Causes of heavy sweats at night. Causes and treatment of sweating at night while sleeping

Ecology of life: Health and beauty. If profuse night sweats are not associated with hormonal imbalance and taking certain medical supplies, then it is possible to normalize the functioning of the sweat glands.

Nocturnal hyperhidrosis

The regulation of human body temperature is carried out through sweating. The skin, into which blood flows intensively, is cooled by a thin, moist layer of sweat. Blood passing through a tight network of capillaries gives off a large number of transferable heat. Through the venous system, cooled blood again enters large vessels and back to the heart.

Our body needs to maintain the same body temperature - it should be no more than 37 degrees. It is vital for many functions. At this temperature, enzymes and proteins begin to work at their maximum, and red blood cells, or red blood cells, bind and transport oxygen faster. If a person produces more than 100 mg of sweat within 5 minutes at night, then we can talk about night sweats, or hyperhidrosis. Most often it appears at the age of 18-30 years.

So,nocturnal hyperhidrosis is characterized by excessive sweating during sleep.People who suffer from excessive sweating during sleep often wake up sweating at night. They periodically have to change sheets and clothes, and much more often than people with normal level sweating.

The presence of symptoms of this disease negatively affects a person’s ability to concentrate and his daily performance. After all, excessive sweating makes you constantly think about how you look from the outside, about the impression you make on others, and also periodically distracts you from performing direct duties at the workplace.

In everyday life, night hyperhidrosis is simply called night sweat. The most common causes increased sweating carried at night various diseases, metabolic disorders and hormonal disbalance. Night sweats can also be a symptom of stress and mental illness. No need to be confused night sweats caused by external factors, for example, too high a room temperature, with sweating caused by nervousness, stress and structural features of the body. These are different physiological states.

Causes of nocturnal hyperhidrosis:

1. Flu, Infectious mononucleosis, chronic eosinophilic pneumonia and many other acute infections, which are usually accompanied by high body temperature. In this case, increased sweating plays a role defense mechanism, a sign of activation immune system in the fight against infection.

2. Tuberculosis. This infection is caused by a microbacterium, the tuberculosis bacillus, which invades immune cells. During the day, the body temperature rises to 37.2 - 37.5 degrees, and at night the body reacts by sweating during sleep, trying to get rid of the disease through sweat.

3. Diabetes mellitus (nocturnal hypoglycemia). In this pathological condition, the concentration of glucose in the blood is reduced. People taking insulin or oral antidiabetic agents may feel unwell night period due to a decrease in sugar levels, which can lead to significant sweating.

4. Lymphoma, leukemia. Increased night sweats may indicate the presence of cancer blood (lymphoma, leukemia). Happens constantly in the body inflammatory process, which he tries to get rid of with the help of sweat. White blood cells mutate into malignant ones and cease to perform their protective functions. But at the same time, they still release substances into the center of the brain - the hypothalamus, which is responsible for thermoregulation. For this reason, the body temperature rises and a person sweats at night. If you suffer from night sweats and at the same time there is a sharp decrease in body weight and fever, then it is worth taking blood tests to diagnose the disease in time.

5. Hypertension. Night sweats often bother people with hypertension. The cause of sweating in this case is horse racing intracranial pressure. A person who is in an active daytime phase experiences high blood pressure, but at night, during sleep, the body relaxes, all processes occurring in it slow down and, as a result, the pressure drops. As a result - profuse sweating.

6. Heart diseases (damage to the heart valves). They increase sweat production both day and night, which is often accompanied by rapid heartbeat, fatigue, difficulty breathing.

7. Tumor diseases – pheochromocytoma (tumor of the sympathetic nervous system), carcinoid tumors, Chronical bronchitis, AIDS, endocarditis, fungal infection (histoplasmosis, coccidiodomycosis), etc. The cell, degenerating into a malignant one, ceases to perform its function, but still continues to send the corresponding mediators to the hypothalamus. As a result, the body temperature rises and night sweats occur.

8. Hyperfunction thyroid gland or hyperthyroidism. An overactive thyroid gland leads to hormonal imbalance and, as a result of sharp fluctuations in hormone levels, profuse night sweats occur.

9. Experiencing chronic or acute stress, chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety. The condition of the body due to constant emotional stress when stress hormones - adrenaline and cortisol - are produced, it can also lead to night sweats. If you are overloaded with work or your life is a series of endless worries, then your body naturally does not have time to rest, and the adrenal glands, which produce stress hormones, are constantly overworked. Unlike our ancestors, we lead a sedentary lifestyle, so these hormones are not consumed and continue to circulate in the body, keeping it on alert. Sudden night sweats are one of the symptoms that indicate that something is wrong with your body.


10. Medicines. The association between medications and night sweats is quite strong if the drugs include substances such as tamoxifen, nitroglycerin, hydralazine, a nicotinic acid, or niacin. Overuse of antidepressants and medications containing aspirin can lead to night sweats. You should consult your doctor and reduce the amount of antipyretic medications you take.

11. Nervous system disorders. Often night sweats go hand in hand with serious diseases of the nervous system - autonomic dysreflexia, post-traumatic syringomyelia, stroke, autonomic neuropathy, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis.

12. Mental illnesses (psychosis, phobias, depression, nervous exhaustion).

13. Metabolic disorders (Cushing's disease, granulomatous disease, obesity or wasting).

14. Allergy, abscess, autoimmune diseases(rheumatic polyarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis).

15. Drug addiction, alcoholism.

Other possible reasons nocturnal hyperhidrosis:

1. Idiopathic (essential) hyperhidrosis.

This is a problem in which excessive sweating at night is not explained by any medical reason, but is associated with psychological factors.

