Night Sweats: Understanding What Causes You to Sweat While You Sleep

Night sweats affect a variety of people, regardless of age or gender. As a result, the causes of night sweats are complex and varied. Find out more about night sweats and other kinds of sleep disorders with this Free Guide.

Often times, those who experience night sweats suffer from more than just moist pillowcases. In many cases, night sweats can be strong enough to require changing the sheets and even pajamas. After performing these tasks, those who suffer from night sweats are usually wide awake. This type of repeated disruption of normal sleep cycles is what makes experts consider night sweats a type of sleep disorder.

Explaining Night Sweats

Because the causes of night sweats are so varied, it can be hard to pinpoint the exact reason why someone may be suffering from night sweats. While the occurrence of night sweats can be the symptom of a more serious physical condition, it may also be the result of environmental factors, such as sleeping a room that's too hot. Here are some of the possible causes of night sweats:

Hyperhidrosis is a rare condition characterized by unexplainable excessive sweating while sleeping. While sweating from hyperhidrosis occurs regardless of temperature, it can increase during periods of greater stress and anxiety. Treatment may include medication, hypnosis or surgery.
Lymphoma, cancer of the lymphocytes, may produce night sweats as one of its possible symptoms.
Medications can react with the body's natural chemistry, occasionally causing night sweats. Anti-depressants and psychiatric drugs are generally the main medications that cause night sweats. Other drugs that have been associated with night sweats include Acetaminophen, birth control pills, Cortisone, Niacin, Nitroglycerin and Viagra.
Menopause can cause night sweats as the body reacts to hot flashes during the night. Other hormonal changes may also be the cause of night sweats in menopausal and pre-menopausal women.
Pressure and anxiety is one of the leading causes of night sweats, especially in men. When someone is going through a particularly stressful time, he may suffer from this sleep disorder.
Sleep environments that are too warm can cause night sweats. If a toasty sleeping environment is the culprit, you can easily prevent night sweats by removing a blanket or using a fan.
Tuberculosis causes inflammation that can trigger night sweats. However, this serious condition has a host of other symptoms besides night sweats.

Some sources list night sweats as a general symptom of a variety of illnesses, including diabetes and epilepsy. However, medicines for these afflictions, rather than the illness itself, are also likely causes for night sweats.

Curing Night Sweats

Solving the problem of night sweats is not simple, especially if the cause is a medication for a serious medical condition.

Some people find that cutting out caffeine helps diminish their night sweats. Other stress-relief practices like light exercise or meditation have also been cited to relieve night sweats.

If you try these simple solutions and still frequently experience night sweats, experts recommend scheduling an appointment with your general practitioner.

Resources

About.com. (2006). Night Sweats. Retrieved January 15, 2007, from the About.com Web site: http://sleepdisorders.about.com/cs/sweats/a/nightsweating.htm.

Conrad Stoppler, M. (2006). 8 Causes of Night Sweats. Retrieved January 15, 2007, from the MedicineNet Web site: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?
articlekey=57394.