7 Common Causes of Night Sweats

Do you ever wake up drenched in sweat? Your bedroom isn’t too warm; in fact, you may even be shivering. So what’s causing you to perspire so heavily in your sleep?

There are a number of reasons you might be experiencing night sweats. Here are a few of the most common causes:

1. Hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis is a chronic condition that causes the body to sweat four to five times as much as the average person. When a person with this condition sweats, there is usually no identifiable cause. Fortunately, hyperhidrosis treatments do exist. For example, the iontophoresis machine was introduced over 50 years ago to help with excessive sweating.
2. Menopause. Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause and can occur at any time of the day or night. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for a woman at this stage in her life to suffer from hot flashes that cause night sweats.
3. Medication. Certain medications list night sweats as a common side effect. For instance, between 8% and 22% of patients taking an antidepressant report experiencing night sweats. Aspirin and acetaminophen, often taken to lower a fever, may cause one to sweat at night as well.
4. Hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar can cause sweating at any time of day or night. A person whose blood sugar level drops at night may wake up drenched in sweat.
5. Infections. A number of different infections can cause sweating at night. Tuberculosis is most commonly associated with night sweats, but bacterial infections and HIV can also cause severe night sweating.
6. Cancer. Night sweats are often cited as one of the most common early symptoms of cancer, particularly lymphoma.
7. Anxiety. Sweating is often triggered by fear or anxiety. A nightmare can trigger the body’s “fight or flight” response, which would cause one to sweat. Patients with chronic stress or an anxiety disorder may report night sweats as a frequent occurrence.

Do you need help with excessive sweating at night? Night sweats can be both uncomfortable and alarming. As listed above, some causes of night sweats are life-threatening. That is why you should talk to your doctor about possible causes and solutions for your nighttime sweating problem.