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EspañolWhat causes night sweats? Related conditions and treatments
Overview of night sweats
It’s normal to sweat at night if it’s too hot. But what if the room is cool? Sweating during sleep when there is no environmental reason for it is called sleep hyperhidrosis, or just plain night sweats. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, either something is going wrong with the body’s internal thermostat or there are other problems with either the nervous system or the sweat glands. Some night sweats involve only a little sweat, barely enough to register. Other people can wake up soaked in sweat and their bedclothes drenched.
Night sweats can be occasional—once or twice a month at most. Or they can happen every night. The good news is that night sweats, though aggravating, are in most cases not usually caused by dire or health-threatening problems. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be brought to the attention of a healthcare professional. Sometimes night sweats can be a sign of a serious underlying illness, especially if there are other symptoms like fever or weight loss.
Key takeaways:
Night sweats are a common symptom that is usually caused by perimenopause or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) but may also be caused by a variety of infections, hormone disorders, mental health disorders, nervous system disorders, autoimmune conditions, blood disorders, and other medical conditions.
Typically, night sweats do not require immediate medical attention unless accompanied by other severe symptoms.
Night sweats generally do not require treatment unless they are severe, happen nightly, or are accompanied by other symptoms. Night sweats may resolve with or without treatment, but it will depend on the cause.
Treatments of night sweats vary by cause. Read more about treatments for perimenopause, GERD, and low testosterone.
Night sweats can be managed with sleep environment changes and lifestyle changes.
Use coupons for night sweats treatments, like glycopyrrolate, oxybutynin, and Drysol (aluminum chloride hexahydrate), to save up to 80%.
What causes night sweats?
Night sweats can be caused by a wide variety of unrelated medical problems. However, most cases of night sweats are due to an overly hot sleep environment, menopause, or acid reflux. Most other cases are due to medical conditions that have other symptoms besides night sweats. Very rarely are night sweats going to be the only symptom of a serious medical condition.
Common causes of night sweats
The most common causes of night sweats are:
Menopause
GERD
Pregnancy
Infections that cause fever
Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
Nighttime low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in people with diabetes
Obesity
Sleep disorders including obstructive sleep apnea and night terrors
Adrenal gland cancer (pheochromocytoma)
Damage to the spinal cord or autonomic nervous system (autonomic neuropathy)
Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating for no discernible reason)
Mental health problems: depression, anxiety, panic disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Certain medications
Infections that cause night sweats
Any infection that causes fever can cause night sweats, but there will be other symptoms, as well. Infections most likely to cause nighttime sweats include:
Endocarditis (bacterial infections of the heart valves)
Osteomyelitis (bone infections)
Medications that cause night sweats
The most common medications that cause night sweats include:
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Drugs that reduce fever such as acetaminophen or aspirin
Hormone-blocking breast cancer drugs
Drugs that block the production of testosterone (antiandrogens)
Drugs that block all sex hormone production
Cancers that cause night sweats
Some cancers are associated with night sweats including lymphoma and leukemia. In most cases, there will be other symptoms like fatigue and weight loss. Cancers that sometimes cause fever, like kidney cancer, may also produce night sweats due to that fever.
Other medical conditions that cause night sweats
Some heart problems have been associated with night sweats, but these are relatively uncommon and have other symptoms. They include coronary artery spasms and swelling of coronary artery blood vessels.
Other problems such as restless legs syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lymph node problems, blood disorders, and spinal cyst have also been associated with night sweats.
Foods that cause night sweats
No specific foods have been proven to cause night sweats. However, acid reflux can produce night sweats, so any food that triggers acid reflux may be something to avoid before bedtime. Other than acid reflux, iron, and zinc supplements could cause hot flashes, sweating, and night sweats if way too many are taken.
Should I be worried about night sweats?
Are night sweats something to worry about? The short answer is “not really, but it depends.”
If night sweats are easily explainable by the sleep environment, then don’t worry. If they’re easily explainable by common medical conditions—menopause, acid reflux, or fever due to some common illness—then night sweats are not a big deal. However, do tell your primary care doctor about them at the next visit.
If you already are sweating too much during the day as well as having night sweats, then talk to a healthcare provider. It may be possible to fix the problem.
On the other hand, get medical help if any of the following are true:
You can’t explain why you’re sweating while asleep
The night sweats happen almost every night
You’re waking up soaked in sweat
There are other symptoms such as daytime tiredness, restless legs, fever, fatigue, weight loss, chest pain, high blood pressure, low blood sugar, easy bruising, or weak pulse
How is the cause of night sweats diagnosed?
Diagnosing night sweats can be fairly quick or take a bit of detective work. But it’s usually quick.
A primary care physician will start with a thorough medical history and a physical examination. In many cases, the cause can be quickly discovered through medical history, other symptoms, vital signs (especially body temperature), and signs noticed on a physical exam. Even if the problem is not due to menopause, PMS, or GERD, there will usually be other signs and symptoms that can specifically point to a diagnosis.
