Reasons and Solutions for Night Sweats

What is night sweats?

The reasons for night sweats are easy to understand. Night sweats, also known as nocturnal hyperhydrosis, is the body’s reaction to a perceived (but nonexistent) large amount of heat in the body. It is characterized by a sudden, drenching onset of perspiration as the body attempts to expel this imaginary heat. There are various reasons for night sweats, which are detailed below.

reason-for-night-sweats1 Night sweats is a common symptom of both menopausal women and newly-pregnant women (in the first trimester of pregnancy). Night sweats are often disruptive to sleep patterns and are caused by a number of things, some within a woman’s control and some not. Many reasons for night sweats can be manipulated (i.e., dietary changes, exercise). Menopausal and pregnant women are often plagued by night sweats because of the rapid and unpredictable fluctuation in estrogen levels. In this case, the reasons for night sweats are generally out of a woman’s control. When the hypothalamus (responsible for regulating body temperature) “thinks” that the body temperature is too high, it signals the body to disperse heat immediately. Heat exits the body in the form of sweat – when this happens during sleep, it is known as night sweats.

Common reasons for night sweats

Although the sequence of physiological events involved in night sweats is clear enough, there is, unfortunately, no single cause of night sweats. Many factors contribute to night sweats, particularly during menopause and early pregnancy. Menopausal and pregnant women may find the following list of reasons for night sweats helpful.

reason-for-night-sweats2 • Poor diet (low in fiber, calcium, and Vitamins B, C, and D; high in saturated fat)

• Inactivity – sedentary women are much more susceptible to night sweats than women who exercise regularly

• Sleeping environment conducive to night sweats – too many or too-heavy blankets, a too-high room temperature, pajamas that don’t wick away moisture from the body

• Hot drinks, alcohol, white sugar, acidic foods, meat, margarine, and spicy foods all contribute to the occurrence of night sweats.

These are not the only reasons for night sweats, but they are some of the most common. Women suffering from night sweats (nearly 90% of the menopausal population) have a surprising amount of influence over their symptoms if willing to take decisive measures against them. Changing certain daily habits can go a long way in reducing the occurrence of night sweats.

Solutions for Night Sweats

Just as there are many reasons, there are also plenty of possible solutions for night sweats. Although there is no one guaranteed solution for night sweats, there are many things that women can do to alleviate the effects of night sweats. Continue reading for information about solutions for night sweats.

What is the solution to night sweats?

There is no single miracle solution to night sweats, unfortunately, but the best solution to night sweats is to understand what the body is experiencing during menopause; many of the reasons for night sweats can be removed from the picture with a few minor tweaks.

Solutions for night sweats can include everything from dietary modifications to staying indoors during warm or hot weather. The most common solutions to night sweats are:

reason-for-night-sweats3 • Avoiding all hot/spicy food
• Getting enough sleep
• Exercising regularly
• Taking cold showers before bed
• Sleeping in a cool/cold area, with light sheets and blankets only
• Taking herbal remedies

When looking for solutions for night sweats, it is important to remember that any solution for night sweats is not necessarily a cure. It is a preventative measure only. The hormonal imbalance naturally caused by menopause will in turn cause side effects regardless of what action is taken or not taken. However, the measures listed above are a good start on the path to getting some relief from night sweats.

That being said, the most effective solution for night sweats is easily herbal remedies. Herbal remedies, particularly non-estrogenic ones like Black Cohosh and Dong Quai, can be dramatically effective in easing the burden of night sweats. Herbal remedies aid in solving the problem of night sweats by working with the body’s pituitary and endocrine glands (responsible for hormone secretion) to promote the natural – but more efficient – production of estrogen, thus helping to restore the balance thereof. This treatment option for night sweats is preferable because, unlike Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), herbal remedies are not themselves hormones. A growing body of research suggests that HRT can lead to potentially life-threatening conditions, including heart disease, stroke, blood clots, and several forms of cancer in women.