Sweating While Sleeping

Night sweats, as the name would suggest, refers to excessive sweating at night. Sweating is a normal condition but only when it is light sweating at night. Although night sweats are commonly associated with hot flashes during menopause, it is to be mentioned that it is a condition that affects both men and women, and is caused by so many conditions and not menopause alone.

Things such as sleeping in extremely hot conditions or in a hot bedroom can not only trigger night sweating, it can also lead to a more serious medical condition such as anxiety or stress. Neurological conditions and medication side effects can all lead to sweating at night.

Night sweating can vary a great deal from light sweats on the pajamas to soaking your bed sheets and blankets. At times the amount of the sweating is so intense that it can even wake you up in the middle of the night so as to move to a drier part of the bed, or even change your bedding. If you realize that the sweating is triggered by the hot environment, you should put on light pajamas and change into light blankets. You can also opt to have an open airflow in your bedroom to prevent future occurrences of the same.

If you however notice that the conditions are bearable but you still experience episodes of heavy sweating, you should check with your doctor because there could be an underlying medical condition. Various medical conditions can trigger night sweats. The most common one is anxiety and stress. As previously mentioned, night sweats in women is mostly attributed to menopause, as hot flashes at night are one of the major menopausal symptoms.

Various fungal infections can also lead to chronic sweating. A good example is Histoplasmosis, a condition that mostly affects the southeastern, mid-Atlantic and central US. The other possibility is a collection of pus as a result of an underlying infection in the spleen or liver. Such a condition can trigger an abscess and lead to excessive sweating and fever. It is however to be mentioned that if it is the infection that is responsible for your illness, eventually you will start experiencing other symptoms that will help rule out the sweating and point you to the right direction of the right diagnosis.

Night sweats can be a side effect or a byproduct of a combination of medications, or the use of certain medications. If you have ever had incidences of excessive sweating when working during the day, the odds of experiencing excessive night sweats are quite high. Hormonal imbalances and infections in the body can also lead to this uncomfortable medical condition. Diseases that trigger sweating at night are normally chronic, such as Tuberculosis.

Night sweats are very uncomfortable and can lead to self-esteem issues. If you suffer from extended periods of sweating, it is always advisable you visit a professional medical doctor as it could be a symptom of a major underlying medical problem.