However, night sweats can also have more serious causes, like infections and cancer.
This article will go over the possible reasons why youre sweating in your sleep.
Youll also learn when to see a provider about night sweats and how to cope with them.
Peter Dazeley / Getty Images
Your body goes through normal temperature changes while you sleep.
Anxiety and Nightmares
If you havenightmaresor general anxiety, you may have physical effects while youre sleeping.
Sweating can be an anxiety symptom, along with a fast heartbeat, rapid breathing, and shaking.
Treatment may help stop your night sweats and any other symptoms you have.
Like adults,night terrorscan also make kids sweat in their sleep.
Night terrors cause a person to abruptly wake up feeling extremely afraid, even panicked.
They often occur about two or three hours after falling asleep.
They may even wake up red-faced and drenched in sweat.
Hormones
Hormonal shifts throughout life can also cause sweating at night.
Menopause
Perimenopausedescribes the period of transition after menstruation ends but before menopause is in full swing.
Peoplegoing through menopausemay havehot flashes at nightthat can even wake them up from sleep.
Menopause commonly leads to poor-quality sleep.
People going through menopause may have insomnia thats because of night sweats and hot flashes.
When you have GERD, stomach acid backs up into youresophagus.
Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis is a common condition that makes you sweat a lot.
You may sweat all day and all night.
Some people with the condition just sweat more in a few places on their body, like their hands.
Other people sweat excessively all over their bodies.
Its not clear what causes hyperhidrosis, but it tends to run in families.
Some people notice that they sweat in their sleep after they drink alcohol.
Since alcohol widens your blood vessels, it can affect blood circulation and body temperature.
For people with sleep disorders like sleep apnea, the muscle-relaxing effects of alcohol can make their symptoms worse.
People who have alcohol or other substance use disorders often have night sweats, especially if they are inwithdrawal.
Sleep Apnea
Withsleep apnea, your breathing pauses during sleep.
These pauses can wake you up or bring you into a lighter stage of sleep.
Night sweats in older people can be related toobstructive sleep apnea.
In this condition, you stop breathing multiple times while youre sleeping.
The risk of sleep apnea increases during menopause because of the loss of the hormonesestrogenandprogesterone.
Sleep apnea can increase the odds that youll fall asleep or beinattentive while drivingor working.
It also increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Infections
The symptoms of some serious infections can include night sweats.
Some autoimmune conditions can cause excessive sweating, including night sweats.
Some Cancers
Some types of cancer, especiallyHodgkins lymphoma, can cause drenching night sweats.
That said, sweating in your sleep is not the only sign of cancer.
However, if youve tried making changes to your sleep environment with no luck, talk to your provider.
Its also important to tell your provider if youre having other symptoms in addition to night sweats.
They can help figure out whats causing it and recommend the right treatment.
Summary
Sweating in your sleep is not always a reason to worry.
That said, night sweats can also be because of medical conditions that need treatment.
If youre sweating in your sleep often or if its making your sleep poor, talk to your provider.
They can figure out whats causing your night sweats and double-check the problem is addressed.
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