How to prevent night sweats

Read our guide for everything you need to know about excessive sweating at night, what causes night sweats & how to prevent them.

How to prevent night sweats

Night sweats, regular periods of excessive sweating while you’re sleeping, can be uncomfortable and disruptive. Night sweats can impact your sleep and daily life.

Waking up on damp sheets regularly can also be worrying - although most of the time night sweats are nothing to be concerned about, it is a good idea to consider why you might be experiencing excessive sweating at night.

Below, we look at the causes of night sweats, how to prevent night sweats and treatment for hot flashes and excessive overnight perspiration.

What causes night sweats?

Sweating is the body’s way of regulating its core temperature - which is why we sweat when the outside air temperature is warm or we are exercising. We may sweat for other reasons - if we’re nervous, stressed or ill, for example.

There are several causes of excessive sweating while sleeping and many of us will experience a hot, sweaty night at some point - it may be a hot night, or perhaps you’re overdressed or under a thick duvet.

Frequent episodes of excessive sweating while you sleep, when you wake up and the sheets and bed clothes are soaking wet, are different, and there can be a range of causes behind these regular bouts of night sweating. The reasons behind excessive sweating at night can be short term (say, a fever) others, like the menopause, are likely to cause night sweats over a longer period.

What are the symptoms of night sweats?

As the name suggests, night sweats are excessive perspiring while you sleep. Night sweats can leave you soaked in sweat to the point that the bedclothes and nightclothes may need changing.

Night sweats are different from being a little warm due to a hot night or a stuffy room.

Common reasons for night sweats:

Alcohol and caffeine

Alcohol and coffee are both stimulants and can cause your heart rate to rise, which will in turn raise your body temperature.

INFECTION

You may have an elevated body temperature if your body is fighting off an infection. A fever should not last for more than a night or two.

The menopause

Women going through menopause, or about to, may experience night sweats. Changes in the body’s production of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone are believed to cause excessive sweating and hot flashes. Hot flashes affect the majority of women going through menopause or perimenopause - the transition time before menopause. Menopausal hot flashes occur throughout the day and usually last for a few minutes. They are also common at night and can disrupt sleep.

Medication

Certain medications can cause excessive sweating while you sleep. Most commonly these are:
- Antidepressants
- Hypertension drugs
- Hormone therapy drugs

If you believe your medication could be triggering night sweats, speak to your GP.

Hyperhidrosis

Hyperhidrosis is a sweating condition when your body sweats despite not needing to cool down. Excessive sweating can be exacerbated by certain factors, such as obesity, alcohol use, conditions including diabetes or an overactive thyroid gland, menopause, and certain medications.

Hormone Problems

The hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates body temperature, is also involved in the endocrine system that controls hormone levels. As a result, any imbalance in the endocrine system will impact the body’s temperature regulation mechanism.

Hormone problems that could be triggering night sweats include hyperthyroidism - overactivity of the thyroid - or diabetes.

An underlying medical condition

For most of us, excessive sweating is no more than a harmless nuisance but in some cases night sweats can be a sign of an underlying condition. If you're regularly waking up soaked in sweat, are experiencing other symptoms, such as weight loss, fever or pain over a sustained period, or if the night sweats are interfering with your sleep, see your GP.

Stress

Stress can trigger excessive sweating during the day (sweaty palms and damp armpits are common) and the same is true at night. When you’re stressed, the body releases the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol which trigger a ‘flight or fight’ response, sending off a response to your apocrine glands, sweat glands in the armpits and groin, to start sweating.

Why do I get night sweats before my period?

Some women suffer night sweats before or during their menstrual cycle. This is due to hormone fluctuations that are a normal part of a menstrual cycle.

During your period, progesterone levels increase, which causes oestrogen levels to drop. This imbalance affects the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls the body’s internal temperature. This then triggers a response in the brain to tell your body to cool down.

As sweating is our body’s way of regulating its temperature, this response can cause hot flashes or night sweats. Sometimes this may continue during your period, but should settle down after a few days.

What causes night sweats in men?

Just as a hormone imbalance in women can trigger night sweats, low testosterone in men can also cause excessive sweating while you sleep. As men age, testosterone levels naturally fall. Night sweats can occur if testosterone levels drop faster than normal.

Increased body fat, erectile dysfunction and decreased libido can also be symptoms of night sweats in men over 40. Night sweats can also be a symptom of sleep apnea - when you stop breathing in your sleep - in men. If you’re excessively tired in the day, wake up often in the night - maybe gasping for breath - or you snore, consult your GP.

How to prevent night sweats

Just as there’s no one reason for night sweats, there’s no one cure for excessive sweating.

It is important to rule out night sweats being a symptom of a serious condition, so if you are concerned, or night sweating is inhibiting your sleep and daily life, see your doctor.

There are a few ways you can reduce the impact of night sweats:

- Sleep in a cooler room with the window open
- Consider a breathable mattress that won’t trap heat in
- Opt for breathable, cotton sheets over synthetic fibres
- Change your bed linen frequently - at least once a week. Discarded skin cells and dirt can reduce the breathability of your sheets and duvet
- Wear loose fitting bed clothes made from natural fibres like cotton or linen
- Shower before bed and apply an antiperspirant

Are there treatments for night sweats and hot flashes?

Applying an antiperspirant before bed could help reduce how much you sweat. Antiperspirants work by blocking the sweat ducts which will control how much you sweat.

You can apply antiperspirant on your underarms and, if using a spray, over your torso. Explore our range of antiperspirant deodorants, including those suitable for sensitive skins, unfragranced, stick, spray or roll-on, all designed to keep you dry and comfortable.

Explore NIVEA Deodorants