Night sweats can be caused by various factors, such as menopause or drinking alcohol. But if it is accompanied by other symptoms, it would be good to see a doctor.
This usually happens in summer, but also in winter if you sleep in a very warm room.
But if you sweat every night, regardless of the temperature in the bedroom, and the sweating is profuse, it may be a problem.
Night sweats are not always a sign of something serious, but if it is a problem for you, it is advisable to consult a doctor.
Why do we sweat?
Sweathing is like our body’s cooling system. As the sweat droplets evaporate from the body, the skin temperature decreases.
Sweat is also secreted in small amounts on the inside of the palms to prevent the skin from drying out and improve our finger grip.
Sweat is secreted from the sweat glands that we have all over the body, but mostly on the forehead, armpits, palms and the bottom of the feet.
For the most part, sweat contains water, but a certain percentage is also salt.
Sweating is normal in several situations, including:
- High temperatures, like in summer
- Physical activity
- Emotional stress
- Eating hot or very spicy foods
- Fever
What causes night sweats?
When it comes to profuse sweating during the night, unrelated to the temperature in the room, the cause can be several factors or health problems.
The most common causes of night sweats:
- Menopause
- Anxiety
- Medicines – some types of anti-depressants, steroids and pain medicines
- Low blood sugar
- Consumption of alcohol or drugs
There are also some diseases that cause night sweats, but in this case other symptoms related to the disease also appear.
This includes diseases such as:
- Hyperthyroidism
- Sleep disorders, such as apnea
- Tuberculosis
- HIV/AIDS
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Leukemia
- Autoimmune diseases
When to see a doctor?
If night sweats are not accompanied by other symptoms, you should not be worried, but it is still good to see a doctor.
With its help, you will discover the reason and get rid of this unpleasant phenomenon.
It would be a good idea to see a doctor if:
- Sweating happens every night
- You have insomnia due to sweating
- You notice other symptoms such as sudden weight loss, pain, cough, diarrhea…
- If you are a woman and the night sweats started several months after menopause symptoms stopped
