8 Causes of Night Sweats and How to Manage Them
It’s common for Americans to have night sweats. According to a recent study, 41% of people have reported having night sweats in the last month. If you have too many blankets on the bed or the room is unusually warm, you might find yourself sweating during sleep, which is normal and associated with an easy fix.
True night sweats occur as excessive perspiration at night and can be a rough situation for many people. They can occur for various reasons, such as a side effect of certain medications, medical conditions, or a symptom of menopause.
What Causes Night Sweats?
Night sweats can be caused for various reasons, such as:
- Infections, like HIV or Tuberculosis
- Symptoms of Menopause
- A side effect of diabetes medications, hormone treatments, cancer treatments, or antidepressants
- Cancer such as lymphoma or leukemia
- Heart Failure or other related heart conditions
- Consuming too much tobacco, alcohol, or caffeine
- Neurological disorders such as strokes, posttraumatic syringomyelia, or autonomic dysreflexia can increase the amount of swearing at night.
How to Manage Your Night Sweats
Having frequent night sweats can be bothersome or worrying and can cause severe sleep disruptions. If you’re having issues sleeping at night due to night sweats, it’s common to want to find ways to sleep comfortably. If you’re finding night sweats to be a common issue in your life, consider following these steps to manage the problem.
Change Your Bedding
One of the reasons most people feel uncomfortable at night is because of the sheets or pillows they use at night. If you’re not using fabric designed to cool you down, you’re going to feel uncomfortable at night. Consider adding a cooling blanket set to your bedroom or switching your pillows with cooling pillow technology.
Avoid Caffeine, Spicy Foods, or Alcohol
Consuming any of these substances will induce sweating because it causes rapid spikes in the body. If you’re consistently consuming any of these drinks or food, consider cutting back or reducing intake close to bedtime.
Wear Breathable Clothing
Wearing tight-fitting clothing will trap any heat and will contribute to night sweats. Instead, choose fabrics that are airy and breathable, such as moisture-wicking pajamas.
Keep a Healthy Weight
Higher body weight is commonly associated with night sweats. If you find yourself obese or overweight, you might find be dealing with many health problems, such as insomnia, sleep apnea, or night sweats. Consider eating healthier or losing weight to get rid of night sweats.
Chat with A Doctor
If you find that your night sweats are associated with other health changes, it affects your daily life, messes with your sleep, is persistent or frequent, consider talking with your doctor. Meeting with a doctor is an essential step to take because they can order tests and get to the cause of your night sweats issue. If there is no problem, you know that it can be solved by using one of the above-described methods to help make you sleep a little easier.