Night Sweats and Ways to Lessen the Effects

There are several causes of night sweats, which include hot flashes that are caused by hormone vacillation during perimenopause or menopause, infections such as tuberculosis, inflammation of the heart valves, inflammation of the bones, appendicitis, tonsillitis, diverticulitis or immunodeficiency virus (HIV). These are serious health issues and possibly some may require drugs and medication that will have side effects like night sweats.

Causes

A person’s age and health will affect their likelihood of experiencing night sweats. Menopausal women will often experience nightly hot flashes accompanied by night sweating. A low blood sugar condition called hypoglycemia also causes this malady the same as it causes perspiration while a woman is awake. Women who have type one or type two diabetes often have hypoglycemia while they sleep. Another malady, which is known medically as ‘sleep hyperhidrosis,’ can often obstruct a woman’s sleep and rest, which can have an effect on different aspects of her daily life. In such instances, the nightclothes and sheets may become drenched. Thyroid problems and specific kinds of cancer can also cause night sweats.

Some medications will list sweating as a side effect on their warning labels. Antidepressant drugs, blood pressure medication, and some vitamin supplements can cause sweating. Medicines used to reduce fever such as aspirin and acetaminophen can sometimes also lead to night sweats. Other types of drugs can cause flushing which is different.

Treatment solutions

Some factors can cause this nocturnal sweating or cause them to be more frequent. If these triggers can be avoided, it may help lessen both these occurrences and hot flashes: excess bedding, the closeness of partner, hot room, warm weather, stress, anxiety, dreams, hot or spicy foods, alcohol or caffeine, diet pills, smoking, and drug use. Avoiding these triggers is an extremely important step toward treatment. Lifestyle changes are advised, such as getting tryptophan, an amino acid that helps aid in sleep and can be found in dairy products, nuts, and eggs, which should all add to a good night's sleep.

Drinking plenty of clean purified water can also help improve overall health and improve bed rest. Water is essential to all body processes and it helps people’s systems flush and excrete many toxins that can make them sick. It can also alleviate many symptoms and ailments to aid in recovery from illness. Contaminated water however can make health problems even worse as many chemicals and metals in water are toxic.

Alternative medical treatments are now available to safely and successfully adjust hormonal balances with very little, or no risk. It is advised that women with severe sweating problems at night try the lifestyle changes first, and if that does not work, then possibly resort to alternative medicine.