Our body is influenced by a large number of factors that many times we do not take into account, but which, among other things, cause body temperature to increase or it is regulation to be altered. Among these, we can point out that the climate, what we eat, exercise habits, sleep habits, and eating essentially determine our physiology. Thyroid problems and even menopause can promote nighttime hot flashes.
In this FastlyHealarticle, you will be able to find everything you need to know to answer the question: ” Why does my body get very hot at night? “
Table of Contents
Life habits
All people are different, and you can see how some suffer from the cold and others from the heat, who always have their hands cold or those who have them very warm. This is so because your constitution defines these characteristics to some extent.
That is why it is essential to know yourself and your body trends. This will allow you to take some measures to feel better. This is where your habits matter. The things you do, how you do them, what you eat, how you eat, how you go through situations of anger or stress, among many other issues, directly influence a more outstanding production of heat in your body.
I suggest that you take into account some of the following recommendations, as this will not contribute to the increase in your body temperature:
Avoid exposing yourself to the sun during the day.
Exposure to the sun is considered beneficial to generate vitamin D and, thus, increase your defenses and improve your bones. Still, it would help if you also thought about how you do it and your body constitution.
If you are one of the people who tend to have their hands and feet relatively warm and who are a little (or a lot) overwhelmed by the heat, make sure that your daily sun exposure is:
- With a hat, avoid an excessive temperature in your head.
- In the early morning or late afternoon.
- Only about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Never after eating as you disturb your digestion.
Avoid exposing your head to heat.
- When you wash your face and head, use water a little colder than the rest of your body.
- Avoid using hair dryers.
Food
Certain foods cause an increase in metabolic rate and body temperature, so it would be better to avoid them or at least not be part of your daily diet, even less if you feel hot at night. Such is the case of:
- Fermented foods (sauerkraut, kimchi, beer, red wine, kefir, pickles, bread).
- Meats (red and white, especially beef, chicken, and fish).
- Processed products (with colorants, preservatives, vegetable oils).
- Spicy
- Very acidic foods.
- Vegetables such as beets or radish.
- Fruits such as tomato, plum, mango, papaya, pineapple.
Watch how you eat
The moment of the meal should be understood as a moment of peace, in which all our attention should be placed on the flavors, the texture of the food, the chewing, and the feeling of satiety.
If you eat in a hurry, go through stressful or angry situations, or eat with someone you do not want to, you can have poor digestion and suffer an increase in body temperature.
This can manifest itself during the day but also at night. It can give rise to common problems such as heartburn or reflux skin rashes. That is why I advise you to take this moment as one of the most important of your day. Nourishing yourself well will have a direct impact on your entire body.
Warm weather
Those who regularly endure high temperatures may not notice changes in their bodies because their thermoregulation is adapted to those temperatures. But what happens when you travel to a hotter place? In these cases, your “temperature clock” does not identify such high figures as expected, and it is likely that:
- You sweat more.
- At night you give off much more heat than usual.
- Notice that you have palpitations.
What to do?
It is essential that before making a trip, you ask or look for information about the usual temperatures of that place. In this way, you can choose appropriate clothing or even some objects that can help you better cope with the weather (fan, hat, sprinklers, etc.).
The clothes in warmer environments should preferably:
- Made of lightweight, non-synthetic fabrics.
- Loose. Tight clothing will not let you sweat what your body needs.
- Clear, as it reflects light rays.
Likewise, the bedding should be adapted to these needs. Keep in mind that overly synthetic pillows and mattresses, as well as sheets and bedspreads, can make you very hot at night.
Thyroid problems
The thyroid secretes hormones that are very important to the functioning of your entire body. In case thyroid hormone secretion increases, the metabolic rate and heat in your body will also increase.
Other symptoms that you may experience are:
- Weightloss.
- More hunger than usual.
- Hair loss.
- Palpitations
- Diarrhea.
- Irritability.
What to do?
You can inquire to see if it corresponds to your painting. A professional will ask you questions, examine you and request analysis.
If the thyroid is over-functioning, the cause should be sought. It may be a small nodule or an immune problem. Depending on the diagnosis, they may prescribe medication or even surgery.
From the point of view of Ayurveda, it is a heat imbalance, so the change of habits that I proposed in the first section can help you a lot. On the other hand, including ghee in your diet will also bring you great benefits, as it helps improve digestion metabolism and will naturally reduce the heat in your body.
Stress
It seems fashionable to say that everything is due to stress, but the rhythm of life that we choose and consider as usual is far from our natural needs.
The high levels of adrenaline and corticosteroids that our body usually suffers from anxiety or stress translate into a myriad of physical and psychological symptoms, among which is also sleeping poorly and being very hot at night.
What to do?
If you are already noticing the effects of stress on your body, perhaps it is time to rethink certain things: do you live for yourself or others? Do you hold grudges? Has your work become the only important thing? Finding the root cause of what happens to you, identifying it, and accepting it is key to feeling better.
Menopause
Not all women feel the hot flashes associated with this stage of life since habits have a lot to do with how we go through this particular moment of female energy.
Startles, stress, compliance with demands, excessive worry, and daily habits are some of the reasons why some women may experience more heat than others. Other associated risk factors can be smoking and being overweight.
These nighttime hot flashes can be bothersome, significantly if they cut off your sleep.
What to do?
Reviewing the habits that I suggested in the first section usually brings significant changes: how you expose yourself to heat, what you eat and how you do it, accepting this moment, managing anger and stress can be excellent tools.
It has been proven that quieting the mind, for example, through techniques such as mindfulness, is very rewarding and, above all, effective against menopausal hot flashes.
How to remove the heat at night
As I have told you, if you review your habits one by one and manage to identify in your life what causes you concern, stress, disagreement, over-demand, etc., you will be focusing on performing deep and complete healing. Not only will you reduce body heat at night, but you will be able to experience true well-being. This requires significant effort, and we often face things that we do not want. It’s a great challenge, but one that will bring you a lot.
As for the momentary measures you can take to reduce nighttime heat, there are:
- Dine early and light.
- Avoid alcohol and foods that generate heat, especially at night.
- Go to bed in light and fresh clothes.
- Check what material your mattress, pillow, and bedding are made of.
- Have water on the bedside table: you can drink it the moment you suffer from the hot flash and even spray a little on your body.
- Incorporate ghee or clarified butter into your diet.
- Incorporate more fresh fruits (preferably apple, pomegranate, grapes, peach, banana, coconut) but not at night.
- Moderately practice physical exercise and not at night.
- Find techniques to manage anger or frustration.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Why does my body heat up a lot at night, we recommend that you enter our Well-being category.
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.