Treatments For Night Sweats
The most effective treatment for night sweats will vary for any individual patient and should always be overseen by a health professional. Some potential treatment methods include modifications to environment and behavior, cognitive behavioral therapy , and medication.
Changes to Your Environment and Lifestyle
A standard approach to night sweats, especially those related to menopause, is to start by trying straightforward changes that can minimize the frequency and severity of night sweats while improving overall health and sleep.
Many of these tips overlap with broader healthy sleep tips that can be gradually implemented to make your sleep-related habits work in your favor for more consistent and high-quality sleep.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of talk therapy that is commonly used for health problems like depression, anxiety, and insomnia. It is normally conducted in-person by a psychiatrist or counselor, but a number of self-directed programs have been developed.
CBT is based predominantly on reframing negative thoughts in order to promote healthier actions. CBT for insomnia has a strong track record of success, including in menopausal women.
Medications
If existing medications are causing night sweats, then changing the prescription, the dosage, or when the drug is taken may resolve night sweats. If the night sweats are caused by an underlying infection or hormone problem, medication may help address them.
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Anxiety Night Sweats And Insomnia
Unsurprisingly, excessive night time sweating is a major cause of insomnia. Not only are you stressed and anxious every waking moment, but as soon as you finally manage to drop off to sleep, you wake up soaked in clammy sweat, and if left untreated, night time sweating can soon lead to a serious case of insomnia.
How To Get Rid Of Anxiety Night Sweats
When anxiety night sweats are caused by apprehensive behavior and the accompanying stress response changes, calming yourself down will bring an end to the stress response and its changes. As your body recovers from the active stress response, this feeling should subside and you should return to your normal self. Keep in mind that it can take up to 20 minutes or more for the body to recover from a major stress response. But this is normal and shouldnt be a cause for concern.
When anxiety night sweats are caused by persistently elevated stress , it may take a lot more time for the body to recover and to the point where night sweats is eliminated.
Nevertheless, when the body has fully recovered, anxiety night sweats completely subside. Therefore, anxiety night sweats neednt be a cause for concern.
NOTE: Its also common for night sweats to be caused by the body fighting a cold, flu, or other intruder. As well, night sweats can be caused by perimenopause, menopause, the after effects of menopause, or by other hormonal problems.
Since there can be other medical and biological causes for night sweats, we recommend that you discuss this symptom with your doctor. If your doctor concludes that this symptom is solely stress related , you can be assured that there is nothing else causing it. Generally, most doctors can easily differentiate the difference between stress and anxiety caused sensations and symptoms from those caused by other medical and biological problems.
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The Medications Youre Taking
âSome medications can affect the parts of your brain that control your body temperature or your sweat glands,â explains Dr. Ram. âThis means these medications can also induce night sweats.â
The types of medications associated with night sweats include:
- Antidepressants
- Hypoglycemia medications
âTalk to your doctor if youâre experiencing night sweats as a result of a drug youâre taking for another health condition,â Dr. Ram advises. âIn some cases, your doctor may be able to prescribe an alternative version of the drug.â
Low Testosterone Levels In Men
Weve explored several causes of night sweats and hot flashes in women, now its time to talk about night sweats in men. While women go through menopause, the change in estrogen levels can cause night sweats. Men, on the other hand, dont normally experience dramatic drops in testosterone, but when low testosterone does occur, it can have a similar impact.
Doctors and scientists dont know why a drop in testosterone levels causes hot flashes and night sweats. There is speculation that the hypothalamus, the region of the brain responsible for regulating body temperature, is the guilty organ. When operating normally, the hypothalamus signals blood vessels to dilate when the body becomes overheated. The increased blood flow causes a mans face to become flushed. To deal with the elevated temperature, sweat glands are activated. Sweating is, of course, the bodys way of regulating its temperature.
Low-T may somehow cause the hypothalamus to jump the gun and cause unwelcome and profuse sweating during sleep by triggering the 2 to 4 million sweat glands in your body. Hormone replacement therapy may provide relief but can also increase the chance of prostate cancer. For men who have already been diagnosed with prostate cancer, hormone replacement therapy is not an option.
Low-T is not the only condition that can cause night sweats in men. If youre experiencing night sweats, be sure to see your doctor.
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Night Sweats: 7 Common Causes And How To Stop Sweating While Sleeping
Tired of waking up sweaty? Here’s how to get better sleep .
Getting good sleep can dramatically improve your mood, energy and productivity. But that’s hard to accomplish when you keep waking up in the middle of the night, soaked in sweat.
Anyone who’s experienced night sweats knows the scenario: Fall asleep. Wake up sweating three hours later. Sigh and think, “Not again.” Begrudgingly get out of bed, peel off your damp pajamas and put a clean set of sheets on your bed.
Not only is dealing with night sweats annoying, it can also rob you of good, restful sleep. However, there are ways to stay cool while you sleep. We’ll break down the main causes of those irritating night sweats and the best treatments to help you sleep better.
For people who sleep warm, sleeping on top of the covers is a nightly occurrence.
How To Stop Night Sweats And Get Better Sleep
Night sweats can be worrying and bothersome, and they frequently are tied to serious sleep disruptions. As a result, its natural for anyone dealing with night sweats to want to know how to avoid them and sleep more soundly.
Because there are multiple potential causes of night sweats, theres no single solution for stopping them. Several steps may be involved and can be tailored to fit a persons specific situation.
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How Your Diet Can Affect Symptoms Of Night Sweats
Eating a balanced diet and avoiding extremes in your nutrition is important in your overall health. It can help prevent the onset of some illnesses and help the treatment of certain medical conditions that result in night sweats as symptoms, Dr. Ford says.
