however, going to tell you not to consume too many of them too close to bedtime<\/a>. Some people are particularly sensitive to carbo-loading, and their bodies undergo something called adaptive thermogenesis. This metabolic process, says Dr. Mullur, can cause those people to sweat. \u201cThis can happen at any time of the day,\u201d she says. \u201cBut if you have a huge carbohydrate meal right before bed, that can wake you up in the middle of the night.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

To stop night sweats related to carb intake, she suggests having \u201cmixed meals\u201d that contain a little bit of protein<\/a>, a little bit of fat, and a little bit of carbohydrates. One word of caution: Carb-related night sweats can also be a sign of pre-diabetes. If it\u2019s happening in conjunction with other traditional signs of diabetes, like increased thirst, frequent urination, and blurred vision, you should definitely mention it to your doctor.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Diabetes\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n

\u201cDiabetes doesn\u2019t necessarily cause night sweats, but night sweats can occur in patients with diabetes if their blood sugar is fluctuating\u2014specifically when it\u2019s dropping,\u201d says Dr. Mullur. That\u2019s because when blood sugar drops, the body releases a number of hormones, including adrenaline (or epinephrine), which tells the body to increase its sugar levels. The problem? \u201cThat adrenaline can cause people to have tremors, be sweaty and shaky, and otherwise not feel well.\u201d Essentially, those night sweats are a sign of hypoglycemia, and this usually results from medication that has been given specifically to lower blood sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n

If you have diabetes, it is important to mention this symptom to your doctor. The solution would likely be to change your medication regimen or even wear a monitor that alerts you when your blood sugar is low.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

An overactive thyroid<\/h3>\n\n\n

Your thyroid<\/a> is like your own personal thermostat, says Dr. Mullur. It needs to be at the exact right level, and it adjusts to your body\u2019s changing needs over the course of the day. \u201cHowever, if you have an overactive thyroid<\/a>, your thyroid is not responding to your body\u2019s signals in the way it should, so it\u2019s overproducing hormones rather than producing them as needed,\u201d she says. \u201cIn that circumstance, it\u2019s like you\u2019ve got the dial turned up on your metabolism to max.\u201d When your metabolism is in overdrive, your body is expending a ton of energy, which can lead to sweating.<\/p>\n\n\n

In addition to night sweats, people with an overactive thyroid may feel hot all day long. They may also feel anxious and irritable, be dealing with weight gain, and have bowel movements several times a day. Thyroid medications or another endocrinologist-approved method of treatment will help with these issues.<\/p>\n\n\n

Stress and anxiety<\/h3>\n\n\n

Think you can escape the stress of the day by heading off to dreamland? Think again. Just because you\u2019re sleeping, it doesn\u2019t mean your brain is taking a break. \u201cWhether you\u2019re having a bad dream or responding to underlying stress you\u2019ve experienced throughout the day,\u201d explains Dr. Ascher, \u201cyour body reacts by increasing your heart rate, increasing your metabolism, and increasing body temperature.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

While this may result from a specific stressful situation, it could also be related to an underlying anxiety disorder, which would cause night sweats to recur. \u201cTherapy and anxiety medications work well for this, as does meditation<\/a> and deep-breathing exercises<\/a> before bed,\u201d Dr. Ascher adds.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Anxiety<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Pregnancy\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n

Creating your own little human can wreak havoc on your body in all sorts of ways, and it will probably come as no surprise that night sweats often occur during pregnancy. What you might not expect are postpartum<\/a> night sweats, which happen because your once-raging estrogen and progesterone levels have now dropped dramatically. In addition to your fluctuating hormones, your body is also getting rid of the excess fluid accumulated during pregnancy via those night sweats (as well as through increased urination).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

According to a 2013 study in the journal Fertility and Sterility<\/em><\/a>, postpartum night sweats peak about two weeks after giving birth. But if you\u2019re also experiencing a fever, a headache that won\u2019t go away, chest pain, or any other concerning symptoms, speak with your doctor ASAP since you could have an infection or other serious post-pregnancy complication.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Alcohol consumption\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n

You feel all warm and fuzzy when you have a cocktail or two, but a few hours later, you might be experiencing full-on night sweats. That\u2019s because alcohol<\/a> messes with your body\u2019s thermoregulation, according to Alcohol.org<\/a>. While this tends to happen more with heavy alcohol consumption, some people may experience this after drinking a lot less.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

So, what\u2019s going on, exactly? Alcohol causes your heart rate to speed up and your blood vessels to relax and widen. Those dilated blood vessels can make you feel flushed and even sweaty. But as blood continues to travel through those dilated blood vessels to your skin, your body temperature actually drops; sweat is one of the ways that your body cools itself down. While this can happen at any time of the day, since most people tend to drink at nighttime<\/a>, it can result in middle-of-the-night sweating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"How<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Medications<\/h3>\n\n\n

Over-the-counter and doctor-prescribed medications can be necessary for your health, but they may come with some unexpected side effects. One of them might be\u2014you guessed it\u2014night sweats. As discussed earlier, diabetes medication is one common culprit<\/a>, but others include antidepressants, breast-cancer drugs, blood pressure medications, sleeping pills, and even everyday pain relievers like aspirin and acetaminophen. Read the fine print when taking any medication, and mention any side effects to your doctor at your next appointment if you think it could be causing night sweats.<\/p>\n\n\n

Sleep apnea<\/h3>\n\n\n

This sleep disorder, in which your breath actually stops and then restarts during sleep, is associated with a slew of health concerns, from heart disease to stroke. And now, according to a study<\/a> of middle-aged female patients at the Mayo Clinic, hot flashes and night sweats. Undiagnosed or untreated obstructive sleep apnea is also something that Dr. Mullur sees frequently in patients. Think of it this way, she says: \u201cThey are able to get some sleep but not restful sleep, so their body is constantly arousing and they\u2019re in a state of stress all night.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

According to the Cleveland Clinic<\/a>, some treatments are on the simpler side, such as losing weight, avoiding alcohol, using a wedge pillow to sleep in a side position, and addressing sinus problems. Other interventions range from using Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy (which is basically a mask that regulates airway pressure during sleep) to dental devices that keep the airway open; in extreme cases, surgery may be recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n

An infection or cancer<\/h3>\n\n\n

When doctors allude to potential causes that are \u201cworrisome\u201d and \u201cdangerous,\u201d this is what they\u2019re talking about\u2014serious undiagnosed issues that need immediate treatment. Symptoms like fevers, weight loss<\/a>, and general fatigue or malaise in conjunction with night sweats could indicate anything from tuberculosis or a fungal infection in the lungs to blood-based cancers like lymphoma and leukemia, says Dr. Mullur. Another possibility is a neuroendocrine tumor in the gastrointestinal tract or adrenal glands; this isn\u2019t actually cancer but a hormone-producing tumor, and when it\u2019s removed, the body\u2019s functioning returns to normal.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

While Dr. Mullur stresses that these diagnoses aren\u2019t the likely causes of most night sweats, it\u2019s best to rule them out if you\u2019re not sure what\u2019s causing your night sweats. Dr. Ascher adds: \u201cWhile this may seem intimidating, prognosis with these diagnoses is always better when caught and treated early.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

How to stop night sweats<\/h2>\n\n\n

While you now have a full arsenal of things to try, depending on the cause of your night sweats, there are plenty of other ways to stay cool. The following tips are also helpful if you just happen to run hot or, says Dr. Ascher, \u201cwhen the seasonal temperature changes and your body has not yet acclimated to sleeping with the appropriate number of blankets.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n