True night sweats are severe hot flashes occurring at night that can drench your clothes and sheets and that are not related to an overheated environment. It is important to note that flushing (a warmth and redness of the face or body) may be hard to distinguish from true night sweats.
Night sweats are repeated episodes of very heavy sweating during sleep, heavy enough to soak your nightclothes or bedding. They're often caused by an underlying condition or illness. Sometimes you may wake up after sweating heavily, particularly if you're sleeping under too many blankets or your bedroom is too warm.
Night sweats can be a manifestation of simple infection, underlying malignancy, more complex infections – including TB and HIV – connective tissue disorders, menopause or certain prescribed drugs.
While both hot flashes and night sweats induce a feeling of overheating, hot flashes occur during the day and may involve sweating, and night sweats occur during nighttime and involve an intense period of sweating.
That said, common causes identified in research about night sweats include menopause, medications, infections, and hormone problems.
Changing hormone levels during perimenopause and menopause likely cause your hypothalamus (the part of the brain that controls your body heat) to have trouble regulating your body temperature. Think of it as a glitch in your body's internal thermostat. You may feel sudden warmth or a flush in your face, neck and chest.
If your night sweats occur on a regular basis, interrupt your sleep, or are accompanied by a fever or other symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss, then you should schedule an appointment with your physician.
There are several common reasons for night sweats – from spicy foods to warm bedrooms – but excess sweating can be a sign of a medical condition such as an infection, menopause or cancer. “Just being hot at night should not worry anyone,” says Dr.
Leukemia and lymphoma are among the cancers associated with night sweats. Those associated with leukemia usually occur in conjunction with symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, or excessive bruising. Leukemia-related sweats may also result from daytime fevers.
Profuse sweating at night. Hot flashes, or sudden waves of intense heat in your body. Flushing, or redness and warm skin, especially the face and neck.
Sweats can happen at any time of the day with lymphoma, but they are most common at night. They are often described as 'drenching' and can make your nightclothes or bed sheets soaking wet. Itching ('pruritus') without a rash can be a symptom of lymphoma. It can be very uncomfortable, particularly when you get hot.
Hot flashes reduce perceived sleep quality by awakening women repeatedly throughout the night. Studies in midlife women have shown that nocturnal hot flashes were most likely to occur during stage N2 sleep and are commonly linked with an awakening.
Night sweats can be a symptom of many conditions that affect endocrine function. For instance, some tumors can cause changes in hormone levels. In addition, overproduction of growth hormone. View Source by the pituitary gland, known as acromegaly, can cause night sweats.
"Sweating at night is a normal phenomenon and experienced by most people at some point. The term 'night sweats' refers to excessive sweating during the night, where severe hot flushes can consistently leave you waking up with soaking wet clothes and sheets," says Dr Farah Gilani, a GP at Medicspot.
Excessive Sweating
When the arteries become clogged, your heart is forced to work harder to keep blood flowing. In response, your body sweats to keep your temperature down. Night sweats are a common symptom in women who are having heart problems, though the symptom is sometimes mistaken as a sign of menopause.
40s: This is when most women start perimenopause. Some hot flashes and night sweats begin. (For some, perimenopause starts in the 30s.) 46-53: In the U.S., this is the average age for menopause, which is defined as 12 straight months with no period.
Night sweats are common in women going through early menopause but they can also be a symptom of lymphoma. They are more likely to be caused by lymphoma if you have other symptoms of lymphoma, such as loss of appetite, weight loss, fever, tiredness or itching.
In women, night sweats are often caused by decreased estrogen levels—which can be due to the menopause transition or the body's hormone fluctuations after giving birth.
Night Sweats Aren't Always Caused by Menopause
There are many diseases that can also cause night sweats: Tuberculosis, HIV, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, lupus, some cancers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and others, notes Cleveland Clinic.
Hot flushes and night sweats can dehydrate you, but being dehydrated will put more pressure on your nervous system, which will also trigger more hot flushes and night sweats.
It used to be said that menopause-related hot flashes fade away after six to 24 months. But for many women, hot flashes and night sweats often last a lot longer—by some estimates seven to 11 years.
Night sweats are a common symptom of menopause. They may also be caused by illness or medical conditions, such as infection, cancer, low blood sugar, hormone disorders, and neurologic conditions. They may also be a side effect of certain medicines, cancer treatment, too much caffeine or alcohol, or tobacco or drug use.