How to Reduce Night Sweats Naturally

Has waking up covered in sweat become a nightly ritual? Consider this a tip to find a solution. Because night sweats aren’t just annoying (and stressful on your basket); experiencing them regularly can take a toll on your overall health.

“They disrupt your sleep, which disrupts your mood. They can cause weight gain Because, when you don’t sleep, you eat more and your metabolism changes. All of these could be a knock-on effect of night sweats,” says Nanette Santoro, MDProfessor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, researching treatments related to menopause.

If you’re already struggling with the side effects of night sweats, rest assured that it’s never too late to turn things around. Read on to learn about the causes of night sweats and the steps you can take to reduce them naturally.

What are the causes of night sweats?

There are a number of possible reasons why you might be waking up sweaty, many of which have to do with your hormones. Here are the most common causes of night sweats.

1. Hormonal imbalance

The primary cause of night sweats is hormonal imbalanceespecially during menopause and perimenopause. “Night sweats are one of the most common symptoms of menopause. Up to 80% of women “At some point in their transition,” Dr. Santoro said. However, night sweats can occur at any stage of a woman’s reproductive life, from puberty to postmenopause.

The confusing factor here is estrogen, which in addition to helping regulate the menstrual cycle, also helps regulate the body’s core temperature. Research shows The fluctuations in estrogen levels associated with menopause effectively disrupt the body’s internal thermostat, located in the hypothalamus.

Therefore, your brain can perceive the absence of temperature changes. Therefore, when estrogen levels rise, Promotes cool body temperatureany drop, your brain may incorrectly interpret it as an increase in core temperature and activate the sweat response to cool the body when it’s not actually needed.

2. Mood stabilizing drugs

mood stabilizers sometimes Used to treat night sweats. “But the drugs we use to treat night sweats can sometimes cause them,” Dr. Santoro points out.

It’s not clear why, but Dr. Santoro said some antidepressant drugs affect the same areas of the brain that cause night sweats, so they may affect brain chemicals in a way that excites them rather than suppresses them.

3. Thyroid activity

For some people, the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland in the front of the neck produces more hormones than needed. The hormones produced by the thyroid help manage metabolism, which is how your body converts food into energy. But when there is an excess of these hormones in your system, many processes are accelerated, leading to a rapid heartbeat, unexplained weight loss, nervousness, and…excessive sweating.

4. Fever

Fever, which can be caused by various infections (cold, flu, chickenpox, etc.), can cause your body temperature to spike at night, causing excessive sweating. These nighttime hot weather are part of you immune system efforts to fight infection.

5. Hypoglycemia

always wake up hungry and Sweating? You may experience periods of low blood sugar. This is when your serum glucose (blood sugar) levels are lower than normal, and Can go on strike If you skip dinner, exercise later in the day, or drink before bed.

If your blood sugar drops too low, body mobilized Adrenaline and cortisol aid recovery. these are same hormones Under stress, the fight-or-flight response is driven by increasing the heart rate and releasing glucose into the bloodstream to provide energy to respond to perceived threats.

Coinciding with this response is sweating, which is triggered to help regulate body temperature. So, although it’s rare, your body sees malnutrition as a stressor and may respond accordingly.

6. Drinking alcohol

Relaxing with a glass of wine before bed may give you a break from sweating. Alcohol It causes your blood vessels to relax and widen (called vasodilation), and your pulse increases because your heart pumps harder to keep blood flowing.

As more blood flows to the surface, this makes your skin feel warm and flushed, which subsequently triggers the sweat glands to release heat. And the more you drink, deeper This effect is okay.

The cost of all this vasodilation may also exacerbate serious damage to the body’s internal air conditioning: Core temperature drops Because all the warm blood is transferred to the surface.

So not only is your skin getting warmer and sweating more, your internal temperature is actually dropping, an effect that can be further exacerbated as the body tries to strike a balance between core and peripheral temperatures.

7. Substance Withdrawal

Alcohol and drugs not only increase your heart rate during use—these substances may also same effect Dr. Santoro says night sweats can result when trying to quit these drugs.

This happens because your nervous system has become accustomed to functioning when using a given substance and now must adapt to its new status quo. Heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature increase, prompting a sweating response to cool the body.

