Treatment for night sweats
As the name suggest, night sweats affect people during the night and occur when people sweat excessively while they sleep (known as sleep hyperhidrosis). Sweating at night can be caused by environmental reasons, such as heating, a warm night or clothing, but true night sweats are almost like nocturnal hot flashes and will soak bedding without any influence from outside causes.
Causes of night sweats
There are many possible causes of night sweats, including:
- The menopause
- Taking certain medications
- Hyperhidrosis
- Hormonal changes during pregnancy
- Hormonal imbalance
- Diabetes
- Some forms of cancer
- Infections
Preventing night sweats
It may be impossible to prevent night sweats, but following the advice below may help:
- Sleep in an airy, well ventilated room
- Remove heavy covers and duvets
- Remove clothing when sleeping
- Sleep with a fan in the room
If night sweats are caused by an underlying health condition, it is not possible to prevent night sweats specifically, but treating the illness may help to ease symptoms. For this reason is it recommended that you visit your doctor when you have suddenly occurring night sweats, as they can be an indication of more serious conditions, such as cancer. Also, as cold, wet sheets are likely to wake you during the nights, visiting your doctor is a good idea again, as disruption to sleep can be detrimental to your overall health.
Medical treatments for night sweats
In many cases, medication is prescribed to treat the underlying cause, rather than the actual sweats, however, in cases that are associated with hormone imbalance, medication may be prescribed to improve hormone balance. This is generally the case if you are suffering from night sweats due to the menopause and estrogen therapy (ET) coupled with hormone therapy (HT), may be recommended to help alleviate excessive sweating at night and other related problems.