Although night sweats are a normal symptom, they sometimes alert to certain medical conditions that need to be looked out for. Discover them!
Sweating is the process through which the body regulates its temperature and the levels of urea, essential amino acids and other substances that are trapped inside. Night sweats can also occur in some people.
Sweating usually occurs to a great extent when performing sports activities or some task that requires significant physical effort. In addition, it is associated with the warm temperature of some environments or the climate.
Although it is a normal reaction of the body, sometimes night sweats interrupt the nights and become a trigger for sleep problems.
Although it can be overlooked at first, its recurrence is a reason to suspect other more careful medical conditions. Considering that many ignore its causes, below we want to share 6 factors that may be related.
1. Menopause.
Menopause is the most common medical cause of night sweats in women. Sudden hormonal changes, especially the drop in estrogen levels, are its main trigger. Women who suffer from it feel a feeling of suffocation that interrupts their sleep period and often their heart rate is also altered.
- To cope with the symptom, it may be necessary to take a supplement to regulate hormonal activity.
- In general, it is recommended to sleep in a cool environment, with comfortable clothes and natural fiber sheets.
2. Drug consumption.
Treatments with some medications can have this symptom as a side effect. There are studies that indicate that some drugs for anxiety and depression can cause, secondarily, periods of night sweats. Other associated treatments also include:
- Hormone therapy drugs.
- Drugs that lower sugar levels.
- Cortisone, a steroid hormone used to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
3. Tuberculosis can cause night sweats.
Most of the factors associated with night sweats are not a serious or difficult problem to treat. However, it can sometimes be caused by chronic pathologies, such as tuberculosis.
This disease greatly compromises lung health and is almost always accompanied by repeated episodes of sweating. The symptom may appear along with:
- Episodes of high fever.
- Chest pain.
- Expectorations with blood.
- Difficulty breathing.
4. Neurological problems.
Anxiety and nerves can raise body temperature , forcing the body to perspire in order to restore it to normal levels. This reaction is completely normal and, in fact, does not occur only at night.
However, when it does occur at night, in a recurrent and excessive way, it could be related to medical conditions linked to the neurological system. For example, Parkinson’s and neuropathies.
The damage caused by these diseases to the nervous system can generate failures in the signals sent to the sweat glands, which results in this manifestation.
5. Chronic hyperhidrosis.
Hyperhidrosis is the medical term used to refer to excessive sweating. It is a common disorder that, although it has no medical causes beyond genetics, is considered chronic. For obvious reasons, patients who suffer from it may have night sweats, to the point of feeling suffocated. These people need cooler environments to rest, because what many consider as “normal temperature”, they feel too hot. It is not a serious health problem, but sometimes the symptom is too uncomfortable and difficult to cope with.
6. Hyperthyroidism.
The Hyperthyroidism is a condition that occurs when thyroid hormones gland occurs above normal levels. As a result of this, the metabolism is affected and the person begins to experience discomfort and changes in his body.
- A strong feeling of tiredness during the day and excessive sweating at night can alert this problem.
- There is an intolerance to heat and it is necessary to regulate the temperature of the bedroom in order to achieve rest.
- Along with these symptoms are changes in body weight, tremors in the hands and excessive hair loss.
Is your sleep being interrupted due to sweating? This symptom is bothersome and can lead to insomnia when left untreated. Although it does not always alert a health problem, it is better to consult a doctor when it manifests itself excessively and for a long time.
