Night sweats can affect anyone, but they're most commonly associated with people assigned female at birth. Hormone changes related to reproductive hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, can cause unpleasant changes in your body temperature that make you feel too hot.
In women, night sweats are often caused by decreased estrogen levels—which can be due to the menopause transition or the body's hormone fluctuations after giving birth.
Most menopausal women will have low to very low progesterone levels with low to normal estrogen levels. Women can experience night sweats and hot flashes even when their estrogen levels are normal.
That said, common causes identified in research about night sweats include menopause, medications, infections, and hormone problems.
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.
Menopause, low blood sugar, and fever can cause night sweats. So can certain medications, including antidepressants and steroids. If your clothing or your bedroom temperature causes you to sweat, it's not considered night sweats. Night sweats are unpleasant, but most of the time they're harmless.
How long do hot flashes last? It used to be said that menopause-related hot flashes fade away after six to 24 months. But for many women, hot flashes and night sweats often last a lot longer—by some estimates seven to 11 years.
Schedule a visit with your health care provider if night sweats: Occur on a regular basis. Interrupt your sleep. Are accompanied by a fever, weight loss, pain in a specific area, cough, diarrhea or other symptoms of concern.
The most noticeable manifestation of low progesterone levels is irregular periods and short cycles, but sometimes symptoms like premenstrual spotting may appear. Other symptoms may include mood changes, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression. Progesterone affects the regulation of fluid levels in the body.
Rarely, hot flashes and nights sweats are caused by something other than menopause. Other potential causes include medication side effects, problems with your thyroid, certain cancers and side effects of cancer treatment.
Leukemia and lymphoma are among the cancers associated with night sweats. Those associated with leukemia usually occur in conjunction with symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, or excessive bruising. Leukemia-related sweats may also result from daytime fevers.
Estrogen is the primary hormone used to reduce hot flashes. Most women who have had a hysterectomy can take estrogen alone. But if you still have a uterus, you should take progesterone with estrogen to protect against cancer of the lining of the uterus (endometrial cancer).
One of the major causes of cold sweats is a lack of even distribution of blood and oxygen throughout the body, making hypotension a contributor to cold sweats during the night.
If your night sweats occur on a regular basis, interrupt your sleep, or are accompanied by a fever or other symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss, then you should schedule an appointment with your physician.
Your sleepwear and sleep environment
But, sometimes, there's a fine line between being cozy and overheating. 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.
medicines – some antidepressants, steroids and painkillers. low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) alcohol or drug use. a harmless condition called hyperhidrosis that makes you sweat too much all the time.
Night sweats are repeated episodes of very heavy sweating during sleep, heavy enough to soak your nightclothes or bedding. They're often caused by an underlying condition or illness. Sometimes you may wake up after sweating heavily, particularly if you're sleeping under too many blankets or your bedroom is too warm.
People with thyroid issues may experience night sweats. However, night sweats are not one of the hallmark symptoms of hypothyroidism. Heat intolerance and sweating are symptoms more commonly linked to hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid).
It depends on your situation. Not all women need, want or are candidates for estrogen therapy. Estrogen can reduce menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. If you have a uterus, you'll likely need to take progesterone along with the estrogen.
If you don't have enough progesterone, you may have trouble getting or staying pregnant. After one of your ovaries releases an egg, your progesterone levels should rise. Progesterone helps the uterus thicken in anticipation of receiving a fertilized egg. If it's not thick enough, the egg won't implant.