Night Sweats – The major sign of menopause!
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Night sweats or otherwise known as sleep hyperhidrosis is when a person experiences excessive sweating whilst sleeping. Symptoms can be so bad that the person can be drenched in their own sweat. Night sweats are very common in woman in their forties and above mainly due to hormonal changes or menopause.
There is a variety of other factors that cause night sweats such as:
- Fever
- Viruses
- Epilepsy
- Obstructive sleep apnoea
- Diabetes Insipidus
- Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland)
- Pheochromocytoma (dysfunctional neural cells that causes excessive sweating)
- Epilepsy
- Stroke or Post-stroke
- Cerebral injury
- Migraines
- Hormonal changes
But it is most common in woman because of hormonal changes due to menopause. When night sweats occur, this means the body is experiencing a physiological reaction to significant changes to the hormones. Hot flushes often occur with night sweats and is quite normal to have.
Night sweats also occur during pregnancy, also due to change in hormones in the woman’s body. Irregular patterns of sleep is also very common and some people will frequently wake up at night time experiencing night sweats
Night sweats can also be very disruptive and even embarrassing, but with management, it can be controlled.
To manage night sweats, here are some tips to reduce it:
Wear moisture wicking pajamas
Sweating can be made worse if people wear clothes that don’t allow the person’s body to breathe and to wick the moisture away. To combat this, natural products like merino wool can stop this straight away. Products like cotton help to absorb the sweat and moisture which makes the sweating even worse during the night.
Keep the room temperature slightly cooler than normal but comfortable
Heat contributes to night sweat and if you are sleeping in a hot damp room, night sweats are going to be worse. Therefore, you should keep yourself as cool as possible. For instance, you should reduce the amount of blankets or pillows you sleep with. If possible, turn on the air conditioner or open the window so a cool comfortable breeze can come in.
Keep hydrated
You should keep yourself hydrated and cool before you go to sleep. This will prevent your body from overheating and allow better general circulation. A cold glass of water next to your bed is a good way to give you quick relief of night sweats.
In general, if you are still worried about night sweats, it is best that you contact your medical practitioner and seek medical advice!
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