2. Certain types of food, drinks and drugs:

Night sweats can be caused by some foods, drinks and drugs:

  • Acidic foods (marinades, pickles, citrus fruits, etc.);
  • Hot and spicy food;
  • Hot drinks;
  • Caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate, cola);
  • Spicy foods (cayenne pepper, ginger, pepper);
  • Hydrogenated and saturated fats(meat, margarine);
  • Tobacco and marijuana;
  • Alcohol, including beer.

To prevent night sweats recommended balanced diet with a limit on irritating hot and odorous herbs and spices, which force the body to increase heat transfer, and, therefore, increase sweating - mustard, horseradish, pepper, curry, onion, garlic, coriander, ginger, etc. This happens because a substance called capsaicin, which is found in spicy foods, stimulates the receptors in the mouth, involved in thermoregulation and sweating. The same restriction applies to oily and salty food. In addition, not only hot drinks, but also hot food can cause excessive sweating, so food should be allowed to cool to an acceptable temperature.

Night hyperhidrosis is also provoked by strong tea, coffee, chocolate, cola, cocoa and other products containing theobromine and caffeine. Being strong stimulants that increase heart contractions, they force the heart to work as if it were overheating, causing increased sweating.

As for alcohol, the mechanism of profuse night sweats here is this: hormones break down in the liver, it cleanses our cells of toxins and waste products, releasing a lot of energy, which increases sweating. Experiencing additional stress under the influence alcohol intoxication, the liver stops coping with basic functions, causing profuse night sweats. Since alcohol stimulates blood flow towards the skin, it alcoholic drinks can lead to increased sweating even before you feel any other effect on your body. Beer, wine, and vodka are instantly absorbed and, accordingly, expand the pores through which heat is released. Severe sweating may result in a lack of vitamin B1, which supports the functioning of the nervous system.

3. Sleep disturbance.

One of the popular causes of increased night sweats is sleep disturbance. A person spends about a third of his life sleeping. At this time, the body is renewed not only energetically, but also physiologically, the brain processes and analyzes the information received.Healthy sleep promotes normal operation immune system, wound healing, metabolism and active fat burning. In case of sleep disturbance, an imbalance occurs in the functioning of certain systems in the body.

4. Respiratory failure.

Also, excessive sweating at night can be a consequence of respiratory failure. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor. Respiratory failure - pathological condition, in which the maintenance of normal blood gas composition is not ensured or it is achieved due to more intense work of the external respiration apparatus and heart, which leads to a decrease in the functional capabilities of the body. External respiration maintains constant gas exchange in the body, i.e. supply of oxygen from the atmosphere and removal carbon dioxide. Any disruption of the function of external respiration leads to disruption of gas exchange between the air alveoli in the lungs and the gas composition of the blood. As a result of these disorders, the carbon dioxide content in the blood sharply increases, while the oxygen content decreases, which leads the patient’s body to oxygen starvation (hypoxia). important organs, such as the heart and brain.

It should be borne in mind that the function of the external respiration apparatus is very closely related to the function of the circulatory system - in case of insufficiency of external respiration, increased work of the heart is one of the important elements its compensation, which in turn leads to more sweating.

5. Nocturnal hyperhidrosis in women.

Pregnancy may be the cause of profuse sweating at night in women. This is due to hormonal changes in the body. The manifestation of night sweats and its periods can be different - some forget about this problem after the first trimester, others suffer from it in the later stages of pregnancy. Excessive sweating usually disappears as soon as the balance of hormones in the body returns to normal.

Also One of the most common causes of profuse night sweats is menopause. It usually occurs after 45 years and is considered a natural stage of age-related changes occurring in a woman’s body. The ovaries stop producing female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Hormonal changes can cause serious disturbances in the functioning of the hypothalamus. This tiny part of the brain regulates almost all body functions, including sweating. When the amount of estrogen decreases, the body deceptively associates this failure with a decrease in body temperature and, therefore, increases it in order to achieve thermal and hormonal balance. Therefore, during menopause, a woman experiences hot flashes (heat that spreads throughout the body), causing excessive sweating. Special hormone therapy, prescribed by a doctor after an examination, helps reduce sweating at night.

In addition, night sweats can occur manifestation premenstrual syndrome – a few days before menstruation, a woman is worried about irritability, tearfulness, fatigue, acne and increased sweating.

6. Nocturnal hyperhidrosis in children. This disease does not bypass young children either. If this happens to your child, take a closer look; sometimes it is a symptom of an infectious disease. You should carefully consider and examine the child by a doctor, since excessive sweating can cause disturbances in the functioning of the autonomic system in a fragile organism.

For the most part, increased sweating in children is associated with age-related changes. During growth, the body rearranges the processes occurring, and accordingly the temperature regime. Over time, everything returns to normal.

It happens that sweating causes problems with peers, and sometimes the child is embarrassed to talk about the problem even to his parents. If you notice symptoms of nocturnal hyperhidrosis in your child, try to take the following measures:

  • Set the temperature in the rooms to no more than 18-20 degrees;
  • Buy clothes for your child only from natural materials.

A sensitive attitude on the part of adults will also help overcome internal psychological barriers.

7. Sedentary lifestyle. A person needs to move. If this does not happen, then the body can release excess energy through sweat. Try to be in the fresh air as much as possible, take walks, ski walks, hikes, and do feasible physical work and exercise.

Consultation with a doctor and diagnosis.