If there are any questions or there are red flags such as unexplained weight loss, fever, or swollen glands, the doctor will ask for blood tests that will check for infection, tumors, or thyroid function. If those don’t come up with an answer, a CT scan may be needed or other tests like a sleeping test or a biopsy depending on the doctor’s suspicions.
How long do night sweats last?
Night sweats follow their own schedule. If an infection is the problem, the night sweats could last until the infection ends or the fever breaks. People with acid reflux may get hit some nights and not others depending on their eating habits. For women going through menopause, night sweats are like hot flashes. They’re on their own schedule.
However, there are some conditions where night sweats could be an ongoing, night-by-night problem, such as people with spinal damage, daytime hyperhidrosis, or problems like restless legs or obstructive sleep apnea. Getting rid of the night sweats will depend on how well treatments for the underlying cause work.
How to stop night sweats
How to get rid of night sweats? Let’s briefly count the ways:
If night sweats are due to the sleep environment, all that’s needed is a few simple adjustments: cool down the room, get rid of a few blankets, and wear baggy clothes to bed.
If night sweats are due to menopause, hormone therapy does help reduce hot flashes and other vasomotor symptoms such as night sweats, but sometimes other drugs may be prescribed such as gabapentin, oxybutynin, and antidepressants such as Brisdelle (paroxetine)
If acid reflux is the problem, dietary changes may be the optimal solution
For other conditions, treatments will focus on fixing the underlying condition
For medication side effects, the best night sweats treatment is to stop the medication
For people with hyperhidrosis or no discernible cause for night sweats, a doctor may prescribe an anticholinergic, a type of drug that shuts down the nerves that tell sweat glands to sweat
Living with night sweats
People who experience night sweats can benefit from a few simple lifestyle changes and home remedies. They may not completely solve the problem, but they can help control the problem:
Go easy on the amount of bedding—its best to use lightweight blankets that can be removed in layers
Keep the temperature in the bedroom turned down at night
Consider using a fan to keep a steady stream of air passing over your bed
Wear baggy, light, and breathable clothing to bed
Have a glass or pitcher of cold water by the bed to sip from
Prepare a cold compress and keep it near you while sleeping
Take a cold shower before bed to cool down
If you have acid reflux, avoid eating before bedtime
You should also avoid foods like fatty or spicy foods that roil up stomach acid in the hours before going to bed
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes before bedtime
Don’t exercise before going to bed
Manage stress anxiety by practicing relaxation techniques, mindfulness, and meditation
Lose excess weight and keep it off
Most importantly, don’t sweat it
It’s not fun to wake up covered in sweat, but it’s not a mortal threat, either. However, just because night sweats aren’t cause for panic, that’s no reason to not get help. At the very least, make sure your primary care healthcare provider knows that you have night sweats, how often, and how badly. The doctor can provide some good solutions. More importantly, the doctor may find the sweats are due to an underlying problem like anxiety, panic, overactive thyroid, or other disorder that is probably affecting other aspects of life. These problems can be fixed, and you’ll be better off when they are.
FAQs about the causes of night sweats
What cancers cause night sweats?
Some cancers have been associated with night sweats. In particular, cancers that affect hormone levels frequently have night sweats as a symptom including adrenal gland cancer and hormone-producing carcinoids. Both leukemia and lymphoma can cause fevers, even high fevers, so night sweats are also a symptom.
What hormone causes night sweats?
When some hormones get out of whack, the body can start having problems regulating body temperature. Too much thyroid hormone or adrenal gland hormone (cortisol) can drive up body temperature and cause hot flashes, sweating, and night sweats. Sex hormones also disrupt thermoregulation. Too much estrogen? Hot flashes, sweating, night sweats. Not enough testosterone? Same thing.
What causes night sweats in seniors?
Seniors can experience night sweats for many of the same reasons as younger adults. However, the most common cause of night sweats is menopause, but this will no longer affect seniors. People older than 65 may be more likely to have night sweats due to GERD, hormone disorders, low testosterone, and medication side effects than younger adults.
What causes occasional night sweats?
The most common causes of occasional night sweats are environmental causes like the room being too hot, bedding too thick, or nightwear too heavy or constraining. People with GERD may experience the occasional night sweat. Any infection that causes fever could also cause one or two nights of fever or sweating.
What’s next? Additional resources for people with night sweats
Test and diagnostics
Persistent night sweats: diagnostic evaluation, American Family Physician
What’s the best diagnostic evaluation of night sweats?, Family Physicians Inquiry Network
Treatments
Oral medications, International Hyperhidrosis Society
Scientific studies and clinical trials
Night sweats: a systematic review of the literature, Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
More information on related health conditions
GERD treatments and medications, SingleCare
How I identified—and live with—premenstrual dysphoric disorder, SingleCare
Hyperhidrosis treatments and medications, SingleCare
Low testosterone treatments and medications, SingleCare
Night terrors, Sleep Foundation