Throughout the summer, many of us have been struggling to sleep during the hot weather and rolling heatwaves.
With the heat comes the night sweats, and the trick to stopping it isn’t as simple as opening a window or sleeping with no covers.
There are actually multiple factors at play that can cause sweating at night, from genetic reasons to health ones.
Surprisingly, the temperature outside is not a leading factor in why so many suffer from night sweating.
As ever, a healthy lifestyle and plenty of exercise is always the first thing people should look at if they are suffering.
However, it can be far more complicated than that for others.
Here is a list of some of the main causes of night sweats.
Why do I sweat in the night?
Anxiety
One of the most common causes of night sweats is anxiety.
This can even cause panic attacks at night with sweating being a side effect.
If you live with anxiety, you should seek help from your doctor as there are plenty of treatments that can tackle it.
Hormones
People who regularly sweat in the night may also have hot flushes, also known as hot flashes.
Women report having far less quality sleep during the night when they are going through the menopause.
Perimenopause is the ‘change’ before menstruation ends and can lead to sweating at night and much more agitated sleep.
Alcohol
Many of us who've been drinking the night before may report an uneven and broken sleep pattern.
As alcohol is a muscle relaxant, it can directly lead to more sweating at night – it can even lead to snoring.
Alcohol dependency has also been linked to night sweats, as booze can spark fluctuations in blood pressure and heart rate, which in turn raises the body temperature.
Infections
If you believe you are suffering from an infection that is causing night sweats, it is essential you see a doctor as soon as possible.
Some infections that have been linked to increased sweating at night are HIV, tuberculosis and bacterial infections.
Symptoms may include a fever, chills, aches, fatigue, diarrhoea and vomiting.
Sleep apnea
This is one of the more serious causes of night sweats.
Sleep apnea is when your breathing stops and starts while you sleep.
It can lead to less sleep, fatigue, trouble concentrating and loud snoring.
It is a very dangerous condition as it can lead to heart problems like irregular heartbeat, heart failure and coronary heart disease if left untreated.
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Autoimmune disorders
People suffering from autoimmune disorders widely report disturbed or agitated sleep.
This is because your immune system mistakes a normal functioning part of the body for a dangerous pathogen.
Night sweats ca be a side effect of this but fevers are also very common.
Certain cancers
Hodgkin’s lymphoma is the most common cancer that causes night sweats.
It can be particularly bad, as suffers report waking up drenched in sweat.
Other symptoms include painless swelling in the lymph nodes, persistent fever, weight loss and itching across the body.
What is the treatment for night sweats?
Sadly, there isn’t a catch-all treatment.
However, if you think your medicine is the cause, speak to your doctor about changing meds.
The NHS recommends people should go see their doctor if they are suffering from night sweats.
Your GP may not be able to prescribe something but they should be able to identify the root cause of the condition.
If you are feeling ill, have shakes or chills it's important to get yourself checked out.
For women, hot flushes and changes in mood with the night sweats could also be a sign of the menopause.
You should only go see your GP if this is a regular occurrence, as a one-off night may simply be because of the temperature in your room being too hot.
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