Why We Sweat So Much In Our Sleep?

There are many reasons why you might be experiencing a sweaty slumber, also known as night sweats.  Nothing can quite ruin a good night’s sleep than being a hot mess – literally. There’s nothing more annoying than waking up soaked and then being cold…

It's not just women who experience this discomfort, and it's not always "The Change" that causes it.

Related: Sleeping with the light on is bad for you...

The most common causes are:

Menopause

That’s right – hot flushes aren’t just for the daytime.

Anxiety and nightmares

Never a combination for a good sleep, these two factors can cause nighttime panic attacks and stressful bad dreams – leading to you sweating like a turkey in December.

Medicines

Medicines that target your hormones can also cause your body’s temperature gauge to become imbalanced, leading to night sweats.

Illnesses

Fevers are a common symptom of illnesses that can often lead to high temperatures.

Alcohol

Alcohol affects your nervous system, causing a fluctuation in blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature – which could lead to night sweats. Sweating can be a result of alcohol withdrawal or alcohol intolerance.

Low blood sugar

Those with hypoglycemia can often suffer from night sweats. When your blood glucose drops too low, you produce excess adrenaline, which causes sweating.

Cancer treatment

Cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy can result in night sweats. They can also happen in men who have their testicles removed to treat prostate cancer.

Hyperhidrosis

This is a harmless condition that makes you sweat too much all the time.

Sleep environment

Simply enough, a stuffy room, a thick duvet and warm pyjamas can all contribute to you overheating at night.