8 Possible Reasons for Night Sweats
Night sweats can stem from a number of conditions and situations, so determining the cause of your condition may require patience. However, locating the source of your night sweats is essential in ending them and getting your sleep back on track. By teaming up with your doctor and observing your own habits a bit more carefully, you can determine the cause of your night sweats, attempt to resolve it, and eventually find some solutions that will give you relief from this uncomfortable condition.
Read on to learn more about what causes male and female night sweats and a few tips for dealing with them effectively.
Symptoms of Night Sweats
First, it's important to understand what actually constitutes "night sweats". Having night sweats doesn't just mean that you become warm in bed when you're under the covers or feel slightly sweaty when you wake up - this has happened to just about everyone at one time or another. Night sweats typically occur in the middle of the night, which leaves the person affected completely soaked in sweat, overheated, and understandably, very uncomfortable. Sleepwear and sheets can both be drenched in sweat, which tends to wake up the person trying to sleep.
Night sweats can happen on their own, but they are often accompanied by hot flashes and extreme overheating. If you notice that you start to feel incredibly hot in bed, no matter how light your sheets and blankets may be, you could be experiencing these types of temperature control issues. If you're unsure if what you're experiencing are night sweats, you may want to check with your doctor.
Causes of Night Sweats
There are a number of reasons that night sweats occur, including (but not limited to):
- Certain medications (such as antidepressants, hormone therapy or hypoglycemic agents)
- Anxiety
- Menopause
- Sleep disorders (such as obstructive sleep apnea)
- Hyperthyroidism
- Certain infections (such as osteomyelitis and brucellosis)
- Serious medical conditions (such as stroke, leukemia, HIV and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma)
- Treatments for certain medical conditions (such as chemotherapy)
What causes male and female night sweats may also be due to a combination of these issues or something else entirely, so you'll always want to talk to a doctor before cutting something out of your lifestyle or attempting to treat your night sweats yourself.
Solutions for Night Sweats
While there is no steadfast cure for night sweats, there are several ways that men and women who suffer from night sweats can minimize their discomfort at night. Most of these solutions involve improving your nighttime routine, creating a tried-and-true sleep schedule and improving the quality of your bedding and sleepwear. While these solutions won't solve the cause of your night sweats, they will certainly make you feel more comfortable at night and minimize the actual feeling of sweating and overheating during the night.
Here are just a few of the most effective ways on how to stop night sweats.
- Cool the bedroom. Use an air conditioner, fans or open windows to keep your bedroom several degrees cooler at night. Studies show that all people can benefit from sleeping in a cool room that's a few degrees colder than you prefer during the day, so it's an obvious way to prevent night sweats. An hour or so before you go to bed, set the thermostat a few degrees lower or open a window near the bed.
- Choose light bedding. Sleeping under lightweight blankets can help alleviate night sweats. Even better, look for sheets, pillowcases and other bedding that are made with temperature-regulating technology to help keep you feeling cool and comfortable. Check out Cool-jams Sleep Products extensive selection of cooling bed sheets, cooling mattress toppers and even cooling pillows that are designed to prevent overheating and night sweats. If you want to maximize the effects of these products, you can even use them all together to wick away moisture and regulate your body's temperature.
- Wear moisture-wicking sleepwear. Soaking wet pajamas are never comfortable, so make sure you choose sleepwear made from fabrics that wick moisture away from the body. Cool-jams also offers a wide selection of moisture-wicking sleepwear for both men and women made of our lightweight moisture wicking smart fabric that is designed especially to combat night sweats. From lightweight nightgowns for the summer to full-length pajama sets for the winter.
- Talk to your doctor. Like with any ailment, you'll want to make sure you see a doctor if you've been experiencing regular night sweats .For many people, night sweats are accompanied by other symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss or fevers, which can be cause for concern. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms to see if you can locate the specific cause of your nighttime issues.