The smell that arises is due to the bacteria that live harmlessly on everyone's body. When the bacteria mix with sweat released from your sweat glands, it can create an unpleasant odor. If you are regularly experiencing night sweats with a bad odor, it may be worth investigating.
Sweat itself does not smell. But, when bacteria is present, it breaks down acids contained in the sweat produced by apocrine glands and produces the sour, vinegar-like smell in the armpits, breasts, and genital-anal area.
A mattress can start to smell due to a buildup of sweat, body oils, and allergens. Mold growing in your mattress can also be the culprit.
As we sleep, our bodies naturally shed skin cells, secrete natural oils and may lightly sweat – although some people may sweat more than normal. [5] If you're sweating a lot at night, it could also mean bacteria is building up overnight, leaving an unpleasant smell to wake up to in the morning.
Place an open box of baking soda in clothing drawers to remove unpleasant odors. In a pinch, dried coffee grounds and charcoal briquettes also act as odor filters. Or make your own potpourri sachets and tuck them into drawers to imbue clothes and the surrounding room with a natural, appealing scent.
What causes the unpleasant smell is the bacteria that build up on your sweaty skin and react with sweat and oils to grow and multiply when sweat reacts with bacteria on the skin. These bacteria break down proteins and fatty acids, causing body odor in the process.
Dehydration can also make the sweat smell like ammonia. This is because the body needs water to get rid of ammonia through sweat. If there is not enough water to dilute the ammonia as it is released by the body, the smell of ammonia may be stronger.
Apocrine sweat is also delectable to the bacteria that live in the warm, moist cracks and crevices of your body. Even though sweat is believed to be odourless, the bacteria living in these places break down the ingredients of sweat and turn them into stinky molecules such as: acetic acid (the vinegar sweat smell)
Body odor is caused by a mix of bacteria and sweat on your skin. Your body odor can change due to hormones, the food you eat, infection, medications or underlying conditions like diabetes. Prescription-strength antiperspirants or medications may help.
Sweat also naturally moisturizes the skin and protects it against infection. Sweat is mainly water and sodium chloride, but also contains small amounts of potassium, calcium, ammonia, urea, lactate, and ethanol. When sweat mixes with bacteria on the skin, it can produce a smell, which may smell like vinegar.
Your sleepwear and sleep environment
But, sometimes, there's a fine line between being cozy and overheating. Dr. Ram says that the most common reason for night sweats are: Bedding, sleepwear or even a mattress that doesn't "breathe" A sleep environment that's too warm.
This sweat produces a strong, sometimes even sulfurous odor when you're anxious or scared.
Similarly, water helps release toxins through sweat. If your body is dehydrated, you are unable to release these toxins (bacteria), which when accumulated leads to an unpleasant body odor, especially in the armpits, feet, and groin area.
Make yourself a hydration station
We're sure you've heard this piece of advice before, but drinking water can help reduce body odor. Water flushes out bodily toxins, and when toxins go, so does body odor because toxins cause odor. It's a simple science equation.
Less body odor
When you remove hair under the armpits, it reduces trapped odor. A 2016 study involving men found that removing armpit hair by shaving significantly reduced axillary odor for the following 24 hours. Similar results were first found in a 1953 paper .
Foods such as garlic, onions, cumin, and curry can also cause changes in body odor. The sulfur-like compounds that the body releases as it breaks down these foods can react with the sweat on the skin, producing body odor that may be different than a person's natural scent.
When the bacteria break down the sweat they form products called thioalcohols, which have scents comparable to sulfur, onions or meat. "They're very very pungent," says Bawdon.
● Citrus Fruits
Oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are packed full of pleasant-smelling oils and compounds, which quickly become absorbed by the body and gently released through the skin. As such, eating such fruits is a quick way to improve your natural aroma.
The more hydrated you are, the less concentrated the ammonia is. But when you're dehydrated, the ammonia concentration is stronger — and so is the smell. This is why you may notice your urine smells stronger in the morning right after you wake up. Dark-colored urine is another sign of dehydration.
Though your workout clothes might disagree, pure sweat is actually odorless. But bacteria on the skin, hormones, compounds in certain foods, and other factors — most of them harmless — can cause your sweat to smell like vinegar or something else that may seem disagreeable to your senses.
The sexual sweat activated areas of the brain associated with emotion and sexual thoughts, while the non-aroused sweat didn't. Such findings have led some men to believe that their natural sweat is a turn-on for women. This is true, but only to an extent. Women definitely find the scent of androstenol attractive.
Sweating and body odor are common when you exercise or you're too warm. They're also common when you're feeling nervous, anxious or stressed. Unusual changes in sweating — either too much (hyperhidrosis) or too little (anhidrosis) — can be cause for concern.
Waking up covered in sweat despite it not being hot? If it's not a warm bedroom, it could be stress, hormones, alcohol, medications, or a medical condition.
Menopause, low blood sugar, and fever can cause night sweats. So can certain medications, including antidepressants and steroids. If your clothing or your bedroom temperature causes you to sweat, it's not considered night sweats. Night sweats are unpleasant, but most of the time they're harmless.