After the consultation, the doctor will analyze the observed symptoms and complaints of the patient and, depending on the data received, will refer him for diagnosis to one of the specialists - oncologist, allergist, neurologist, endocrinologist, neurologist, somnologist, psychologist, psychotherapist. Patients are always recommended to undergo a general therapeutic examination, a screening test, a general blood and urine test, blood biochemistry, and lung radiography. These analyzes allow us to identify the most anxiety states, such as tumors, tuberculosis, diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, etc.

Before the examination, the doctor must ask the patient about complaints about the disease, the circumstances of its occurrence and about diseases that were previously suffered. In order to determine the basic parameters of the body’s functioning, the doctor not only conducts general examination, but also prescribes a blood test. Work to identify the disease is not limited to microbiological research. The cellular composition of the blood, indicators of inflammatory processes, thyroid and sex hormones, adrenaline, norepinephrine, kidney and liver function are also monitored.

After spending detailed analysis blood, it is possible to establish the underlying disease that led to the development of night sweats. Having determined the origins of the disease, you can begin to choose its treatment. Usually, after completing a course of treatment, positive changes are observed in the body. In general, chronic or idiopathic night sweats are rare.

Prevention, treatment and precautions for nocturnal hyperhidrosis

Treatment for excessive night sweats depends on the cause, frequency, and severity of night hyperhidrosis attacks. If profuse sweating at night is caused by menopause, then the most effective option is hormone therapy - taking doctor-recommended medications containing synthetic versions of the hormone estrogen. Female hormonal levels are regulated by the pituitary gland and hypothalamus. The thermoregulation center is located in the hypothalamus. Sharp fluctuations in estrogen levels lead to the fact that the thermoregulation center begins to respond to them with an increase in temperature - night sweats occur.

If profuse night sweats are not associated with hormonal imbalance, illness, or taking certain medications, then you can normalize the functioning of the sweat glands as follows:

1. Eat right. Avoid spicy, salty, spicy, fatty foods, alcohol, and caffeinated drinks at least three hours before bedtime—all of these foods can cause night sweats and sharp jumps temperature, increasing arterial pressure and increasing heart rate. And here herbal teas with mint, lemon balm, ginger and honey will help you sleep peacefully.

2. Don't overeat at night. This can also lead to night sweats. Overeating at night leads to breathing problems. A full stomach causes pressure on the diaphragm, which increases as horizontal position. As a result, the patient breathes less efficiently during sleep and may develop a disease such as gastroesophageal reflux, which leads to excessive sweating at night.

3. Avoid all types of physical activity and drinking hot liquids at least three hours before bedtime. After hot tea or exercise physical exercise The pulse quickens, the metabolism accelerates, which can lead to increased sweating.

4. Carefully monitor body hygiene. Very helpful cold and hot shower, shortly before bed, first take a warm shower so that the pores open and excess moisture leaves the body, then turn on more cool water, which will close the pores, thereby preventing night sweats. Also good are soothing warm baths with herbs and sage infusions, which will help you relax and reduce sweating during sleep.

6. Room temperature. If the weather permits, sleep with open windows to ensure a constant flow fresh air. Make sure your bedroom is always cool and fresh. Regulate the temperature of the sleeping room - it should not exceed 21 degrees. This is the most comfortable climate, allowing you to significantly reduce night sweats.

7. Choose a lightweight blanket made from natural materials. Wear lighter pajamas, otherwise in warm pajamas you will create more conditions for sweating. Sleepwear should be made of 100% cotton.

8. Use traditional medicine. Herbs such as violet, elderberry, chickweed, dandelion, horse sorrel, angelica help regulate and lower body temperature.published

Sweating at night while sleeping is a problem that worries many. But it is not always a consequence of a serious illness for which you need to see a doctor. Sweating a lot is not a pathology at all. Therefore, in most cases, this problem can be solved independently at the household level.

Types of Excessive Sweating

Profuse sweating can occur through any part of the body where there are sweat glands. In general, there are two types of this phenomenon:

  1. General hyperhidrosis - excessive sweating is observed throughout the body, that is, in armpits, back, head, torso, inguinal folds, etc.
  2. Local hyperhidrosis - only the head sweats.

Another classification involves the division of hyperhidrosis, depending on the reasons for sweating during sleep:

  • Primary - the cause is individual characteristics a person, his emotional mood (for example, if I sweat at night because of nightmares);
  • Secondary - in this case, sweating during sleep occurs against the background of some disease.

Provoking factors

To treat the problem, it is necessary to initially understand why a person sweats at night. The main reasons for this phenomenon are the following:

  1. Using very warm blankets and other bedding. The blanket may not allow any air to pass through at all, so even in winter it will cause sweating during sleep. Therefore, you need to carefully select this product. Particular attention should be focused on the quality of this accessory if it is cheap and made using artificial fillers, for example, padding polyester. Also, if a person sweats a lot during sleep, this may be caused by using sheets with terry fabrics. They disrupt the body's thermoregulation, which leads to excessive sweating.
  2. Excessive sweating during sleep may be associated with poor nightwear. Thus, pajamas and other underwear made of synthetic materials and even silk and satin can cause severe sweating at night. Therefore, it is worth changing this underwear to cotton and seeing if the situation changes.
  3. Temperature in the bedroom. Very often, increased sweating during sleep is associated with not very comfortable air temperatures. Normally, the room temperature should be about 20 degrees Celsius. Also, the room should be constantly ventilated before going to bed so that there is sufficient quantity fresh air. If this is not done, problems with the skin and other organs of the body will begin. As a result, this will result in excessive sweating, as well as other possible problems with skin.
  4. Poor nutrition and bad habits. Those who suffer from hyperhidrosis and consume hot and spicy foods, chocolate, carbonated drinks and alcohol before bed are advised to avoid these foods. They dilate the walls of blood vessels, which increases local blood flow. In order to normalize blood temperature, the body has to start the process of sweating.

