Night sweats is a serious condition that affects both men and women. When someone has night sweats, they wake up after a night’s sleep, having perspired and moistened their surroundings. This happens regardless of how many layers they slept under or how warm their room was at the time (though those factors are also important and should be addressed properly to prevent night sweats from worsening).
This is not generally an isolated symptom. Often, night sweats can be signs of other illnesses, such as dealing with an intense fever. If you have night sweats, you should be aware of other circumstances and seek the best treatment possible. Long-term afflictions, both physical and mental can contribute to night sweats. Someone who is dealing with anxiety or sleep disruptions might also have night sweats. Ailments such as thyroid disease, tuberculosis, and more can also have them as a side effect. If you’re taking certain prescription medications, pay close attention to the side effects. It’s possible that they are what’s causing your night sweats.
1. Bacterial Infections
Something going wrong inside your body can be a cause of a lot of sweat coming out of your body. With bacterial infections, night sweats become a real possibility. There are conditions such as endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and abscesses that can be a springboard for night sweats to develop. These need to be addressed as quickly as you’re able to. Given how painful they can be, it’s unlikely that you’ll try to do anything but recover. In the process, you might notice how much you’re sweating. While these could be a side effect of any fevers you might also be experiencing, they’re most likely night sweats.
Should you have a bacterial infection, you need to make sure you are properly hospitalized or taken care of. If night sweats are occurring as a side effect, make sure your doctors and nurses are aware. They can make the adjustments necessary to make you comfortable and improve the conditions of your room. You need to make sure that you are following their orders exactly. Your body is going to be seriously affected by these infections. Even if you do find yourself feeling better, you shouldn’t rush your recovery process. You also need to listen to their advice for how to transition back to your regular routine.
2. Endocarditis
You might have endocarditis, an ailment in which bacteria makes its way from other regions of your body before ultimately latching onto your heart. It can make you feel incredibly exhausted due to the strain it puts on your heart. It can also make breathing more difficult. With your heart compromised, chest pains can become very pronounced. Endocarditis can be drastic in how much pain it causes you and can result in death. It needs to be dealt with right away in order to ensure your survival. Speak with a cardiologist if you feel any sort of intense pressure or pain in your chest region.
3. Osteomyelitis
Another bacterial infection to look out for is osteomyelitis. You might know that “osteo” is a word that pertains to bones. It’s similar to endocarditis in that it involves an infection making its way to a specific region of your body. Only this time, it’s your bones. Should osteomyelitis worsen, it can make movement extremely difficult. This is especially unfortunate if it’s affecting a major muscle, like your back. You should also be aware of health issues that can lead to this condition. If you have dealt with diabetes, alcoholism, or HIV/AIDS, you may be more susceptible to osteomyelitis.
4. Abscesses
A third kind of bacterial infection that could cause night sweats are abscesses. With abscesses, bacteria encounters the body. As a means of survival, white blood cells are sent forth to combat the bacteria and keep it from spreading an infection. As a result, intense swelling starts and pus accumulates. The unflattering result is an abscess. These can affect people both internally and externally. Those who are diabetic or who have staphylococcal bacteria (the primary causer) can find themselves more at risk for abscesses. Where an abscess forms depends on where the bacteria ultimately made contact with or ended up inside your body.
5. Stress
Stress might seem like it’s too invisible of an issue to warrant concern or not a health problem at all. However, it can be a devastating cause of all sorts of health problems, including night sweats. If you’re feeling incredibly worked up on a regular basis, you might be sleeping unwell and waking up covered in sweat. The further you let this continue, the more you put your health at risk. Consider why you’re feeling stressed out. There might be problems with your work or home life. You might be worried about money. While you can’t solve your problems overnight, you can gain a better understanding through awareness.
6. Anxiety
Similar to stress, anxiety can wreak absolute havoc on your well-being. When you see just about everything as a potential threat, no matter how likely it is to come true, you can find yourself paying the price physically. You might be tossing and turning in your sleep and waking up with your sheets soaked. You need to speak to a doctor, such as a psychiatrist, in order to get to the bottom of your anxiety. Is it something that is constant and unexplainable, or is it based on something more concrete? You can also try practices like exercise and meditation to help deal with your anxiety.
7. Hormonal Imbalances
Night sweats can also be one of the symptoms of a hormonal imbalance. People go through shifts with their hormones throughout their lives, such as puberty for men and women and menopause for women. However, there are other factors which can lead to a hormonal imbalance that could cause night sweats. Your diet makes a big difference in terms of proper hormone balance. If you are eating too many carbs that harm your body, it can lead to a hormonal imbalance. You also need to ensure that you are getting as much protein as your body needs. Additional, mental ailments like stress can cause an imbalance. You need to be making sure you’re treating your body properly to prevent hormonal imbalances and be aware of the signs, such as intense fatigue or weight fluctuations.
