Sweating is an ordinary and necessary reaction in our body; in this process, the blood vessels of the skin dilate, and our body uses it to balance body temperature . Although there are situations or activities in our daily life that make us sweat, night sweats are a disorder that researchers cannot assign to a specific cause but instead to a series of factors and medical conditions that could be causing this alteration. At FastlyHealwe explain the causes of night sweats.
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Why do we sweat at night?
The causes of night sweats can range from the most obvious to the most complicated. In some cases, it may be due to an imbalance in the ambient temperature or suffering from a disease. Night sweating goes beyond a simple alteration of body temperature, causing variations in sleep. In some cases, people must change their clothes in the middle of the night due to the amount of sweat.
Some of the causes of night sweats are:
- Room temperature: sleeping very warm can be the first cause of night sweats, sleeping with heaters, or even the fact that the environment is humid.
- Flu: sweating will be the natural reaction of our body when there is an infection, and its duration is for a short time.
- Food: Eating very spicy or spicy foods before going to sleep can make us sweat at night.
- Hormonal changes: generally associated with the symptoms of menopause due to the decrease in the production of estrogen, presenting hot flashes in the middle of the night.
- Psychic causes include nightmares, anxiety attacks, or sleep disorders.
- Sleep apnea
- Alcoholic beverages: their consumption before going to sleep causes sleep disturbances, as well as headaches and night sweats.
Other causes of night sweats
The following causes are for much more specific conditions and diseases; consult your doctor if you have any of the following conditions and have experienced night sweats :
- Infections: especially diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, or people with HIV.
- Hypoglycemia: it is proven that low blood sugar levels cause night sweats due to releasing hormones such as epinephrine or norepinephrine.
- Autoimmune diseases: such as lupus, Crohn’s disease, hyperthyroidism, or rheumatoid arthritis.
- Neurological disorders: multiple sclerosis, cerebral strokes, or epilepsies.
- Hyperthyroidism: one of the symptoms of excessive thyroid hormone production is sweating in the middle of the night.
- Medications: especially those prescribed to treat the heart rhythm, since they dilate the blood vessels in the skin, allowing sweating, in the same way as drugs to lower fever or antidepressants.
- Some cancers: such as leukemia and Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas.
- Idiopathic hyperhidrosis: this genetic alteration manifests itself during childhood or adolescence and is related to endocrine and metabolic changes in which excessive sweating occurs more frequently at night.
Precautionary measures
Although the causes that derive from specific diseases cannot be avoided until they are diagnosed and treated by a specialist, taking some measures regarding the external elements that cause them will help us reduce night sweats. Some of these are:
- Avoid being overweight
- Don’t eat large amounts of food before going to sleep
- Exercise daily
- Avoid cigarette
- Decrease the consumption of alcohol and other substances
- Keep your blood pressure in check
- Avoid eating too many spices or spicy food
- Ventilate the room before going to sleep
Treatment and other remedies for night sweats
Although the treatment for night sweats will depend on the type of pathology you present, some home remedies can help you improve other symptoms such as insomnia, hot flashes, or anxiety. Here are some options:
- Salvia: regulates body temperature, helping to reduce night sweats. You can take it as a tablet, sold by herbalists, or as an infusion, boiling the dried leaves.
- Infusion of red clover: this plant relieves hot flashes since it has isoflavones, which, when ingested, will become a hormone similar to estrogens. Boil three tablespoons of dried flowers in half a liter of water, and let it steep for 10 minutes. Strain and drink it twice a day.
- Peppermint: has properties that improve circulation and calm the nerves. Prepare an infusion with a teaspoon of dried leaves in a cup of water.
When to visit your doctor?
If you suffer from frequent night sweats, you should go to the doctor as soon as possible. As we have seen, this disorder can be generated by external elements that have an easy solution; however, if it is a specific disease, it should be diagnosed in time. Thus, you will avoid possible complications.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
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I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.