Conquering Night Sweats - Sleep Hyperhidrosis and You

Night sweats catalyze a series of problems which lead to less energy and poor health. Often times the root of the night sweats is not too serious, but the accumulated problems resulting from poor and dehydrated sleep become serious anyways. And then sometimes, the root of your night sweating is serious.

Night sweats, clinically defined as sleep hyperhidrosis, is any drenching perspiration occurring at night or while asleep. It is important to recognize that many more people think they suffer from real night sweating than really do. It is not unusual for a healthy person to perspire a little when they sleep, especially if they are sleeping in a warm environment. In general, cooler temperatures than we accept for living day-to-day are considered healthier for sleeping.

True night sweats involve a real drenching kind of perspiration. It involves the kind of heat that requires you change clothing or change sheets. It is also fairly sudden and fluctuating, hence the association with hot flashes.

There are many causes of sleep hyperhidrosis, from alcohol and drugs to stress and psychological issues. Probably the most common cause of sleep hyperhidrosis is menopause. But men also experience a hormonal shift that can cause night sweat.

However, serious conditions can also lead to night sweating, like diabetes, infectious diseases and cancer. So if you are experiencing abrupt and intense fluctuations of body temperature in the middle of the night and you frequently need to change clothes or sheets, please see your doctor immediately.

Treatments for night sweats can be difficult to define in a single article because often the best treatment is to treat the underlying cause of this damp, irritating symptom. Some natural treatments include iced peppermint tea (with real peppermint) and black cohosh (particularly for women enduring menopause. Some common sense treatments which are broadly applicable include pouring cool water over key junctions of your circular system, like your wrists, and wearing wicking pajamas.

I hope this provided you with a basic foundation for how to consider your night sweats.