There are some foods to avoid in general since they can only worsen some medical conditions. Some of these include processed foods, spicy foods, alcoholic beverages and caffeinated drinks. Cutting back on all of these in your diet can only help your overall health, Dr. Ford emphasizes.
Your Body’s Fighting Off An Infection Like Tuberculosis
“Infections in general are related with changes in temperature because they come with fevers that will break, and that is obviously a common reason to sweat,” Dr. Shah says.
One rare infection that’s commonly associated with night sweats: tuberculosis, which can infect any part of your body but is well-known for its effect on your lungs. People with an immunocompromised condition, like HIV, can develop tuberculosis more easily, Dr. Shah says. You might start sweating in your sleep before you even start coughing or realize something is wrong, Dr. Shah says, so see a doc stat if the symptoms persist.
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Shift The Temperature In Your Room
Make sure you are lowering the temperature in your room before bed. This activates your body to naturally cool down. If your room stays the same temperature all day, your body will become accustomed to the temperature and not lower in your sleep. If you’re unable to lower the temperature of your room, take a cool or cold shower.
What Causes Night Sweats In Women
While sweating might seem like a simple reaction to heat or exercise, it involves a complex system that is affected by many factors. Because of these factors, there is no single answer to explain what causes night sweats in women, since the cause differs from person to person. However, night sweats are often caused when a bodily process or underlying health condition impacts the thermoneutral zone.
The thermoneutral zone is the range of temperatures our body is comfortable with. Shivering is used to warm us up, and sweating is used to cool us down, so that we can stay within this range. While most people have a similar thermoneutral zone, it is a dynamic range that can be influenced by gender, health, and fitness. If your thermoneutral zone increases or narrows during sleep, this change can provoke night sweats.
If you are concerned about night sweats, or if they make sleeping difficult for you, your first step should be to speak with your doctor. Although not all night sweats are triggered by an underlying health condition, your doctor can help determine why you are sweating at night and if you require treatment.
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The Influence Of Hormonal Changes And Imbalances On Nighttime Sweating
Night sweats can occur in men, women, teens and children when a fluctuation in hormones occurs. It is particularly common amongst teenagers and adolescents transitioning into or through puberty as well as in women experiencing a fluctuation in estrogen or men experiencing a drop in testosterone. While these fluctuations might most commonly occur in specific periods of ones life â e.g. mid-life, perimenopause, menopause or adolescence â some can occur unexpectedly, at certain intervals or after particular events. For instance, surgeries that affect hormonal imbalance, stress events and different points throughout ones menstrual cycle might all spur night sweats.
Nighttime Sweating Before and After Periods
Night Sweats During Menopause
How To Stop Night Sweats
When you feel a hot flash starting, there are a few things you can do. First, adjust your clothes or sheets so that you don’t overheat. Your physical environment does affect how hot you become during sleep and so a cooler environment can reduce the extent of your night sweats as well as improving your quality of sleep.
Also, if your night sweats cause you so much distress that you cannot fall asleep while you’re suffering, don’t try to fall asleep. Instead, get up and walk around so that you’re more comfortable. Trying to sleep when you’re suffering from night sweat insomnia can cause further anxiety.
It’s better to get up, move around, and do things to help you relax rather than trying to force yourself to sleep. During this time, try to avoid activities that are going to expose you to bright lights or stimulate your mind, as this will make it harder for you to fall asleep. Instead, engage in a calming routine that takes place primarily in the dark. This will help your mind wind down for the night.
If your anxiety is caused by a thought or thoughts that you simply can’t shake, write the thoughts out in a journal. Writing thoughts on paper can help your mind to feel more comfortable about letting them go. This can help you to relax and get a better nights sleep without any anxiety-related night sweats.
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Your Body’s Going Through Hormonal Changes Like Those Related To Menopause
One of the most common causes of night sweats for women is fluctuating estrogen levels, Dr. Nandi says. “Menopause is associated with hot flashes, so it’s not uncommon for patients to report sweating even during their sleep,” Dr. Shah says. But again, these may occur at other times during the day as well.
If you’re pregnant or on your period, those hormone fluctuations could lead to night sweats, too. However, menopause tends to cause the most persistent sweats, and if it’s truly affecting your quality of life or sleep, Dr. Shah says it’s worth talking to your doctor about. “Sweating from menopause is unpredictable, but if you talk to your ob-gyn about hormone replacement therapy, it could help keep your temperatures under control.”
Cure Anxiety To Stop Night Sweats
When anxiety causes your night sweats, it can be challenging to stop this process in its tracks. As we have discussed today, this can affect your sleep and make the very anxiety thats causing your night sweats even worse. Its important, then, that you finds ways to manage your underlying anxiety.
Summary:
Anxietys activation of the fight or flight system causes rapid heartbeat and constriction of the blood vessels, which leads to excessive sweating. These hot flashes can also cause further anxiety and sleep issues. Getting up, walking around, and giving yourself some distractions can decrease how much night sweats affect you. A long-term anxiety reduction strategy is important for reducing the frequency of night sweats.
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When To Visit A Doctor
- Unexplained weight loss
- create a cool sleeping environment
- wear light, breathable pajamas and sheets made of natural fabrics
- sleep with air conditioning or fan on
- to prevent dehydration drink plenty of water
- practice relaxation techniques or breathing exercises before going to bed and after waking up with a night sweat
- use clinical strength antiperspirants on areas such as underarms, hands, feet, hairline, back, chest, or groin before bed
- limit the intake of alcohol, caffeine, and spicy foods
- do not eat 2 to 3 hours before bedtime
- exercise regularly, but not too close to bedtime
- maintain a healthy weight
- have a healthy diet low in fat and sugar
- get treatment for any underlying health problems
- avoid eating spicy foods, smoking cigarettes, or drinking alcohol just before bedtime, as these are the triggers.
- use a cold washcloth on your face before bed and at night