Night sweats refer to severe hot flashes and excessive sweating that happens during sleep. They can soak your bedding and clothes and cause discomfort.
Causes
- Menopause - Hormonal changes related to perimenopause and menopause are a common trigger as estrogen levels decline. This affects the body's temperature regulation.
- Medications - Antidepressants, hormone therapy drugs, and certain pain relievers can cause sweating at night.
- Infections - Fevers and infections like TB, endocarditis, AIDS can induce night sweats.
- Cancers - Leukemia, lymphoma and cancers like Hodgkin's disease are associated with severe night sweats.
- Hypoglycemia - Low blood sugar levels at night can also trigger excessive perspiration.
- Anxiety disorders - Conditions like panic attacks and PTSD involve intense stress that can stimulate sweating.
- Idiopathic hyperhidrosis - Some people have overactive sweat glands that cause excessive, unexplained night sweats.
Diagnosis and Treatment
See your doctor if you have repeated
bouts of severe, unexplained night sweats. They will review your medical history and medications and conduct exams and tests to determine an underlying cause.
Treatments depend on the diagnosed trigger. For menopausal women, hormone therapy can provide relief.
Medications may need adjusting.
Infections and cancer will require specific treatments. Lifestyle changes like avoiding spicy foods, alcohol, stress, and warm rooms at night can help in some cases.
If your night sweats remain undiagnosed or keep recurring, I recommend getting a
hormone panel test at
Endocrine Wellness Center. Their experts can provide customized
bioidentical hormone therapy to regulate hormones and relieve uncomfortable hot flashes and night sweats. This safe, effective treatment improves sleep and quality of life.