What Can Help With My Night Sweats?
Night sweats can happen to almost anyone occasionally. However, if they become a frequent problem, you need to seek treatments or routine changes to alleviate your nighttime sweating. When you wake up to soaked sheets and clothing regularly, something isn’t right.
Night sweats are episodes of excessive sweating that happen while you slumber. While excessive nighttime sweating could simply mean your bedroom or bedding is too hot, it can also indicate an underlying medical condition. Sometimes, night sweats happen as a side effect of medication.
Laika Rodriguez, ND, and our team at Salem Wellness Clinic in Salem, Oregon, review your medical history, other symptoms, and behaviors to explore possible underlying causes of your night sweats.
We specialize in providing naturopathic and general wellness care to alleviate symptoms like night sweats for a more comfortable and fulfilling sleep.
By reading this blog, you’ll learn about night sweats and the best ways to alleviate them for better sleep.
What’s causing your night sweats?
Night sweats can have many underlying causes, and diagnosing them isn’t always easy. Our team examines you, reviews your medical history and might recommend specific tests, such as hormone blood tests, to explore possible causes.
You might experience night sweats because of:
Hormone imbalances
Your hormones influence nearly every process in your body, and when they’re out-of-whack, you’ll experience various symptoms.
Night sweats commonly happen during menopause and thyroid disorders — two common hormone imbalance causes. Fortunately, hormone management can help.
Specific medications
Many medications can cause night sweats, including antidepressants, methadone, and hormone therapies. Tell us about any new medications or medication changes while discussing your night sweats.
Sleep disorders
Sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, can result in night sweats along with other symptoms disruptive to your sleep.
Substance use
Substance use disorders, including alcohol use disorder, can cause excessive nighttime sweating for many people, especially during withdrawal. Drinking increases your heart rate and expands the blood vessels, making you more likely to sweat or get clammy skin.
Other diseases
Other infections and diseases can trigger intense night sweats. Nerve damage, fever, and certain tumors are just a few examples of the many medical conditions associated with night sweats.
Managing your night sweats – how we can help
Sometimes, alleviating night sweats is as simple as cooling your sleeping environment or changing medications.
In other cases, treatment is a little more complex. Our team makes recommendations based on your underlying diagnosis and finds a strategy that works.
If they suspect a hormonal cause, Dr. Rodriguez might recommend hormone therapy. Hormone therapy can address a variety of hormone imbalance symptoms, including night sweats, hot flashes, fatigue, and low libido.
Beyond treating the underlying cause, you can reduce nighttime sweating by trying these strategies:
- Using breathable pajamas and sheets made of natural fabrics
- Limiting alcohol, caffeine, and spicy foods before bed
- Weight loss
- Staying hydrated
- Reducing fat and sugar in your diet
There are also medications specifically for night sweats, but you should only take them as prescribed. In many cases, these medications aren’t necessary.
Visit us today
Dr. Rodriguez can evaluate you for hormone imbalances and conditions that cause or worsen night sweats. To book an evaluation and treatment consultation, call our office or schedule online today.