How to reduce night sweats naturally

Has waking up drenched in sweat become a nightly ritual? Consider this your cue to find a solution. Because night sweats are beyond annoying (and taxing on your butt); experienced often enough, they can affect your overall health.

“They can ruin your mood by disrupting your sleep. They can lead to gaining weight because, when you don’t sleep, you eat more and your metabolism changes. All of these things can be a cascading effect of night sweats,” he says Nanette Santoro, MDprofessor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine who is researching menopause treatments.

If you’re already struggling with the side effects of night sweats, rest assured that it’s never too late to turn things around. Read on to understand why night sweats occur and the steps you can take to reduce night sweats naturally.

What causes night sweats?

There are several possible reasons why you might wake up covered in sweat, many of which have to do with your hormones. Here are the most common causes of night sweats.

1. Hormonal imbalance

The biggest among the factors that contribute to night sweats is hormonal imbalanceespecially during menopause and perimenopause. “Night sweats are among the most common symptoms of menopause that she experiences up to 80 percent women at some point in their transition,” says dr. Santoro. However, night sweats can occur at any stage of a woman’s reproductive life from puberty to postmenopause.

The wreaking havoc here is estrogen which, in addition to helping regulate your menstrual cycle, helps moderate your body’s core temperature. Research shows that fluctuations in estrogen levels associated with menopause can effectively confuse your body’s internal thermostat, located in the hypothalamus.

As a result, your brain can perceive temperature changes where there are none. So when estrogen levels, which promotes cooler body temperaturesarbitrarily drops, your brain can misinterpret this as an increase in core temperature and activate the sweat response to cool the body when it’s not actually needed.

2. Mood stabilizers

Mood stabilizers are sometimes prescribed for the treatment of night sweats. “But the same ones we use to treat night sweats can sometimes cause them,” notes Dr. Santoro.

It is not clear why, but dr. Santoro says that certain antidepressants affect the same area of ​​the brain that causes night sweats, so they can affect brain chemistry in a way that sparks them up rather than dampens them.

3. Thyroid gland activity

In some people, the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland in the front of the neck produces more hormones than necessary. Hormones produced by the thyroid gland help manage metabolism, which is how your body turns food into energy. But when your system has an excess of these hormones, many processes can speed up, causing a racing heart, unexplained weight loss, nervousness and… excessive sweating.

4. Fever

Fever that you can get from various infections – colds, flu, chicken pox, etc. – can lead to an increase in body temperature at night, resulting in excessive sweating. These nighttime heats are part of yours efforts of the immune system in the fight against infection.

5. Low blood sugar

Always wake up hungry and sweaty? You may have experienced a low blood sugar attack. This is when the serum glucose (blood sugar) level falls below normal, i can hit if you skip dinner, exercise late in the day, or drink alcohol before bed.

If your blood sugar drops too low, the body mobilizes adrenaline and cortisol to bring him back. These are same hormones which trigger the fight-or-flight response in times of stress by speeding up your heart rate and releasing glucose into the blood to supply energy in response to a perceived threat.

Parallel to this response is sweating, which is initiated to help regulate body temperature. So, although rare, your body may perceive malnutrition as a stressor and may react accordingly.

6. Alcohol consumption

Relaxing with a glass of wine before bed can set you up for a sweaty vacation. Alcohol it can cause blood vessels to relax and widen (known as vasodilation) and your heart rate to increase as the heart pumps harder to keep blood flowing.

This can make your skin feel warm and flushed as more blood rushes to the surface, which will then trigger the sweat glands to dissipate that heat. And the more you drink, the deeper this effect can be.

The havoc wreaked on your body’s internal air conditioning can also be compounded by the cost of all this vasodilation: a core temperature drop because all that warm blood is diverted to the surface.

So not only does your skin get hotter and sweatier, your core temperature actually drops, an effect that can be further exacerbated as the body tries to rebalance between core and peripheral temperatures.

7. Withdrawal of substance

Alcohol and drugs can not only increase the heart rate during use – these substances can have same effect while trying to stop them, resulting in night sweats, says Dr. Santoro.

This happens because your nervous system has become accustomed to functioning while on the substance and now has to adjust to the new status quo. Heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature may increase, prompting the sweat response to cool the body.

