You might sweat at night. But, it is not something that should always bother you. The real worry should begin when you know what causes night sweats. It is very common for people to sweat at night due to hot weather conditions, wearing too many bedclothes or sleeping in the hot surrounding. Usually, excessive sweating at night that makes a person to drench his bed sheet and hot flushes are termed as true night sweats by the doctors.
But, continuous sweating at night even in moderate weather conditions can be dangerous. So, one must know what causes night sweats.
Why Night Sweats Happen
Night sweats that often lead to insomnia and sleepless nights can be due to emotional and physical complications.
Hormonal Issues- Men and women sweat excessively at night due to hormonal imbalance. For example, women at the stage of menopause face hot flushes and dryness. Further, lower level of testosterone, a hormone responsible for secondary sexual characteristics in men, also causes night sweats in the male gender. But, hormonal imbalance is one cause, which is not even common. People should keep in mind that excessive sweating at night can be a symptom of some chronic diseases.
What Medication Causes Night Sweats
The problem of night sweats can arise due to the specific medication. Anti-depressants or drugs used to cure psychological disorders can also make a body to sweat too much. Acetaminophen, aspirin and other such medicines used to lower the fever can also cause the night sweats.
Infections and Cancers
Surprisingly, diseases and cancers can also make a patient experience unusual sweating at night. Endocarditis, which is the inflammation of heart walls, swelling of the bones, tuberculosis and other bacterial infections are common causes of night sweats. The condition of sweating at night can also be a symptom of HIV. Hence, those who suffer from it, shouldn’t take it lightly.
Sweating during sleep can also be a symptom of cancer, particularly when a patient confronts other conditions like abnormal weight loss or fever. Further, lymphoma is cancer that causes the night sweats.
Other Causes of Night Sweats
Low blood sugar is another cause of night sweat. Hence diabetes patients who take insulin are likely to suffer from the condition. Hormonal imbalance leading to the hyperthyroidism is another cause of night sweats. Further neurological disorders like stroke, autonomic neuropathy, and carcinoid syndrome can also make a person to sweat at night.
Most of the times, answer to what causes night sweats lies in some neurological and psychological condition. Men and women who suffer this must consult their doctors. They can also avert the problem by adopting universal precautions that keep their mental and physical health in order.
