Infections, Fever and Sweating While Sleeping:
Bodily infections are known to be accompanied by a fever. A fever is often the tell-tale sign of an infection in the body, and the increase in body temperature can lead to night sweating. A feverish episode may be serious and require medical attention - contact your doctor immediately.
Hypoglycemia and Sweating in Bed:
Hypoglycemia is a condition classified by lowered blood sugar levels. When the body experiences a decrease in blood sugar levels, its produces an excess amount of adrenaline to compensate for the loss. This extra boost in adrenaline is often accompanied by sweating. Blood sugar levels can be at some of their lowest during sleep, which can explain the excess of sweating during the night.
Hormonal Shifts: Female and Male Night Sweats
During perimenopause or menopause, it is not uncommon for women to be plagued with unpleasant “hot flashes” or periods of extreme heat unrelated to ambient air temperatures. This period of significant hormonal change can be the cause of night sweats in women. (Read more about how the BedJet can help perimenopausal night sweats and disruptive hot flashes here.)
Similarly, a change in hormone levels for growing teenagers can be the cause of their night sweats, and a drop in testosterone in men can trigger excessive sweating at night.
Hormone Disorders and Waking Up Sweating at Night:
Similarly to the hormonal shifts the body experiences, there are certain hormonal disorders that cause excessive sweating. A common hormone disorder is hyperthyroidism, which is classified by the thyroid gland’s overproduction of the hormone thyroxine. Some of the symptoms of this disorder are rapid heart beat, stress, anxiety, irritability, and heat intolerance, all of which can cause overheating during the night and an increase in sweat production.
Acid Reflux and Body Overheating at Night:
Acid reflux can cause heartburn and other burning sensations within the body. It is a natural response for the body to respond to an increase in heat or to an illness with sweating, meaning that those living with acid reflux can often experience night sweats. It is not uncommon for sweating and heartburn to happen simultaneously. If you experience this often, it's highly recommended to seek out medical attention to address the issue.
Cancer and Sweating at Night While Sleeping:
Excessive sweating can be an early symptom of a variety of cancers, especially lymphoma. However, it is important to note that sweating is not usually the only warning sign of cancers, and is usually accompanied by other symptoms such as recurring fevers and unexplained weight loss.