Hyperhidrosis and internal diseases

If, after adjusting your lifestyle, excessive night sweats remain, it is still recommended to see a doctor. Indeed, sometimes this problem is associated with serious malfunctions within the body or even with the presence of hidden internal pathologies.

First of all, it should be noted that slight sweating at night is normal process, which provides thermoregulation of the body, maintains blood temperature within the required limits. But sometimes a malfunction occurs and the sweat glands begin to work excessively.

So, when there is an infection in the body, a process known as fever begins. Body temperature rises significantly, so the mechanism of increased sweat production is triggered in order, firstly, to maintain temperature values ​​within acceptable limits, and secondly, to remove toxins and other waste products of bacteria. If fever occurs, it is important to find out its causes. After all, it could be a cold or more serious illnesses(tuberculosis, AIDS). Exactly profuse sweating at night forces specialists to prescribe a number of procedures, in particular, chest x-rays, to rule out tuberculosis.

A more rare cause of excessive sweating at night is the presence of cancer (lymphoma, pheochromocytoma and other tumors). The thermoregulation center is affected, which leads to malfunctions in its functioning. Often the patient lives with this problem for years and does not even realize what is wrong with him oncological process. Of all types of tumors, excessive sweating most often accompanies lymphogranulomatosis and other similar tumors.

The presence of excessive sweating during sleep may also indicate problems in the endocrine system - metabolic disorders, hormonal imbalance, glandular pathologies. For example, this phenomenon may indicate the development of thyroid diseases, diabetes and other diseases.

Excessive sweating and other diseases

There are many other reasons that cause excessive sweating at night. For example, this may be associated with diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. This manifests itself in tachycardia, respiratory arrest at night, hypertension and other phenomena.

Often night sweats are associated with psycho-emotional abnormalities in the patient. For example, he may experience stress, anxiety, overwork and other problems. As a result of this, it is released excess quantity adrenaline, which needs to be removed with drops of sweat. These are minimal disorders, but more serious ones are also possible - hysteria, depression, schizophrenia, nervous exhaustion, etc. They also lead to serious disruptions in the body's thermoregulation.

Autoimmune diseases are another cause of hyperhidrosis. The problem arises against the background of acute rheumatic fever, multiple sclerosis, aortoarteritis and other pathologies.

Causes a sharp release of adrenaline into the blood, which leads to short-term stress. After this, the body begins to secrete excess sweat.

Some medications also stimulate night sweats. This is most often done by cytostatics, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drugs.

Measures to combat excessive sweating at night

If the problem of increased sweating at night is a constant concern, it needs to be addressed, because it causes some discomfort to the patient and his partner. To begin with, you can use the methods independent struggle, and if they don’t help, then you should consult a doctor. In general, all methods of treating this problem can be divided into several types:

  • traditional methods of treatment;
  • medical approaches;
  • cosmetology techniques and products.

Before you decide which of the above methods to use in your case, you need to try to understand why excessive sweating occurred during sleep. After this, it is worth eliminating the factors that caused it, and then treating the problem itself. But we must remember that persistent hyperhidrosis indicates a possible serious pathology. This means that it is better to go to the doctors for consultation. They will help you find out if there are any serious illnesses. If they are not there, you can follow these recommendations to get rid of hyperhidrosis:

  1. It is recommended to take a warm bath every time before going to bed. Thanks to this procedure, the pores will expand, and through them excess moisture will be removed from the body. Next, you should treat your skin with cooler water to tighten the pores.
  2. Relaxing baths using medicinal herbs- perfect solution. They can also be taken in the evening.
  3. Analyze your diet. Avoid spicy foods in the evening. It is recommended to make dinner as light as possible, excluding heavy foods. In addition, you should not drink alcohol in the evening.
  4. Buy sage herb and make a decoction from it. It is recommended to consume a glass of the product every day for two weeks. Thanks to the use of sage, the nervous system is calmed and put in order, which is reflected in sweating.
  5. Another remedy for excessive sweating is a decoction of oak bark. Prepare the medicine and rub it on the skin before going to bed. Alternatively, you can use apple cider vinegar.
  6. It is also worth choosing a good antiperspirant deodorant. Thanks to its use, the pores will narrow, which will have a positive effect on the functioning of the sweat glands. It is necessary to choose a deodorant that has the optimal composition, and then sweating can be reduced by 10-20 times. It is best to use sprays as they are convenient. But you need to keep in mind that over time, the skin gets used to the deodorant, and it is no longer so effective.

Many are much more effective cosmetic products, since this industry does not stand still. So, with severe hyperhidrosis, you can give several injections of special medications that will permanently eliminate night sweats. Injections are carried out in the armpits, palms, and other parts of the body. However, such an intervention will not be expensive. As a rule, the positive effect lasts up to six months, after which the injections are repeated.

Within normal limits, the amount of fluid lost does not exceed 500 ml.

At night, when a person sleeps, body functions slow down and the amount of discharge decreases. Severe sweating during sleep or hyperhidrosis is a pathology that requires timely treatment.

The exception is household factors: a blanket that is too warm, stuffy room, high humidity. Wet spots on the pillow and sheets may indicate infectious and transmissible diseases, so the anomaly should not be ignored. Not only the health of the patient, but also his loved ones depends on this.

Only a specialist can correctly determine why a person sweats heavily during sleep and prescribe the appropriate procedures.

The function of sweating is thermoregulation. Increased level temperature provokes the development of disturbances in the functioning of organs and systems of the body. The brain sends a signal sweat glands increase sweating. Thanks to this, toxic substances are eliminated and the body cools.

