Night Sweats

Individuals experiencing night sweats may find that their sheets or pajamas are soaked with water upon waking. Regulating the sleeping environment through various methods is the first step that can be taken to address this issue. In cases where night sweats occur due to an underlying medical condition, it is essential to consult healthcare providers for the identification of the underlying disorder and to consider appropriate treatment options. This condition, referred to as sleep hyperhidrosis, usually arises from manageable diseases, but it can also occur as a sign of life-threatening conditions, making it beneficial to be informed. You can follow the continuation of this article for more information on other topics related to night sweats.

What is Night Sweats?

Night sweats refer to the excessive sweating of the body while sleeping. Sweating is a natural cooling mechanism of the body and serves to prevent overheating. The hypothalamus, a structure in the brain, regulates body temperature through an area known as the thermoregulatory center. This center works with nearly 2 million sweat glands and helps maintain the body at the correct temperature. Sweat glands facilitate the removal of water and various substances from the skin through sweating. The evaporated water takes away some heat energy from the body, resulting in cooling.

Night sweats, which can be an uncomfortable condition, may be associated with various situations such as sleep disorders or depression. Menopause is another common cause of night sweats. Apart from these situations, night sweats can also occur as a side effect of various health problems or certain medications.

What are the Symptoms of Night Sweats?

Feeling damp or excessively hot at night can be described in various ways. Some individuals genuinely experience night sweats, while others may interpret normal situations like hot flashes as night sweats. There are various criteria to express sweating at night as a symptom of night sweats. The criteria that can be summarized to differentiate these situations are generally as follows:

• Night sweats involve excessive sweating at night that is enough to wet the bed linens and underwear.
• Hot flashes are sudden, intense sensations of heat. Hot flashes tend to begin in the chest, arms, or upper face and can occur at any time of the day.
• Facial flushing is the sudden increase in body temperature due to various reasons, manifesting as redness in the skin of the face.

When seeking healthcare for suspected night sweats, it is recommended to be aware of these distinctions and communicate them to healthcare professionals, as this can aid in the quicker identification of any underlying conditions.

What Causes Night Sweats?

Sweating at night during hot weather is considered a physiological condition. However, for some individuals, this situation may tend to recur not only in hot weather but frequently. Among those experiencing such conditions, women, particularly during menopause, may experience hot flashes and night sweats. Besides the menopause period, there are various disorders that can lead to complaints of night sweats. These disorders can be generally summarized as follows:

• Infectious diseases such as tuberculosis or HIV,
• Cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma,
• Anxiety disorders,
• Hyperthyroidism,
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

It should also be noted that treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy applied as part of treatment protocols in cancer patients can also be causes of night sweats. Additionally, men who have undergone orchiectomy due to prostate cancer may also experience night sweats.

In some cases, night sweats may arise as a side effect of medications used for various health problems. Particularly, the use of antidepressants, medications for hormone therapy, or drugs containing opioids can lead to complaints of night sweats.

In addition to these situations, excessive consumption of harmful habits such as caffeine during the day is also suggested to be avoided, as it can contribute to night sweats.

What Diseases Can Night Sweats Indicate?

If the complaints of recurrent night sweats persist despite organizing the sleep environment to be cool, there may be an underlying health problem, so caution should be exercised. It should be remembered that in night sweats arising from any health problem, there will typically be no reduction in sweating levels even with the use of lighter clothing and bed linens. Some of the various conditions that can cause complaints of night sweats can be summarized as follows:

• Infections,
• Obesity,
• Diabetes,
• Thyroid diseases,
• Inflammatory or autoimmune diseases,
• Sleep disorders,
• Anxiety,
• Idiopathic hyperhidrosis,
• Autonomic disorders,
• Tuberculosis,
• Cancers,
• HIV/AIDS,
• Diseases originating from the adrenal glands, such as pheochromocytoma,
• Pregnancy.

Additionally, it should be noted that some medications used for the treatment of these problems can also cause night sweats.

How Can Night Sweats Be Prevented?

The best approach to preventing night sweats is to identify the underlying condition causing them. In cases of night sweats due to sleep hygiene, lifestyle habits, or the sleep environment rather than an illness, there are various changes that can be made under the guidance and recommendation of your healthcare provider. Some of these practices are as follows:

• Creating a cool sleeping environment,
• Using pajamas and bed linens made from thin, breathable, natural materials,
• Ensuring proper ventilation and using air conditioning appropriately,
• Employing suitable relaxation techniques before sleep or after experiencing night sweats,
• Using clinically effective sweat-reducing products recommended by healthcare providers on appropriate body areas,
• Limiting caffeine and spicy food intake,
• Ceasing food consumption 2-3 hours before sleep,
• Engaging in regular exercise, provided it is not too close to bedtime,
• Maintaining a healthy body weight,
• Paying attention to the sugar and fat content in the diet,
• Receiving appropriate treatment for night sweats related to an underlying health problem.

How is Night Sweats Treated?

To treat night sweats, it is first necessary to determine what condition they stem from. If the underlying condition is related to menopause or the onset of menopause, lifestyle changes, such as lowering the ambient temperature, can be implemented. If these measures are insufficient, various hormonal treatment approaches may be considered.

In cases of night sweats caused by infectious diseases, the use of antibiotics, antivirals, or other relevant medications may be beneficial, depending on the infectious agent involved. For night sweats resulting from anxiety disorders, antidepressant medications or various anxiolytic agents may be prescribed. In cases of night sweats due to hyperthyroidism, thyroid medications, radioactive iodine treatment, or, when necessary, surgical intervention may be performed.

There are many conditions that can cause night sweats. Proper evaluation of the sleep environment is the fundamental step to address this problem. After this stage, individual lifestyle habits should be considered to assess which behaviors may lead to night sweats. If night sweats persist despite organizing the sleep environment and making lifestyle changes, it is advisable to consult healthcare professionals for support. Identifying the underlying cause and adopting an appropriate treatment approach can help make night sweats a non-issue for you. Wishing you healthy days ahead.