how to stop night sweats

Last Updated: March 29, 2019 Your doctor may be able to recommend a specific diet that can help to reduce your night sweats. Night sweats are repeated episodes of extreme perspiration that may soak your nightclothes or bedding and are related to an underlying medical condition or illness. Hot flashes and night sweats can be some of the most uncomfortable changes you experience during menopause. Discuss: Night sweats: Why they happen and how to stop sweating at night, Why am I so tired? "Your blankets could be restricting you from cooling off by blocking out the cool air your fan or AC is bringing.". Night sweats are one of the main signs that someone with an overactive thyroid might notice.” And underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism could also cause night sweats in certain situations. Hot and spicy foods can exacerbate night sweats during menopause. When you stop taking HRT, the hot flashes may come back. Since we're talking about sweat, hyperhidrosis -- excessive sweating -- deserves a special call-out. Avoid warm beverages at night and reduce intake in the day time. Anxiety, sleep disorders, hormonal changes, perimenopause and certain diseases such as autoimmune disorders, pneumonia or tuberculosis[1] If this sounds familiar, try these tips to stop night […] Over time, night sweats often go away or lessen as you go through menopause. Stress-induced night sweats may be accompanied by scary or stressful dreams, rapid breathing, elevated heart rate and trouble falling asleep because of worries or anxiety. Night sweats are when you sweat so much that your night clothes and bedding are soaking wet, even though where you're sleeping is cool. Overconsumption of alcohol can cause night sweats in some women. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives. Your sheets, mattress pad, pillows and mattress itself may be causing you to sweat at night. When you sleep under covers, you create a "cave" for your body to sleep in, Youngblood says, and it's important to make sure that your cave stays cold with cooling blankets or airy materials. We have compiled the most common reasons for night sweats AND we will give you the solution. Try to avoid both a few hours before bed to encourage your core body temperature to lower, which will reduce sweating during sleep. If your night sweats are due to menopause or hormonal changes, your doctor may recommend lifestyle and diet changes. © 2020 CNET, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. One reason can be night sweats as a result of hormone treatment. Look into cooling or temperature-regulating sheets -- best-case scenario is you solve your night sweats; worst-case scenario is you get some nice new sheets. Mainly, if someone with hypothyroid begins taking thyroid medication and has trouble adjusting to the dose of higher thyroid hormone. Decrease Alcohol Intake. Silk can also be a good fabric for keeping your body cool while you sleep. Trustworthy Source Wake up sweating three hours later. This article was medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. % of people told us that this article helped them. These foods raise body temperature and may possibly make night sweats even more unbearable for women. Drinking alcohol before bed can cause you to sweat at night, because alcohol affects your nervous system functioning and your core body temperature. This way, sunlight will not stream right into the room and heat it up in the morning. Consistent good nights' sleep can change your life. For example, if gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is causing your night sweats, Dr. Ford’s advice is to avoid eating right before you go to bed and to raise the head of the bed. X This activates your body to naturally cool down. Use these tips for better sleep (and dry sheets). There are many possible reasons for night sweats. Wear loose, breathable clothing … If your night sweats are due to a disease or disorder, your doctor may recommend medication. How to Prevent and Manage Night Sweats. When your hormone levels fluctuate wildly or are just going through a period of change, you might sweat at night. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. If your room stays the same temperature all day, your body will become acquainted to the temperature and not lower in your sleep. 5 common reasons for poor sleep, 7 reasons you can't sleep through the night and how to fix them, How to tell if your mattress and pillows are ruining your sleep, Buying a new mattress: 7 questions to ask before you shop. It's real tough to get good sleep when you wake up drenched in sweat, however. Night sweats can be worrying and bothersome, and they frequently are tied to serious sleep disruptions. Apparently, some anti-depressants like sertraline and venlafaxine can cause night sweats. They happen on a regular basis and can seriously interfere with getting a good night’s rest, so it is good to know how to stop night sweats. However, around 3% of the population suffer from more serious night sweats. Women going through menopause. Go for something light, subtle and comforting. They are dreaded — striking without warning and won’t stop until they’ve gotten you out of bed. Sometimes diet and lifestyle can also cause night sweats. By using our site, you agree to our. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006. You should also draw the blinds in your bedroom so it is dark and cool. Consider reviewing or adjusting your medications with your doctor, if you believe they may be the cause or making your night sweats worse. Night sweats refer to any excess sweating that occurs during the night and are similar to hot flashes you get during the day. Hot and spicy foods can exacerbate night sweats during menopause. How to stop night sweats. Night sweats can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night with sheets and clothing that are soaked in sweat. In a person going through menopause, doctors consider night sweats to be a vasomotor symptom, because the … For men, low testosterone might contribute. Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). This might be the cause of your night sweats. 5 common reasons for poor sleep. Reduce alcohol and caffeine intake. What night sweats are. Likewise, many medical conditions can cause night sweats. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. During menopause, there are things women should avoid: Diet. If you eat a lot of hot sauce and notice that you’re sweating more at night, it might be time to hold back on the spices. X Begrudgingly get out of bed, peel off your damp pajamas and put a clean set of sheets on your bed. Here are some important steps you can take to get a handle on night sweats and general menopausal symptoms: 1. Some prescription medications may cause you to sweat at night. This will help your doctor determine the cause of the night sweats. Avoid eating spicy foods for dinner, which can raise the body temperature and cause night sweats 2. Hyperhidrosis Since we're talking about sweat, hyperhidrosis -- excessive sweating -- deserves a special call-out. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. She points to foam as a common culprit, noting that some foam mattresses can reflect heat back to you, causing you to sweat more. There is a reported 22% of people taking these medications that say they have night sweats. Other associated symptoms frequently include fever and unexplained weight loss. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. can cause night sweats as well as some medications like antidepressants, steroids and vasodilators. Night sweats generated by medical condition or infections can be recounted as “severe hot flashes happing at night that can saturate sleepwear and sheets, which are not connected to the environment. Waking up sweaty is not fun, to say the very least. The easy answer would be that your AC isn't set low enough, but people who sweat in their sleep no matter what the temperature is (hi, hello) know it's not that simple. You may occasionally awaken after having perspired excessively, particularly if you are sleeping under too many blankets or if … Dietary intake. Night sweats can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night with sheets and clothing that are soaked in sweat. Other causes of night sweats in men and women are cancers, infections, medications, low blood sugar, hormone disorders, and neurological conditions. Your body needs to work a little harder to digest the spicy food, causing your body to heat up. Discuss your night sweats with your doctor as well as any other symptoms you are experiencing. Make sure you are lowering the temperature in your room before bed. Night sweats can be an early symptom of some cancers especially lymphoma. You can also put cucumber slices in the water. How to prevent night sweats. Read more: Why am I so tired? "It is constantly giving off heat while you sleep, [and] there are some materials that actually increase your body temperature while you sleep." This article has been viewed 16,487 times. The Cleveland Clinic's Women's Health Center. Tara Youngblood, a sleep expert and founder of Chili Technology (appropriately, a manufacturer of temperature-controlled bed accessories), says that ending night sweats for good is about attacking the root cause. These foods raise body temperature and may possibly make night sweats even more unbearable for women. Night sweats and hot flashes vary from woman to woman, so if you are having them only once or twice a week or just once or if you are experiencing them every few hours, both of these, and everything in between, is perfectly normal. The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Read more: Best essential oil diffuser in 2020. They are often less heavy and hot than sheets made of flannel or synthetic fibers. There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. A common example? If you aren’t a big fan of drinking water, try putting sliced fruit like lemon or lime in the water. This article has been viewed 16,487 times. When you feel like you've tried everything -- from frigid AC temps and fans on full blast to "cooling sheets" and sleeping in the nude -- but nothing has worked, you may want to give up and accept daily sheet-changing as your destiny. Here’s a list of what you can do at home to prevent night sweats. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 16,487 times. Not only is it annoying, it can also rob you of good sleep, but it doesn't have to be that way. Sigh and think, "Not again." Some antidepressants cause night sweats in eight to 22% of patients, according to Medicine Net. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Menopause is known to be one of the most common causes of night sweats in people due to the hormonal changes. This symptom can be lessened or avoided … You can develop night sweats due to a stuffy, hot sleep environment or a poor before bed routine. With cancer, however, night sweats are not usually the only symptom. It is usually a result of being too warm in bed. Viral infections can also cause night sweats due to a fever. Treatment of night sweats often begins with lifestyle changes that can help to reduce the frequency and severity of night sweats. Avoid spicy/hot food. Read more: 7 reasons you can't sleep through the night and how to fix them. If you cannot find moisture wicking sleep clothing, get sleep clothing in light, breathable fabrics like cotton. Hot and spicy foods can definitely make night sweats happen. If you're lucky, it'll only happen once on any given night. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. References. This is because when you drink alcohol, the body needs time to properly metabolize it. Try cutting these types of foods out of your diet or only eating them earlier in the day so your body has time to digest them before you go to bed. The Sleep Disorders Guide also advises men to avoid acidic foods, like pickles, citrus fruits and tomatoes, and white sugar 1. I am 71 and started the menopause aged 47 but, ten years ago, I developed night sweats that cause me to wake each hour with sweat dripping off my nose and joints. If you cannot find moisture wicking bed sheets, go for sheets made of cotton or silk. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Night sweats can come about for a ton of reasons, really. Eating before bed and during the night is generally a bad idea for men suffering from night sweats; digestion raises body temperature, which can lead to night sweats 2. Subscribe to the How To newsletter, receive notifications and see related stories on CNET. The ideal temperature for a bedroom should be around 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 19 degrees Celsius). According to Mayo Clinic, that includes hyperthyroidism, anxiety disorders, autoimmune disorders, sleep apnea, drug addictions, neurological conditions and more. "The suggestions to adjust the food intake habits and taking in more water during the day helped most.". Most people have experienced sweating at night. From there, you can work with a health professional or try home remedies to eliminate the symptom. Anyone who's experienced night sweats knows the scenario: Fall asleep. How to Prevent and Manage Night Sweats. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006. Adults and children can get night sweats. "Your body is an engine," Youngblood says. Doctors think hot flashes and night sweats are a result of fluctuating or decreasing estrogen levels. Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals, Adjusting Your Sleep Environment and Routine, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/1d\/Prevent-Night-Sweats-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Prevent-Night-Sweats-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/1d\/Prevent-Night-Sweats-Step-1.jpg\/aid8756586-v4-728px-Prevent-Night-Sweats-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"