Hyperhidrosis varies in intensity of manifestations:

  1. Soft shape. In order to continue resting, just turn the pillow over or remove the blanket.
  2. Moderate form. Rest is interrupted by the desire to wash. There is no need to change clothes.
  3. Severe form. The discharge is profuse, and during rest there is a need to change clothes. Bed linen becomes covered with wet spots.

Many reasons can contribute to the occurrence of a disorder. They are divided into external and internal. By determining why a person sweats in his sleep, you can quickly get rid of the unpleasant anomaly.

External

External or non-medical causes of night sweats in people do not indicate the presence of the disease. To eliminate the problem, it is enough to adjust your lifestyle.

In rare cases, a visit to a somnologist is required. He will help you choose the right tactics of behavior so that the process of falling asleep does not cause difficulties, and the rest is complete.

Bed sheets

An incorrectly selected blanket causes not only severe sweating during rest, but also allergic reactions.

The synthetic filler retains heat but does not allow the body to breathe. Lack of air circulation at night causes the skin to dry out and the body to overheat.

Incorrect microclimate

Violation of the temperature regime provokes hyperhidrosis and interferes with good rest.

IN summer time It is necessary to constantly ventilate the room and not close the windows at night, in winter period– It is enough to ventilate the room in the evening.

Warm clothes

When choosing pajamas, you should pay attention to the material of the product. Clothes made of satin and silk are not suitable for night rest. Thick tissue also causes hyperhidrosis.

Underwear that can provide complete rest should be made of “breathable” fabrics.

For example, cotton and linen. They are able to allow air and vapor to pass through without overheating.

Linen absorbs moisture well and dries quickly, so it is also recommended to choose such clothing for sports.

Nutrition

Poor nutrition is another reason why a person sweats in his sleep. Special attention should be reserved for the last meal. Products that increase blood circulation, in addition to hyperhidrosis, can cause insomnia. These include: spicy foods, coffee, chocolate, garlic, sweet carbonated drinks.

The use of certain medications may be one of the provoking factors why a person sweats heavily at night.

These include antidepressants and sleeping pills, which include side effects produce increased sweating.

Hyperhidrosis is also provoked by nicotinic acid, nitroglycerin and aspirin.

Domestic

If the condition is caused by other factors, the root of the problem is development pathological processes in organism. This is a series of acute and chronic diseases, the main symptom of which is heavy sweating at night.

In such cases, the body experiences severe stress and immediate assistance from specialists is required to determine the causes.

Infectious diseases

The condition is accompanied by fever. The active work of the sweating system is caused by an increase in temperature.

To help your body fight infection, you need to drink plenty of fluids, this will help reduce your fever. It is recommended to measure your temperature frequently and, if necessary, take antipyretic medications.

The most common reason why a person sweats profusely during sleep is brucellosis. This is an infection carried by animals.

It can be contracted by eating unboiled milk, undercooked meat, and close contact with animals. Every year, up to 2.5 million patients come to hospitals with complaints of night sweats due to brucellosis.

Tuberculosis is a dangerous infectious disease that is accompanied by profuse night sweats. Anyone can become infected, the virus is transmitted by airborne droplets, so it’s almost impossible to protect yourself. If you suspect the cause of hyperhidrosis, you should urgently consult a specialist.

Endocrine disorders

An imbalance in hormonal function is the main trigger for sweating during sleep.

Active body secretions at night signal or.

Changes hormonal levels c, during menopause, andropause, pregnancy and PMS in 80% are accompanied by increased sweating at night. This is not a pathology, but it causes inconvenience during sleep.

Kidney diseases

Patients who have it suffer from severe sweating at night. The organs cannot cope, which is why sweating increases. Excess moisture is removed through the pores.

In this case, the cause that provokes nocturnal hyperhidrosis is a dangerous pathology. If you don't start timely treatment the patient's condition will quickly deteriorate, people ignoring medical care risk a number of complications.

Somnological disorders

Disorders can provoke external factors, but if the cause of severe sweating during sleep is nightmares, you need to consult a psychologist and somnologist.

Nightmares indicate the presence of childhood fears or arise against the background of experienced stress.

The plots of the visions frighten the person and adrenaline is released into the blood. It activates the sweating system, which is why increased sweating occurs.

Sleep apnea syndrome

This dangerous condition, characterized by snoring during sleep, accompanied by pauses in breathing.

The disorder provokes the development of tachycardia in a person and arterial hypertension. Holding your breath causes profuse sweating and can lead to death.

To determine why it occurred similar anomaly you need to contact a specialist. The attacks last from 20 to 30 seconds, in neglected form 2–3 minutes and repeated 10–15 times per hour, interfering with proper rest, causing deterioration of memory and attention.

Tumors

When independently figuring out why a person sweats a lot, we must not forget about the likelihood of developing oncology.

The active functioning of the sweating system at night is caused by tumors in the area of ​​lymphoid tissue.

This causes skin irritation and rapid weight loss.

Also, night sweats in men can be accompanied by pathology of the testicles or prostate gland.

This is a formation that independently produces biologically active substances and hormones. It can be malignant or benign.

It has no specific localization and is found with equal frequency in different areas of the body. Her small size does not interfere with the full functioning of a person; night sweats are caused by the hormones it produces.

Another symptom of carcinoid syndrome is flushing. This is a condition where an adult's head sweats while he sleeps. Additionally, the disease is identified by bronchospasm (attacks of respiratory arrest) and diarrhea.

Hyperhidrosis in children

Parents, when identifying the reason why their child sweats a lot at night, should not forget about the characteristics of the child’s body. This is a physiological phenomenon and does not indicate the presence of pathology.

