Is It Normal To Sweat While Sleeping?
Taking certain medications can increase our heart rate and cause the blood vessels in the skin to dilate. Therefore, we sweat more.
Sweating is a natural heat regulating mechanism in the body. It usually activates when the weather is hot, or when we are doing physical activity. Night sweating is more painful.
Indeed, if we expect to sweat after going through the doors of the gym, we do not expect to sweat at night, which can be embarrassing, and worrying.
The origins of night sweating are many and varied. Learning more about the symptoms and causes will help you better understand this bodily phenomenon. So, is it normal to sweat while sleeping?
Why do I sweat while sleeping?
No one likes to wake up sweating in the middle of the night. To better understand the causes of night sweats, it is important to take into account certain variables. The very first is the ambient temperature and general sleeping comfort.
Heat is not the only factor that can cause night sweats. Humidity can also play a significant role, as can thick blankets or pajamas. Likewise, general discomfort due to a bad mattress or a noisy environment can cause it.
The second thing to take into account is your general health. Have you changed your diet? Are you feeling tired? One of the symptoms of the flu is fever, which is a perfectly normal response to infection.
Sweating while sleeping can be caused by a fever, which is a sign of a cold or the flu. However, after one or two nights, night sweating indicates that it is possibly a more serious problem.
What can be the factors of night sweating?
One of the most common factors of night sweating are hot flashes associated with menopause, which are the result of hormonal changes in the body.
A sudden drop in estrogen production leads to disruption of the hypothalamus. This raises the temperature of the skin from 0 to 6 degrees almost immediately [source: Breastcancer.org].
However, men are not immune from this problem. Those who suffer from testosterone deficiency may observe similar effects.
Most men refuse to admit that they experience hot flashes, but the lack of androgen can cause sweating during the night [source: Harvard Medical University].
What are the other causes of night sweating?
Most medications prescribed increase the heart rate and dilate the blood vessels in the skin, resulting in excessive sweating. Antipyretics or medicines to lower fever are the most common.
Many people take aspirin, for example, when they experience flu symptoms. Although these drugs are effective in reducing fever, they can cause night sweats.
Antidepressants can also be the cause of night sweating [source: American Academy of Family Physicians].
Infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis or AIDS, are also known to cause night sweats. Persistent fever, accompanied by sweating during sleep, is very common in people with HIV.
Likewise, Hodgkin’s disease is another infectious disease, which can cause fever and night sweats in victims.
Alcohol consumption in the evening can also be responsible for sweating at night. It is true that a glass of wine before going to bed can help you get to sleep.
But several studies have shown that alcohol-induced sleep is less restorative. In addition, people who drink before bed are more likely to suffer from headaches and nighttime sweating [source: American Academy of Family Physicians].
Spicy food can be another factor behind night sweats. Digestion of spicy foods can help raise the temperature of the skin. The same goes for caffeine. [source: Emedecine].
Finally, some people suffer from a condition called hyperhidrosis. It causes frequent and excessive sweating whether it is day or night. If you think you have it, you must make an appointment with your doctor to discuss it with him [source: Mayo Clinic].
Natural solutions for night sweats
The first and most obvious is to take a thermometer. Most doctors recommend that the room temperature be between 18 and 22 degrees for a good sleep. But you need to check what works best for you, because everyone is different.
So, if your partner sleeps better when it’s slightly warmer or colder, try layering several thin layers of blankets [source: WebMD].
Also, try to eliminate anything that can cause you stress or anxiety. Nervousness and anxiety are common factors in excessive sweating, whether it is day or night.
For example, if you have a job interview, you are likely to sweat a little more than usual. However, if night sweats persist, consider seeing your doctor.
Foods and natural recipes against night sweating:
Men who suffer from night sweats associated with andropause (male menopause) can drink black cohosh tea, or black cohosh supplements.
The black cohosh is a plant that is found in most areas of North America. It is a medicinal plant. It is used to cure various disorders.
Similarly, the e red clover is an herb that helps relieve the intensity of hot flashes and night sweats [source:. Pray]
Both men and women take herbal remedies. The best known are sage tea, or motherwort to reduce night sweats.
Sage tea is used for relaxation, and often, to help regulate stress. Motherwort, on the other hand, is an herb from the mint family that helps calm nerves and facilitate blood circulation.
