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Relationships June 22, 2017
Sweating is not the most glamorous thing a human body can do.
It can happen when you work out and when you’re taking a stroll on a hot summer day. But what do you do if it happens while you’re not doing anything?
What if all you’re doing is sleeping? This is the curious case of night sweats.
Plenty of people get them, but they may not know why. If you’re one of these people, ENTITY’s got you covered.
If you are waking up with your pillows and blankets drenched, it’s not because someone poured a bucket of water on you while you were catching up on your beauty sleep.
Night sweats are scientifically known as nocturnal hyperhidrosis, which means excessive sweating during sleep. According to the US National Library of Medicine, 34 percent of 363 patients reported having night sweats. Also, half of those patients indicated that their clothes were completely drenched.
There are a number of reasons we find ourselves perspiring in the late hours of the night. While night sweats are rarely big indicators of something being extremely wrong with your body, women and men experience night sweats differently.
For women, night sweats can by a sign that your hormones are out of whack. Krissy Brady of Women’s Health Mag reported that low estrogen or fluctuating hormones can be the root of your night sweats. Biological changes such as having a baby, the use of birth control or menopause can be some factors that are causing you to wake up to a Niagara waterfall-like state in the middle of the night.
For men, on the other hand, those with lower testosterone levels are more likely to experience night sweats, according to The Mayo Clinic.
Did you know that men get their version of menopause? It’s called andropause. Andropause is the decreasing of testosterone levels. One of the symptoms of “the change” for men is – you guessed it – night sweats.
And in rare but serious cases, night sweats can be a sign of a more serious issue, such as cancer or neurological problems. Infections such as tuberculosis, HIV and influenza can also cause it. In addition, some medications cause night sweats as a side effect.
In these cases, you should consult your doctor for more information.
Can you stop night sweats completely? Not entirely, but there are measures you can take in order to decrease the sweating.
If you’re not eating healthy or taking care of yourself properly, the chances of you sweating at night increase exponentially. Eating foods that contain caffeine, smoking and drinking alcohol can all trigger night sweats
So if you’re looking to have a more restful sleep, put the pizza, the Jack Daniel and the Mary Jane down.
Being in a cooler, less restricted environment can be pretty fantastic as well.
In order to decrease perspiration, bump up that AC unit. Or if you’re a fan of being frugal, just prop open a window. Ditching your blankets will help as well. But if you absolutely need a blanket, then choose one that’s made of breathable fabric, such as cotton.
One last determining factor of your these pesky sweats is stress. Short-tempered and sweaty? Doesn’t sound like the best combination, does it? Well, if you need help decreasing your stress, simply do calming activities like yoga and breathing exercises before bed.
As the saying goes, “You snooze, you lose.” But in terms of staying dry and well-rested, when you snooze you win.