During adolescence, a person’s sleep differs in the duration of its phases. In an adult they are much shorter. However, if the child has been exposed severe stress Sweating in a dream signals psychological disorders and the presence of nightmares.

If a child's head sweats, this is a symptom of rickets. The disease has a number of additional manifestations:

  • weak muscle tone;
  • nervous system disorders;
  • frog belly

Before the age of one year, the baby sweats profusely. The condition is caused by the development of the sebaceous glands.

If a child breaks out in a cold sweat while sleeping, this is the first sign of a cold. The condition occurs before the first symptoms appear: runny nose and cough. Particular attention should be paid to stories about “nightmares when I sleep.” Frightening visions will prompt parents to the cause of the nervous disorder.

Common reasons that cause excessive sweating when sleeping in children:

  • Hyperactivity is a disorder in the functioning of the nervous system. Increased activity in daytime days is caused by an abundance of false signals from the brain about insufficient heat in the space.
  • Solar vitamin(D) deficiency – discharge is bad smell. The violation occurs on initial stage development of rickets.
  • Premature babies – during breastfeeding they have to spend more energy than other children. Fatigue causes hyperhidrosis.
  • Premature babies - feeding causes them great difficulties, they have to spend much more energy than other children. Overwork provokes hyperhidrosis.

Treatment methods and whether a doctor is needed

Abnormal functioning of the sweating system may indicate the presence of a serious illness. But, before going to the clinic, it is recommended to eliminate all household factors that provoke the disorder.

If, despite this, a person still sweats heavily in the evening and at night, you need to seek help from a specialist.

If the examination does not reveal why at night the patient is disturbed copious discharge V different parts body - the root of the problem lies in genetic predisposition to hyperhidrosis. This independent disease. The essence of treatment is the elimination of symptoms.

  • - affects membranes cellular structures sweat, damaging them and causing them to die. The effect lasts up to two years.
  • - This partial removal skin together with the sweat glands.
  • - the anomaly is eliminated using Botox injections in areas with increased sweating.

In the absence of diseases, you have to come to terms with the fact that you sweat a lot during sleep or decide to radical methods treatment. However, there are a number of recommendations that will help to slightly reduce a person’s sweating when he sleeps.

Preventive measures:

  • It is necessary to carefully ensure that the temperature in the rest room does not exceed 20 degrees.
  • When getting ready to sleep, you should not eat. Regular snacks later than 2.5 hours before bedtime intensify the problem. Late dinner lovers will have to accept the fact that they sweat a lot.

Troubling night sweats is not a separate disease. More often it accompanies some deviations in the functioning of the body or is provoked by various external factors. Both men and women experience this phenomenon, but children, especially infants, suffer the most from this. In itself, it is not dangerous to health, but it causes significant discomfort.

The causes of female and male nocturnal hyperhidrosis may vary. Pregnant and nursing mothers, athletes, people with diabetes mellitus. Night sweats are less common in people with hypotension (low blood pressure), and more often in those who are obese. The armpits, palms, neck, back of the head, and scalp suffer the most.

The sweat produced has an unpleasant odor and stains night clothes and bed linen. At the same time, its color is transparent. You can talk about a problem if it occurs more often than 2-3 times a week. Isolated precedents can be dictated by banal everyday reasons - too warm clothes, stuffy room, stale air. If night sweats constantly bother you, you should consult a general practitioner (family doctor).

Hyperhidrosis, which occurs at night during sleep, almost always accompanies an elevated body temperature that accompanies influenza, bronchitis and other ENT diseases. Mostly it appears closer to night and may not subside until the morning. At this time, the body is severely exhausted, it tries to actively fight infection and toxins. Sweat is his protective reaction to their influence; dead bacteria come out with it.

Excessive sweating in humans is a consequence of predominantly acute infectious diseases. These include:

Night sweats occur especially often in patients with diabetes. This is due to the fact that at night their blood glucose levels spike. In this case, sweat appears mainly in the upper part of the body - on the neck, face, arms, armpits. The culprit may also be impaired kidney function, which is typical for diabetics. The main percentage of diseases is due to pyelonephritis.

The reason that excessive sweating occurs at night may also lie in endocrine disorders. The problem appears when the production of thyroid hormones increases and the size of this organ increases. This is also facilitated by neoplasms of the pituitary gland and adrenal glands.

Rheumatological diseases can increase sweat production:

  • purulent arthritis;
  • osteoarthritis;
  • gout;
  • erythema nodosum;
  • osteochondrosis.

Chronic fatigue, depression, and sleep apnea syndrome can also cause increased sweating.

If heavy sweating at night is caused by the latter, it occurs oxygen starvation cells, which promotes the production of adrenaline (stress hormone). As a result, breathing and heart rate increase, and blood pressure increases.

Very often, those who sweat are found to be dependent on antidepressants, antipsychotics, steroid hormones, and antihypertensive drugs. Sweat is considered one of their side effects; it appears 10-20 days after starting to use a particular drug.

Household reasons

They both aggravate the situation and create it. The answers to the question: “Why do I sweat a lot at night?” may be the following.

Poorly ventilated area

If a person sleeps in dry, stale air, the skin of the body breathes poorly and the cells do not receive the required amount of oxygen. To ensure this, before going to sleep, you need to open the window for 1-2 hours, even in winter. This is especially true for those who have several computers in their home. You can use an air conditioner to keep the room cool. In the summer, it’s even better to sleep with the window open.

