Night Sweats: 12 Reasons Why You Are Sweating in Sleep
Fact Checked
Intus Healthcare’s writers, customer service team, and sleep experts review and ensure this information is accurate.
Last updated on September 16th, 2024 at 11:15 am
Sweating in sleep, also known as night sweats, is excessive sweating during sleep. Many people experience night sweats and wake up uncomfortable with wet bedding or clothing. This can affect the quality of your sleep and your energy during the daytime.
This article will discuss the different reasons for sweating in sleep and ways to stop it so you can get better sleep.
Table of Contents
What Causes Sweating in Sleep?
You could be sweating in your sleep because of an underlying condition or simply because of your sleeping environment.
For many, night sweats are not a cause for concern, but when combined with daytime symptoms, it could be a sign of something that needs to be treated.
Night sweats are often caused by something impacting the body’s thermoneutral zone, which is the temperature the body is comfortable with (1).
To stay within our comfort range, we react by shivering to warm us up and sweating to cool us down. Most people have a similar thermoneutral zone. However, gender, health, and fitness can all impact the zone temperature.
The most common causes of night sweats include:
1. Low oxygen levels
When the body has a low oxygen level, it goes into fight or flight mode, resulting in sweating.
2. Low blood sugar
Those who have diabetes often experience night sweats as blood sugar levels can drop during sleep. The drop in blood sugar at night (nocturnal hypoglycemia) can cause severe sweating, tiredness and headaches, making sleeping difficult (2).
3. Perimenopause and Menopause
During perimenopause (pre-menopause), during and after menopause, many women experience night sweats. During menopause, females gradually stop producing progesterone, a hormone that helps us sleep. The reduction of progesterone and oestrogen causes night sweats. Many women wake up covered in sweat and experience hot flashes.
4. Hormonal changes
Hormonal fluctuations or changes impact the body temperature. Many factors can alter your hormones and increase the risk of sweating in sleep, including:
- Thyroid imbalances: The thyroid gland is between the throat and the windpipe. It releases the thyroid hormone, which helps regulate metabolism, development, and temperature.
Thyroid imbalances, such as hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid), can cause difficulty regulating body temperature. This is because the body produces too much of the thyroid hormone (3). This can result in sweating during sleep.
- PCOS: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) can cause night sweats due to chronic insulin resistance, stress, inflammation and hormone imbalances. Some women have an elevated level of androgens. Others struggle with insulin resistance, and both can disrupt temperature regulation.
- Pregnancy: Most pregnant women experience night sweats due to feeling hot because of the changes in hormone levels. However, sweating as a reaction to feeling cold during pregnancy could indicate an underlying condition and should be discussed with your doctor.
- PMS: Night sweats can occur during Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) or throughout your period as hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate. As progesterone increases, oestrogen decreases; this drop can affect your temperature.
- Medications: Many medications can cause side effects of night sweats. Some medications that cause sweating include antidepressants, opioids and leuprolide.
5. Infections
Fevers from viral infections often induce sweating at night as the body fights off bacteria.
6. Alcohol
Alcohol can affect the central nervous system, which plays a role in regulating body temperature. When alcohol is consumed before bed, it can cause dilation of blood vessels, leading to an increase in skin temperature and sweating as the body attempts to cool down.
7. Anxiety
Stress and anxiety affect your physical and mental health, which can contribute to night sweats. If you are experiencing a physical or emotional change in your life, it may impact your sleep quality.
8. GERD
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a condition that causes prolonged acid reflux. A study found that two people with night sweats also had GERD, which suggested a correlation. More research is needed to fully understand the relationship between the two (4).
9. Sleep environment
Your bedroom can play a huge part in the quality of your sleep and if you sweat.
10. Sweating disorders
For some people, excessive sweating is because of a condition known as hyperhidrosis. Those with hyperhidrosis do not have more sweat glands than others; however, the sympathetic nerve (the nerve that controls sweating) is oversensitive and overproduces sweat.
11. Chronic Pain
Conditions causing chronic pain, such as fibromyalgia, can lead to night sweats.
12. Sleep disorders
Sleep conditions can cause night sweats through physiological stress responses, disrupted sleep patterns, increased sympathetic nervous system activity, and hormonal imbalances.
Related articles:
The link between sleep and testosterone
Do women need more sleep than men?
Tips to help you get better sleep
The best foods to help you sleep
Sleep Apnoea Test
A quick and easy way to confirm if you do or do not have Sleep Apnoea is by taking a sleep test.
The test requires one night of sleep data, and the results are sent to you within two working days.
If Sleep Apnoea is detected, our in-house clinicians can walk you through your treatment options and any questions you may have.
How to Stop Night Sweats
If night sweats are a persistent issue, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare provider to explore underlying causes and appropriate treatments.
Low oxygen levels: To address night sweats caused by low oxygen levels, targeting the underlying condition leading to reduced oxygenation is essential. Consulting a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment plan is essential.
Low blood sugar: If you are diabetic, you should monitor your blood glucose levels daily. You should also follow your doctor’s or dietician’s recommended diet plan and keep a healthy lifestyle.