8. Chronic sweating

Some people naturally sweat more. Chronic sweating tends to run in families and occurs when the nerve that controls sweating is hypersensitive, triggering the glands to produce more sweat than usual.

If you have chronic sweating, you may sweat profusely during the day and at night. However, Dr. Santoro notes that fewer distractions at night often make sweating more noticeable when you’re trying to fall asleep.

9. Lack of vitamin B12

Even 15 percent of us get too little vitamin B12which is crucial for red blood cell production and neurological function. In extreme cases, a deficiency can contribute to increased activity sympathetic nervous system, which can lead to excessive sweating.

If you think you may be experiencing adverse effects from any medication, substance problem, or physiological function, you should consult a healthcare professional.

How to know if you sweat abnormally

There are some differences between night sweats and regular sweats.

Duration

Normal sweating tends to be continuous. “If you’re sweating, you’re usually still sweating because (the environment) is hot,” says Dr. Santoro. So if you’re sweating because your bedroom is a blast furnace, the sweat will flow pretty much continuously until you tuck your leg under the covers or open a window to cool off.

Night sweats, on the other hand, are typically spasmodic. “Like hot flashes, night sweats come on quite suddenly and then go away,” says Dr. Santoro. In fact, the two can often keep track of each other, and this rhythm can be repeated periodically during a night’s or several nights’ sleep.

Intensity

If you are awake during night sweats, you may feel a sensation of intense heat that starts in your head and moves down through your body. (And if you’re not awake during night sweats, you probably will be, which is another difference from normal sweating.) However, after it subsides, the sensation may be accompanied by a chill as your body temperature normalizes, Dr. Santoro says.

Also, unlike normal sweating, you may notice that you are sweating so much that you are drenched and need to change your clothes. You may also notice that your heart rate is faster and your skin is flushed.

5 natural remedies for night sweats

There are a number of lifestyle strategies you can implement to reduce night sweats – of course, it’s also a good idea to see your doctor to find out what’s causing them. Although natural remedies can help in many cases, some people may need more specialized care to treat a medical condition.

With that in mind, here are some behavioral changes that can help you sleep drier at night.

1. Avoid dietary triggers

Some foods can cause night sweats, including:

• Spicy food like peppers contain natural compounds like capsaicin that trick your body into thinking you’re overheating. This triggers a cooling reaction that increases sweat production.
• Caffeine it stimulates your nervous system, which can cause your body temperature to rise. Also sensitizes the nerves which control your sweat glands, so you can sweat more easily.
• Alcoholas discussed earlier, it can cause blood vessels to dilate, bringing more blood to the surface of the skin and making you feel warm and flushed. In turn, your body may sweat to cool you down.
• Hot drinks as cocoa, tea and coffee can raise your internal temperature; Your body can fight back by activating the sweat response.

To reduce the chances of night sweats, avoid these dietary triggers before bed.

2. Reduce stress

Effective stress management can help moderate body temperature, which was found increase in response to stress, especially in the skin. Pausing for breathing exercises during the day is a simple step you can take reduce stress.

When you’re stressed, your heart rate and breathing speed up. By deliberately slowing down your breathing, you are telling your body’s stress response to calm down. Aim to spend a few minutes taking slow, deep breaths in and out in the morning, mid-day and before bed.

3. Try to choose supplements*

Some natural ingredients can help fight stress and anxiety.

However, some supplements may interact with medications or medical conditions, so check with your doctor before trying.

4. Take a cold or lukewarm shower

Exposing your body to high heat (like taking a hot shower) can increase the likelihood of night sweats, says Dr. Santoro. If you shower before bed, keep the water lukewarm or even cold to prevent your body temperature from rising. If that’s not part of your regimen, try cooling off with a cold shower before bed.

5. Cool your environment

To prevent night sweats, cool your bedroom.

• Use a fan, open the windows or run the air conditioner.
• Bedroom cooling accessories can also help. “Some of my patients swear by their cooling mattresses,” says Dr. Santoro. If a new mattress is too much of an investment, try pillows and mattress covers that contain cooling gels.
• Opt for light bedding and layer it to pour as needed during the night. Light, loose-fitting pajamas are also a good idea.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.