2023-10-26 10:38:47
Experts say there are many causes of night sweats. The picture shows a woman sweating while sleeping. (Shutterstock)
[The Epoch Times, October 26, 2023](Epoch Times reporter Chen Juncun reported) People usually sweat a little when sleeping at night. This is normal, but if the amount of sweating is a lot and happens often, it may be nighttime sweating. Night sweats. So why does this happen and how can it be improved?
The Mayo Clinic in the United States points out that night sweats refer to excessive sweating while sleeping at night, and the amount of sweat is enough to soak clothes and bedding. This is often caused by a specific symptom or disease.
Siobhan Banks, a professor at the University of South Australia, and Linda Grosser, a postdoctoral researcher, wrote on The Conversation website that sweating is a normal part of the body’s cooling system and helps dissipate heat and maintain body temperature. Optimal body temperature. But if you often sweat a lot while sleeping at night, that’s not normal.
Night sweats can occur for many reasons, some are harmless (such as a hot bedroom or exercise), while others are related to menopause, infection, illness, or medication.
The two scholars wrote that the hypothalamus in the brain is part of the endocrine system and the body’s temperature control center. It receives messages from temperature receptors located on the outside of organs or skin.
Thermoreceptors detect changes in body temperature and send signals back to the hypothalamus. These signals either dissipate heat through sweating or generate heat through shivering.
A man sweats while sleeping. (Shutterstock)
Hormones and night sweats
Banks and Grosser say that anyone, regardless of age or gender, can experience night sweats, but women experience them more often than men, mainly because of menopause and changes in hormonal levels.
About 80% of women experience hot flashes or night sweats during menopause (one year after menopause) and perimenopause.
Although hot flashes and night sweats can both cause the feeling of being overheated, they are different experiences. Hot flashes are brief periods of heat that occur during the day and may cause sweating. Night sweats, on the other hand, occur at night and cause prolonged sweating.
Hormones can also affect night sweats in men, especially those with low testosterone levels. About 38% of men aged 45 and older have hypotestosterone, but it can affect men of any age.
Effects of Infections, Diseases and Drugs
When the body is fighting infection or disease, body temperature typically rises, triggering sweating to cool and lower body temperature, the two academics said.
An infection as minor as a common cold or as severe as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can cause night sweats, but night sweats are rarely the only symptom.
Night sweats may also be caused by taking certain medications and drinking alcohol regularly (especially alcohol dependence).
Diagram of taking medicine. (Shutterstock)
Stress, snoring and strenuous exercise can also affect
Two scholars mentioned that psychological stress can trigger anxiety, and anxious people often report experiencing night sweats. Night sweats can also increase anxiety, triggering more sweating, which can lead to less sleep and renewed anxiety.
Night sweats are also associated with sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea. People with obstructive sleep apnea snore loudly because their airways are often blocked while sleeping. About one-third of people with obstructive sleep apnea often experience night sweats.
Night sweats can also be caused by strenuous exercise. This is because intense exercise stimulates the thyroid gland and increases the basal metabolic rate and body temperature within 14 hours of exercise. Therefore, even vigorous exercise in the morning may cause night sweats.
Advice on how to improve night sweats
There are a variety of health reasons and medications that can cause night sweats. Banks and Grosser conclude their article by providing tips on how to improve night sweats.
If night sweats occur frequently, are distressing, interfere with sleep, or are accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue or weight loss (not related to changes in lifestyle or diet), you should seek help from your doctor. They should be able to recommend alternative medications or further tests.
In the meantime, you can try the following suggestions:
●Sleep in a cool room and use an electric fan if necessary.
●Don’t wear too many clothes when sleeping. Wear breathable cotton or linen pajamas.
●Choose bedding that is lightweight and can be kicked away. Avoid bedding made from synthetic fibers and flannel.
●Consider a cooler mattress or pillow and avoid those that restrict airflow (such as foam).
●Avoid spicy food and drinks containing caffeine or alcohol before going to bed.
Editor in charge: Jasmine
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