That's right—men have hot flashes, too. You may get them frequently, or just occasionally. You might feel like you're “burning up”, or you might break out in a cold sweat. Some men wake up hot and sweaty at night. These hot flashes that happen at night are called “night sweats”, and they can cause sleep deprivation.
While it is true that hot flashes are more common in women, hot flashes in men are not unusual. Male hot flashes are caused by a severe testosterone deficiency that can occur in andropause (male menopause) and in androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.
Hot flashes feel the same to men and women: A sudden feeling of warmth or flushing that is most intense over the head and trunk, often accompanied by visible redness of the skin and by sweating, which can be profuse. Hot flashes are most common at night.
Although all men experience a slow and steady decline in testosterone starting at around age 30, it is usually a sharp decline in testosterone that causes hot flashes.
Many of us associate hot flashes with women going through menopause, but hot flashes in men are possible, too. They are most common in men with prostate cancer who are undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) (NCI, 2021). Hot flashes in men can be mild, moderate, or severe, with varying impacts on quality of life.
One possible cause of night sweats in men is low testosterone, which can be identified via a simple blood test. It's a hormonal condition that becomes more common as men age. Low testosterone has been linked to being overweight and to Type 2 diabetes.
If you're hot and sweaty and you straight-up cannot stand the heat, you may have an overactive thyroid, a.k.a. hyperthyroidism. “One of the most common symptoms of hyperthyroidism is heat intolerance,” says Jonathan Arend, M.D., an internist at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
The notion that men get more attractive with age is not exactly true, according to developmental psychologist Michelle Drouin says. And yet, a recent study found that, at least in the online dating world, women reach peak desirability around age 18. Men peak at age 50.
A hot flash is the sudden feeling of warmth in the upper body, which is usually most intense over the face, neck and chest. Your skin might redden, as if you're blushing. A hot flash can also cause sweating. If you lose too much body heat, you might feel chilled afterward.
Some women experience an "aura," an uneasy feeling just before the hot flash, that lets them know what's coming. The flash is followed by a flush, leaving you reddened and perspiring. You can have a soaker or merely a moist upper lip. A chill can lead off the episode or be the finale.
Male menopause is a period of gradual adjustment when the body adjusts to low levels of testosterone. According to some sources, the discomfort of menopause may last 15 to 20 years.
Research has shown that certain antidepressant medicines can be helpful in treating hot flushes in men with prostate cancer. Examples are venlafaxine and paroxetine.
By many metrics, men in their 30s have a lot going for them and could be considered in their prime. Why? They've usually found a comfortable place in life, often including: A good career or a job they love and have been at for a long time.
Furthermore, a data dive by Christian Rudder, co-founder of OkCupid, has used surveys to find the male age women find attractive above all others. The result? Between 38 and 39.
The physical peak age is the point in your life when your reproductive system, motor abilities, strength, and lung capacity are in optimal condition – this generally occurs between 30 and 40 years of age.
Women have a higher surface area to volume ratio than men and shed heat faster. They have less heat-generating muscle mass and tend to get colder around menstruation.
Why Do We Get So Hot When We Sleep? The reason people “sleep hot” has a lot to do with design. Our core temperature drops by a couple of degrees during the night, shedding heat into the surrounding areas, and certain sheets and mattresses trap the heat and moisture around us.
Night sweats can be a manifestation of simple infection, underlying malignancy, more complex infections – including TB and HIV – connective tissue disorders, menopause or certain prescribed drugs. It's also important not to overlook possible psychological causes, such as night terrors secondary to PTSD.
Men can experience night sweats due to low testosterone levels, also called male hypogonadism. Around 38% of men 45 years or older. View Source have low testosterone levels for a variety of reasons, and even otherwise healthy men have a 20% likelihood of having low testosterone levels if they are over 60 years old.
Your sleepwear and sleep environment
Dr. Ram says that the most common reason for night sweats are: Bedding, sleepwear or even a mattress that doesn't "breathe" A sleep environment that's too warm.
Abstract. Objective: Hot flushes are as common in castrated men as in menopausal women.