Night sweats - Renew Wellness Clinic

Night sweats

Night sweats refer to severe hot flashes and extreme sweating that occurs during sleep. They are a common symptom of several medical conditions and diseases.

Some key points about night sweats:

• They cause you to wake up drenched in sweat, often to the point where your sleep clothes and bedding are soaked
• They most commonly affect women in perimenopause and menopause, as declining estrogen levels can trigger hot flashes at night
• However, night sweats aren't always due to menopause. They can also be caused by infections, hormone issues, medications, anxiety disorders, leukemia, and lymphoma, and more
• Frequent or severe night sweats may indicate an underlying medical issue, so it's important to talk to your doctor

What causes night sweats?

Some common causes include:

• Menopause - The hormonal changes of menopause and perimenopause often trigger night sweats
• Infections - Infections that cause fever, like tuberculosis, endocarditis, and HIV can lead to severe sweating at night
• Medications - Antidepressants, hormone therapies, and several other medications can cause sweating as a side effect
• Cancers - Lymphoma, leukemia, and other cancers have been associated with drenching night sweats
• Idiopathic hyperhidrosis - A disorder marked by unexplained excessive sweating
• Hypoglycemia - Low blood sugar levels at night may also cause sweating
• Anxiety disorders - Conditions like PTSD may cause night sweats

Managing night sweats:

If lifestyle and home remedies don't provide relief from disruptive night sweats, your doctor may investigate potential underlying causes. They may order blood tests or imaging if infections, hormone imbalance, or cancers are suspected. Treatment depends on the cause but may include:

• Hormone therapy medications
• Medications to reduce nerve activity and temperature regulation
• Antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications
• Antibiotics for infections causing fever and sweats

In summary, night sweats can have many causes. Talk to your doctor if lifestyle changes don't resolve frequent or severe nighttime sweating, so any underlying conditions can be properly diagnosed and managed.