Poor quality clothes

Heavy sweating during sleep sometimes occurs due to synthetic fabrics that do not provide the skin with normal ventilation. The best material Here cotton is used, but silk pajamas lead to overheating of the body. Those who choose sweaters and pants that are too thick often wake up sweating. It is optimal to sleep in a T-shirt and shorts.

A warm blanket

Wrapping yourself in terry blankets at night also leads to overheating of the body, which is the main reason for sweating. To avoid this in the summer, it is enough to cover yourself with a sheet or duvet cover.

Poor nutrition

Those who suffer most from night sweats are those who drank a lot of water in the evening. Sweating in a dream can also make itself felt in those who after 19:00 like to snack on chocolate and coffee or drink strong hot tea. Dangerous foods include everything fried, too fatty, salty, and spicy.

Those who prefer to drink a glass of beer or any other alcoholic drink at night should be especially worried. This leads to dilation of blood vessels and increased pressure.

Hyperhidrosis often prevents you from getting a good night's sleep after active activities. physical activity. You need to exercise no later than 3 hours before going to bed so that your body calms down.

Why children suffer

Most often, what or why a person sweats at night is a cold. Babies, especially infants, very often get ARVI and suffer from elevated temperature bodies. This can also be explained by the fact that until the age of 4 years, a child’s sweat glands are not yet formed. Normalization of thermoregulation occurs around the age of five.

You can notice traces of sweat on the body of a sleeping child at night even when he is very hot. Maybe he is wearing too thick pajamas or is covered with a blanket during the warm season. Pajamas made from unnatural fabrics that irritate the skin may also be to blame. To avoid hyperhidrosis, you need to maintain the air humidity in the nursery at 60% and the temperature around +24°C.

Also wake up wet baby maybe if he was bathed in too much warm water right before bed. In this case, you don’t have to think long about the question “why do I sweat at night,” because taking a bath dilates blood vessels, increases blood pressure and excites the central nervous system. A warm shower does the same thing. Therefore, it is better if it is contrasting and taken at least 4 hours before bedtime.

Another enemy of a child, which explains why his skin sweats a lot at night, is worries and worries. If the baby has cried and screamed before going to bed, his palms, neck, face and head will certainly sweat. But the most dangerous of all possible reasons is rickets. In this case, with severe hyperhidrosis, the scalp sweats the most.

Causes of sweating during pregnancy

During pregnancy, a long menopause occurs. Calls her hormonal changes body, which is very active in the first trimester of pregnancy. For those who do not understand why they sweat a lot at night, the reasons are simple: it is at this time that the level of progesterone in the body decreases significantly. It returns to normal only at 10-15 weeks. All this can cause ebbs and flows, which activates increased sweat production. Most often this happens in the evening and at night.

In the third semester, the cause of night sweats may lie in a sharp increase in the volume of fluid in the body. In addition to this, the load on the kidneys increases and blood circulation significantly accelerates. All this together causes the body to sweat, and not only at night.

Treatment prognosis

If sweating is caused by simple everyday reasons, then eliminating them will allow you to forget about the problem. In case of any deviations in work, only a doctor after a thorough examination can tell you why you sweat at night. It may be necessary to treat some endocrine, infectious, rheumatological and women's diseases. In the absence of severe pathologies, the outcome of treatment is always positive.

Sudden night sweating should not frighten you, but it can certainly alert you. If it does not go away on its own for more than 1-2 months, be sure to consult a doctor, he will conduct a comprehensive examination and rule out serious causes of severe sweating at night.

Excessive night sweats are a common complaint with which people consult a doctor. Most people suffer from such a problem as nocturnal hyperhidrosis for many years, and sometimes throughout their lives, not daring to bother doctors with such a “trifle.” Meanwhile, examination by a specialist for such a problem is the most important step that can prevent the development serious illnesses. After all, excessive night sweats can be a sign of an extremely serious health problem, and neglecting a visit to the doctor is strictly not recommended.

Causes of night sweats

Excessive sweating during sleep can occur due to everyday reasons that depend on external conditions, and physiological reasons, which are formed as a result of any internal diseases. First of all, you need to try to eliminate everyday problems. Under what conditions do people sweat at night? These factors include:

  • Overly warm bed linen and blanket. When choosing a blanket for the winter, you don’t need to be too zealous. Woolen blankets, which cover a person at night, perfectly protect against the cold in winter time years, but if covering it makes you sweat at night, it would be wiser to give it up and switch to a more easy option. It is also important to consider the material of manufacture. Inexpensive blankets are made from padding polyester or other artificial fabrics, which, on the one hand, warm well, but on the other hand, do not allow air to pass through well, creating a closed hot environment underneath, which provokes overheating human body and, as a result, excessive sweating at night. The same goes for bed linen. Synthetic sheets have a strong effect on the body's thermoregulation.
  • High room temperature. If the bedroom is too hot, stuffy and rarely ventilated, you often break into a sweat at night even under thin blankets or without them at all. The ideal temperature for sleeping would be 18-20°C. In addition, you should ventilate the room every day a couple of hours before bedtime. If this is not possible, a person should install an air conditioner in the bedroom, which can maintain coolness and purify stale air.
  • Sleepwear. Nightwear is no less important. It can be very comfortable, but if a person wears clothes made of satin or silk, it can provoke increased sweating, especially in the armpit area. At night it is better to wear linen or cotton items.
  • Food. At night, a person may sweat a lot due to their diet. Spicy, hot and spicy foods, chocolate, coffee, soda, as well as high-proof alcoholic drinks significantly increase blood circulation. This leads to the body trying to cool down the “hot” blood, which results in sweating at night.

