When is sweating during sleep considered a problem?
Sweating at night is a normal cooling mechanism: during sleep, body temperature decreases and the body gives off excess heat. This becomes a problem when sweat soaks the linen and bed, a person wakes up and is forced to change clothes, and this repeats several times a week for a month or longer. It is important to assess the situation: the temperature in the bedroom is above 22 °C, a thick synthetic blanket, a late dinner with spicy food or alcohol can easily explain a wet night without any illness.
- You have to change your underwear or pajamas
- Repeats several times a week
- Stored in a cool room
- Accompanied by fever, weight loss, weakness
- Appeared after starting a new medication
Hormonal and metabolic reasons
In women during menopause, hot flashes often occur at night: fluctuations in estrogen disrupt thermoregulation, and a person wakes up from heat and sweat. Thyrotoxicosis increases metabolism and adds to sweating, palpitations, trembling, weight loss and irritability. In people with diabetes who are taking insulin or certain blood sugar-lowering medications, night sweats can be a sign of low blood sugar in the morning - then it is combined with nightmares, a headache when waking up, and fatigue.
- Menopause and hot flashes
- Thyrotoxicosis
- Nocturnal hypoglycemia in diabetes
- Obesity and sleep apnea
- Hormonal changes after childbirth
Infections and blood diseases
Profuse night sweats are a classic accompaniment of chronic infections. With tuberculosis, it is combined with a prolonged cough, low-grade fever and weight loss, so with such complaints, a chest x-ray is required. Sweating occurs with abscesses, infective endocarditis, and HIV infection. Of the blood diseases, night sweats are caused by lymphomas: the characteristic triad is sweat, fever and weight loss, often together with painlessly enlarged lymph nodes. These reasons are rare, but they should not be missed.
- Tuberculosis
- Infective endocarditis
- HIV infection
- Chronic purulent foci
- Lymphoma and other blood diseases
- Some cancers
Medicines and lifestyle
Night sweats are a known side effect of many medications. It is caused by antidepressants, antipyretics, hormonal drugs, and drugs for the treatment of hormone-dependent tumors. Alcohol, spicy foods and caffeine in the evening, as well as smoking, increase sweating. People with anxiety disorders and nighttime panic attacks experience sweating, palpitations, and a feeling of fear when waking up. If sweating appears soon after starting a new treatment, you should discuss this with your doctor without stopping the drug yourself.
- Antidepressants and some hormonal medications
- Alcohol and spicy food in the evening
- Caffeine in the afternoon
- Anxiety and nighttime panic attacks
- Too warm bed and synthetic underwear
Examination and what you can do yourself
The doctor clarifies the duration of complaints, weight, temperature, medications, contact with tuberculosis patients. Basic set - complete blood count, CRP, TSH, glucose, chest x-ray; for enlarged lymph nodes, an ultrasound and consultation with a specialized specialist are added. At the same time, it is worth establishing sleeping conditions: a cool bedroom, cotton linen, a light blanket, dinner without alcohol or spicy foods. If the cause is menopause, your doctor will discuss options for help; In case of drug-induced sweating, sometimes it is enough to change the drug.
- Keep the bedroom temperature around 18–20 °C
- Choose cotton linen and a light blanket
- Avoid alcohol, spicy foods and caffeine in the evening
- Keep a diary: how often and under what conditions do you sweat?
- Weigh yourself once a week and take your temperature
- Do not stop taking medications without consulting your doctor
