Night sweats symptoms
Women who have the misfortune to be plagued by night sweats know the hallmarks and night sweats symptoms all too well. The drenched sheet and pajamas, the anxiety felt upon waking up, the cold and shivering are familiar reminders of the fact that menopause is upon them.
Night sweats symptoms don’t have to ruin a woman’s life, however. Night sweats symptoms are easily treated, if not completely eliminated, and there is no reason for women to feel despair or frustration when experiencing night sweats symptoms.
Overview of night sweats symptoms
Night sweats (also known as nocturnal hyperhydrosis) is often called the nighttime cousin of hot flashes, and night sweats symptoms make it obvious why. The sudden onset of night sweats symptoms is just as bewildering and disorienting, with the added burden of changing nightclothes and bed sheets in the middle of the night.
Night sweats symptoms are easy to identify and the majority of women are able to make the diagnosis very quickly. Night sweats symptoms feature the following:
• Sudden, drenching cold sweats in the nocturnal hours.
• Waking with a feeling of anxiety or disorientation.
• Accelerated heart rate upon waking.
• Frigid, clammy skin.
Most women who are of normal menopause age and have experienced night sweats symptoms know immediately what is happening.
Why do women experience night sweats symptoms?
In a word, menopause. Menopause is the process by which the female body transitions into the non-reproductive phase. During this time, many women experience night sweats symptoms because of the wildly fluctuating levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Particularly estrogen levels, which when dropping lead the body to believe that its temperature is too high, thus prompting it to release large amounts of heat in the form of sweat. Night sweats symptoms then result.
Can anything be done about night sweats symptoms?
Yes, absolutely. In fact, many women are unaware of the incredible amount of control they possess over their night sweats symptoms. Basic diet and lifestyle changes can produce dramatic reductions in the amount of night sweats symptoms experienced.
For example, eliminating saturated fat from a woman’s diet can mitigate irritation of the intestines, which can increase body temperature and cause night sweats symptoms. Cutting out alcohol can have the same effect. Any food, drink, or other substance that has the potential to raise the body’s temperature should be avoided, as it consequently has the potential to cause and/or exacerbate night sweats symptoms.
Below is a list of other measures women can take to alleviate night sweats symptoms.
• Stop smoking.
• Keep the sleeping area cool and dry.
• Stay hydrated.
• Don’t eat spicy food.
• Don’t drink hot beverages.
It could be said that the easiest methods of combating night sweats symptoms are also the most obvious.
Alternate treatments for night sweats symptoms
There are three other, more complex treatments, which women may wish to try if the suggestions above do not provide relief. They are acupuncture, Hormone Replacement Therapy, and herbal remedies (non-estrogenic compounds that work with the endocrine system to regulate efficient production of estrogen).
All three have been shown to alleviate night sweats symptoms, but herbal remedies is the only completely safe, risk-free, and non-invasive treatment. Women who wish to further investigate these treatments for night sweats symptoms should consult a physician.
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Understanding Night Sweats Causes
The causes of Night Sweats
