Soaking Night Sweats
Lamentably, over 80% of women will wake up in soaking wet sheets as a result of night sweats at some point during their lives. Soaking night sweats are a common symptom of menopause. Although annoying, night sweats are not normally a medical condition, and can be effectively alleviated by the practical information provided below.
What are night sweats? Why do I wake up in soaking sheets?
Night sweats, known formally as “nocturnal hyperhydrosis”, are episodes of hot flashes that occur during the night. Sweating is the response to these episodes and is a natural bodily function that helps keep the body cool and remain fresh. However, people normally sweat when the temperature is hot, when exercising or when feeling nervous – conditions that do not make for comfortable sleeping. Because night sweats can be so intense as to thoroughly soak the sufferers´ bed, they can disrupt sleep and upset normal daily routines. The heat and moisture resulting from the night sweats is often enough to soak both the bed and sleepwear, which means sufferers wake up shivering from cold. Because of the importance of a good night´s sleep to overall physical and mental wellbeing, understanding the cause of night sweats is critical in overcoming its symptoms.
There are 2-4 million sweat glands that are used by our nervous system to cool off the body and keep it within a constant and acceptable temperature. When the sweating process exceeds its normal production, such as night sweats, we are dealing with the phenomenon called hyperhidrosis. The condition is acknowledged when the production of sweat by the axillary glands exceeds 100 mg in an interval of five minutes.
What causes soaking night sweats?
The principal cause of night sweats are hormonal changes due to menopause. Women going through menopause experience a drop in estrogen hormone levels. This sends the body (incorrectly) messages indicating a need for heat, which is supplied, often at night causing the night sweats during sleep.
Whilst hormonal imbalance as a result of menopause is the prime cause of night sweats, there are other practical reasons which explain sweating during the night.
• Over-heating during sleep (result of too many clothes)
• Spicy foods before bedtime
• Hot or alcoholic drinks before bedtime
• Unusually hot weather
• Poorly ventilated bedroom
• Too many blankets
• Excessive exercising before bedtime
How can I best deal with soaking night sweats?
Because night sweats are normally linked to a drop in the body´s estrogen levels, the most obvious response is in restoring those hormone levels. A fit and healthy body goes a long way towards achieving this objective. Studies have also indicated that the incidence of soaking night sweats can be lowered with natural medicine treatments, which often target the hormone imbalance more directly.
Tips for sleeping with soaking sheets:
Layer your bedding to prevent sleep problems. Place several layers of sheets or thin blankets underneath you as you sleep. As your body begins to sweat and the sheets feel soaked, simply remove a layer. This ensures that you always have a dry layer of bedding to sleep on and keeps you more comfortable and rested.
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Understanding Night Sweats Causes
The causes of Night Sweats