8. Chronic sweating

Some people naturally sweat more. Chronic sweating tends to run in families and occurs when the nerves that control sweating become overly sensitive, causing the glands to produce more sweat than normal.

If you sweat chronically, you may sweat profusely day and night. However, Dr. Santoro notes that having fewer distractions at night can often make your sweating more noticeable while you’re trying to fall asleep.

9. Vitamin B12 deficiency

As many as 15% of people get too little Vitamin B12which is essential for red blood cell production and neurological function. In extreme cases, there is a lack of possibility Helps increase activity Disorders of the sympathetic nervous system may lead to excessive sweating.

If you think you may be adversely affected by any drug, substance problem, or physical function, you should consult a health care professional.

How to know if you have abnormal sweating

There are some differences between night sweats and regular sweating.

period

normal sweating tends to be continuous. “If you sweat, you usually continue to sweat because it’s hot,” Dr. Santoro said. So if you’re sweating because your bedroom is a blast furnace, the sweat will keep pouring out until you stick a foot out from under the quilt or open a window to cool down.

Night sweats, on the other hand, are usually spasmodic in nature. “Like hot flashes, night sweats come on suddenly and then go away,” Dr. Santoro said. In fact, the two can often accompany each other, and this rhythm can be repeated intermittently over the course of one or more nights of sleep.

strength

If you wake up during the night with night sweats, you may feel an intense heat sensation that starts in your head and moves down throughout your body. (If you don’t wake up during a night sweat, you most likely will, which is another difference from normal sweating.) Regardless, once the feeling subsides, Dr. Santoro says, as your body temperature Back to normal, this feeling may be accompanied by chills.

Also, unlike regular sweating, you may find yourself sweating so much that you get soaked and have to change clothes. You may also notice that your heart beats faster and your skin flushes.

5 Natural Remedies for Night Sweats

There are a variety of lifestyle strategies you can adopt to help reduce night sweats — and of course, it’s also a good idea to see a healthcare provider to find out what’s causing them. While natural remedies can help in many cases, some people may need more specialized care to treat health conditions.

With that in mind, the following behavioral changes can help you sleep dryer throughout the night.

1. Avoid dietary triggers

Some foods can trigger night sweats, including:

• spicy food Just like hot peppers contain natural compounds like capsaicin, they trick your body into thinking you’re overheating. This triggers a cooling response, which increases sweating.
• caffeine Stimulates your nervous system, which causes an increase in body temperature. it’s also sensitize nerves Controls your sweat glands, so you may sweat more easily.
• AlcoholAs explained earlier, it causes vasodilation, bringing more blood to the surface of the skin, making you feel warm and flushed. In turn, your body may release sweat to cool you down.
• Hot drinks Things like cocoa, tea, and coffee can raise your internal temperature; your body may respond by activating the sweat response.

To reduce your chances of night sweats, avoid these dietary triggers before bed.

2. Reduce stress

Effective stress management may help regulate body temperature, which has been discovered Increased response to stress, especially on the skin. Pause time breathing exercises One simple step you can take throughout the day Reduce stress.

When you are stressed, your heartbeat and breathing rate increase. By intentionally slowing your breathing, you can shut down your body’s stress response. Take a few minutes to inhale and exhale slowly and deeply in the morning, noon, and before bed.

3. Try choosing supplements*

Some natural ingredients may help combat stress and anxiety.

However, some supplements may interact with medications or health conditions, so check with your doctor before trying them.

4. Take a cold or warm shower

Exposing your body to high temperatures, such as taking a hot bath, may make you more prone to night sweats, Dr. Santoro says. If you take a shower before bed, keep the water lukewarm or even cold to prevent your body temperature from soaring. If this isn’t part of your regimen, try cooling down with a cold shower before bed.

5. Cool down your environment

To prevent night sweats, keep your bedroom cool.

• Use a fan, open a window, or turn up the air conditioning temperature.
• Cooling bedroom accessories can also help. “Some of my patients swear by their cooling mattresses,” Dr. Santoro says. If a new mattress is too big of an investment, try using pillows and mattress toppers that contain cooling gel.
• Choose bedding that is lightweight and layered so you can remove it as needed during the night. Loose, lightweight pajamas are also a good idea.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.