Heavy Sweating While Sleeping?
People sweat at all times of day and night. Much of the time, we are not even aware that we are sweating. But at certain times, especially during high temperatures and exercise, we all sweat more than usual. Because we can usually point to a reason for our excessive sweating, it can often be surprising to wake up in the middle of the night, covered in sweat. The ‘Night Sweats’, also called ‘Sleep Hyperhidrosis’, is the occurrence of heavy sweating (or hyperhidrosis) while sleeping. A sufferer of Night sweats may or may not also sweat heavily during the day. It may happen at any time of life, but is especially common in early adulthood.
Sleep hyperhidrosis can happen due to genetic reasons and may be harmless in most cases. But it can be upsetting to the sufferer and cause anxiety and distress. Someone who suffers from night sweating might find themselves waking up due to the discomfort of wet or damp bedclothes, pillows and night wear.
If you find yourself suffering from night sweating, first you should ensure that it is not due to environmental causes such as the weather or your central heating - or even a heavier than necessary duvet. If you can rule out these causes it is a good idea to consult a mdical professional to rule out other more serious potential causes. An infection or sickness can be behind night sweating. For example, Diabetes could cause heavy sweating during sleep also. If you find out the reasons behnd it as soon as you can then you can move on to treating it properly.
A great many people suffer from heavy sweating, or hyperhidrosis, which is characterised by an abnormal increase in perspiration which is greater than that necessary for basic body temperature regulation. for better understanding, hyperhidrosis is classified in 4 different ways: Primary hyperhidrosis tends to affect adolescents and the young, and is considered to be a genetic trait. Secondary hyperhidrosis can begin at any age and could be due to a disorder of the thyroid or pituitary gland, diabetes mellitus, tumors, gout, menopause, drugs of some kind, or even mercury poisoning. It can also be divided further according to which part of the body has been affected: palmoplantar refers to symptomatic sweating of mainly the hands or feet, and gustatory hyperhidrosis tends to be more generalized. Alternatively, hyperhydrosis may be classified according to the amount of skin that is affected and its possible causes.
A person who suffers from excessive sweating while sleeping will often experience a higher core body temperature while they are asleep. This will occasionally be felt through actual physical touch and may cause quite a problem with sweating. Whilst this is not a sort of first hyperhidrosis it can be caused by other underlying causes which make the body temperature rise. These could include such things as an infection of some type, medications that a person is taking, overactive glandular problems like those caused by the thyroid gland or maybe another illness, like diabetes. If you’ve got a problem with night sweats then finding out what the underlying cause is will go a great distance in finding an everlasting remedy for the issue and stopping the night sweats once and for all.
The main thing to remember is that while most causes of night sweats are likely to be harmless, some are not and can be a sign of a serious condition which requires medical treatment. So although there are many possible reasons why someone might be suffering from night sweating, it is most important to make a distinction between those which might require medical treatment and those which might be simply due to environmental temperature, bedding, or other incidentals.
Finally, as to causes - one of the most common causes of night sweats in women over 40 is the hormonal changes related to menopause and perimenopause. This is a very common occurrence during the menopause transition years and while annoying, it is not necessarily dangerous or a sign of underlying disease. Some women experience night sweats during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. And once the more serious causes have been ruled out, there are many ways to help relieve night sweats. By keeping a cool glass of water on the night stand and wearing moisture wicking pajamas, many people suffering from night sweats have found relief.
Tags: relaxation techniques