Perimenopause and Menopause: Treatments may include hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and certain medications such as gabapentin and clonidine.
Hormonal imbalances: Treatment is dependent on your hormones and if you have a specific condition. For many people, lifestyle adjustments such as increasing exercise and managing your diet can significantly benefit their sleep hormones. Others may need medications.
Medications: If your medication causes you to sweat, discuss this side effect with your doctor. They may modify your treatment, suggest an alternative medicine, or change your dosage.
Infections: Treatments depend on your infection but typically involve antibiotics and other medications.
Alcohol: Limit your consumption of alcohol before bedtime.
Anxiety: Treatment for anxiety disorders depends on the specific condition and the severity. Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness or anti-anxiety medications.
GERD: Some lifestyle changes, such as elevating your head during sleep and avoiding eating close to bedtime, can help manage your symptoms. Your doctor may also prescribe certain medications, such as antacids and H2 receptor blockers.
Sleep environment: If your bedroom affects your body temperature during sleep, you can optimise your sleep environment for comfort. Tips for better sleep include adjusting the room temperature, using lighter bedsheets and avoiding food and drinks likely to cause indigestion and sweating during sleep. You can also choose to wear loose fitting clothing to bed as this could be more comfortable.
Sweating disorders: If you are diagnosed with hyperhidrosis, you could be prescribed certain medications such as antiperspirants, prescription creams or nerve-blocking medications.
Sleep disorders: Various sleep conditions, including Insomnia, Sleep Apnoea, Restless Legs Syndrome, and night terrors, can cause night sweats. Treatment could include CPAP therapy, medication and lifestyle changes.
Sleep Apnoea and Night Sweats
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is when a person’s airway becomes partially or completely blocked during sleep, leading to breathing interruptions.
These interruptions can cause the body to experience stress responses, including increased heart rate and blood pressure. This physiological stress can trigger the body’s sweat response, leading to night sweats.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnoea
OSA presents itself through many symptoms; some people experience many of these, and others only a few:
Getting Tested
Understanding the underlying cause of your night sweats is the first step towards treating your symptoms. If you believe you could have OSA, our home sleep test is an easy way to diagnose Sleep Apnoea in the comfort of your home.
The test takes just one night to complete, and the results are with you in two working days. Our in-house sleep clinicians provide a detailed sleep report and a complementary follow-up call to help you understand your results and treatment options.
Can treating Sleep Apnoea stop Night Sweats?
Yes, if you’re sweating in sleep because of untreated Sleep Apnoea, treating the condition will stop or reduce your symptoms.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Therapy is the gold standard treatment method for OSA. It includes a machine, mask, and tube that deliver consistent airflow to your airways to keep them open. The advanced technology of the newer machines and masks makes adjusting to CPAP therapy easy.
F5+ Full Face CPAP Mask
G3 A20 Humidified Auto CPAP Machine
Other treatment options include Positional Therapy and Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs).
Positional therapy is designed for those with positional OSA, which means they only experience apnoea events when lying on their back, as the throat muscles fall back in this position.
Our small Positional Therapy Device sits on the forehead. It produces small vibrations when the user rolls onto their back, encouraging them to turn back onto their side.
MADs are dental appliances that are moulded to your teeth. They gently pull your lower jaw forward to create more space at the back of your throat to prevent airway blockages.
Treatment depends on the individual’s type and severity of Sleep Apnoea. If you would like our support, we can help guide you to the best treatment option.
We offer a selection of CPAP machines, masks, MADs and the Somnibel Positional Sleep Therapy Trainer.
Summary
Sweating in sleep can cause concern if it is due to an underlying medical condition. If you think it could be OSA, please take a home sleep test to get closer to managing your symptoms.
If you are concerned about your night sweats and do not think it is because of Sleep Apnoea, speak to your doctor to help you understand your sleep and determine if there are treatment options.
About Our Editorial Team
Written By,
Danielle Myatt, Staff Writer
Danni is a degree-educated content writer who works closely with our clinical and customer services teams to ensure every article is well-researched and accurate. Each article is written to educate, help, and advise on Sleep Apnoea, spread awareness, and encourage treatment.
Medically Reviewed By,
Jay Gadher, Clinical Manager
Jay is an experienced Respiratory and Sleep Clinical Scientist. He completed his BSc in Healthcare Science, which has allowed him to gain expertise in scoring sleep studies. His knowledge and insights about sleep science and human health ensure every article reflects the latest data.
References
- Kingma B, Frijns A, van Marken Lichtenbelt W. (2012). The thermoneutral zone: implications for metabolic studies. Front Biosci. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22202013/. Accessed: 30.07.2024
- Seery, C. (2019). Nocturnal Hypoglycemia – Night Time Hypo. Available at: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/nocturnal-hypoglycemia.html. Accessed: 30.07.2024
- Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care. (2006). Overactive Thyroid (hyperthyroidism). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279480/. Accessed: 30.07.2024
- Young P, Finn BC, Bruetman JE, Trimarchi H. (2007).Gastroesophageal reflux as a cause of night sweating. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17907900/. Accessed: 30.07.2024