Physiological causes of night sweats

But it is not always the case that a person sweats very much at night due to external reasons. In some cases, he breaks into a sweat at night under certain conditions. internal diseases. If external factors have been excluded, and sweating during sleep in the armpit area continues to plague you, you should think about visiting a doctor. So, what disease symptoms are manifested in excessive sweating at night?

Infectious diseases

Most infectious diseases are accompanied by an increase in body temperature. This always causes increased night sweats. These are diseases such as:

  • Lung abscess. With this disease in lung tissue purulent processes are formed that arise due to bacterial infection or long-term chronic illnesses.
  • Infectious mononucleosis. This acute viral disease disrupts the functioning of the spleen, liver, lymph nodes, changes the composition of the blood and causes a feverish state, which often causes sweating at night.
  • Tuberculosis. A person with this condition almost always experiences profuse sweating at night time.
  • Endocarditis. The inner walls of the heart become inflamed, which leads to very severe pain in the joints and muscles, weakness in the body, high temperature and, as a result, to what makes you sweat at night.
  • Fungal or HIV infections. Diseases such as histoplasmosis or coccidiodomycosis almost always cause very heavy sweating at night, usually in the armpit area.

Endocrine system diseases

  • ovarian failure;
  • orchiectomy;
  • hyperthyroidism;
  • diabetes.

Rheumatological diseases

Almost all rheumatological diseases cause severe pain, which often provokes increased sweating at night.

  • Takayasu arteritis. In this disease, the blood vessels become inflamed, causing painful sensations in the muscles, dizziness and nocturnal hyperhidrosis.
  • Temporal arteritis. A disease in which the inflammatory process occurs in the temporal region of the brain tissue. In addition to severe night sweats, it is accompanied by severe pain in the neck and temple. At untimely treatment Temporal arteritis can cause loss of visual function.

Other diseases

  • Lymphomas, malignant neoplasms. The spread of cancer metastases to the lymph nodes and vessels often causes profuse sweating at night, usually in the armpit area.
  • Obstructive sleep apnea. This is a syndrome in which breathing stops during sleep. This happens as a result of the fact that the upper Airways narrow and hypoxia of body tissues occurs.
  • Osinophilic chronic pneumonia. Causes severe underarm sweating at night.
  • Gastroesophageal disease. With this disease, gastric contents reflux up the esophagus.
  • Granulomatosis. Most often this disease occurs in men. The disease manifests itself in chronic lesions of the intestines, skin, sinuses, oral cavity and lymph nodes.
  • Diabetes insipidus. Rare disease, in which there is not only severe sweating of the armpits, but also constant thirst, and frequent urination(up to 15 liters of fluid per day can be released).
  • Prinzmetal syndrome. The disease usually occurs in people who suffer from atherosclerotic pathologies. Signs of the disease are failures heart rate, the appearance of phobias, neuroses and fears, which often cause sweat to flow at night, especially in the armpit area.

Nocturnal hyperhidrosis can also occur with diseases such as: chronic fatigue syndrome, disorders of the nervous system, hyperplasia lymph nodes, hypertension and tachycardia. Taking certain medications can also cause hyperhidrosis. Night sweats in the armpits are side effect when taking antipyretics (antipyretics), antidepressants, phenothiazines, drugs to lower blood pressure.

Night sweats in women are often associated with hormonal or physiological changes. These changes occur during pregnancy, before menstrual cycle, or during menopause. In all these cases female body undergoes changes in the hormonal system. The level of progesterone and estrogen can sharply increase and decrease, and this causes disruptions in thermoregulatory processes. During such periods, women sweat a lot at night, with the chest or armpit area especially sweating. Usually this problem goes away on its own when the level of sex hormones returns to normal.

Eliminating the cause of excessive sweating at night

To get rid of night sweats, it is necessary to determine exactly what problem caused this pathology. If the reasons are due to a specific disease, you will need to consult with the appropriate doctor. First of all, you should go to a therapist so that he can examine the general condition and determine whether there are other symptoms that may indicate a particular disease. Next, the therapist issues a referral to the appropriate doctor who is treating the disease that caused nocturnal hyperhidrosis.

If increased or profuse night sweats in the armpit area were caused by taking certain medications, you should ask your doctor to prescribe other medications that will have the same effect, but without the same side effects.

Hyperhidrosis can also occur as an independent disease. In this case increased secretion sweat haunts a person at any time of the day, not only at night. Now there are a huge number of methods for treating this disease. To reduce night sweats, you can use special lotions, creams, gels, and medications. If hyperhidrosis cannot be treated by other means, your doctor may recommend injections of Dysport or Botox. Good effect can be provided by iontophoresis or thoracoscopic sympathectomy. The doctor can prescribe a specific form of treatment only after a complete examination.

  • eliminate stress and emotional overload during the day;
  • maintain the temperature in the bedroom around 20 degrees;
  • ventilate the room daily, or provide fresh air by installing an air conditioner or air freshener;
  • sleep only in clothes made from natural materials, choose light cotton blankets and sheets;
  • do not eat spicy foods before bedtime heavy food, do not drink coffee, strong tea or alcoholic beverages;
  • an hour before bedtime you can eat carrots, buckwheat porridge, salad, parsley - these foods reduce sweating;
  • It is not recommended to watch intense films or TV shows before going to bed - it is better to read a book or listen to calm music;
  • An hour before bedtime, it is recommended to dim the lighting in the bedroom - with low light, the body begins to produce the sleep hormone (melatonin);
  • a person should devote more time to physical activity during the day so that by the evening the body gets tired and does not bother itself with excessive sweating at night.

Yoga or meditation, avoidance of tonics (alcohol and cigarettes), healthy eating, friendly attitude to others, as well as an atmosphere of love and understanding in the family circle.