What Are Night Sweats?: Causes, Treatment, and More

• Night sweats are a symptom that involves excessive, persistent, and at times severe sweating at night, usually during sleep.
• Night sweats can be caused for a number of reasons, including hormonal imbalance triggered by menopause or thyroid disorders, side effects of medications, certain medical conditions, a bedroom that is too warm, and/​or stress.
• There are ways to alleviate night sweats, including treating the underlying medical condition, keeping your bedroom cool, and using strategies to manage stress and anxiety before bed.

Sweating is the body’s natural way of cooling down and occurs most often after vigorous physical activity or being out on a hot day. 

However, in some cases, our bodies may produce too much sweat, even when we aren’t necessarily hot or engaging in physical activity. When this happens constantly, it’s known as generalized hyperhidrosis, or excessive, unpredictable sweating.

This persistent sweating doesn’t solely occur during the day. Some people may experience it at night, particularly while sleeping. This is referred to as ​‘night sweats’ and can be a common symptom linked to multiple medical conditions, hormonal disorders, illnesses, or other circumstances. According to the American Family Physician, up to 41% of people experience night sweats.

Night sweats are a common symptom of many conditions, so it can be difficult to determine their root cause. Here are ten of the most common reasons night sweats occur: 

1: Menopause

One of the most common reasons women experience night sweats is menopause. Hormonal changes can cause your temperature to fluctuate, leading to a sudden and severe flush of body heat, often called a ​“hot flash.” In response, your body tries to cool itself down through excessive sweating. Night sweats can be an initial sign that a woman is entering menopause.

While menopause-related night sweats are common, if you experience other symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, or pain, it could be a sign of another underlying health issue and should be checked out by a doctor or healthcare provider.

2: Pregnancy

Similar to menopause, pregnancy-related hormone shifts may also cause night sweats. This is most common in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy and may continue for a few weeks after birth while your body adjusts to its original hormone levels.

3: Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

During your menstrual cycle, drops in estrogen can impact the body’s temperature regulation system. While other symptoms, such as cramps, are more common, night sweats may also occur.

4: Low Testosterone

While many hormonal conditions linked to night sweats are due to drops in estrogen, drops in testosterone (andropause) can also result in night sweats. Night sweats that occur from drops in testosterone are more common in men, particularly over the age of 45.

5: Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Some studies show that having a vitamin B12 deficiency may cause night sweats. Not getting enough B12 can disrupt the autonomic nervous system, which controls functions like sweating.

6: Certain Medical Conditions

Hormone fluctuations aren’t the only cause of night sweats. In some cases, a medical condition may be responsible. Medical conditions that cite night sweats as a side effect include:

• Alcohol use disorder
• Autoimmune disorders
• Drug addiction
• Carcinoid tumors
• HIV/AIDS
• Hodgkin lymphoma
• Luehemia
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Stroke
• Tuberculosis
• Certain cancers
• Neurological disorders, such as autonomic neuropathy (damage to autonomic nerves) or stroke
• Sleep disorders, like sleep apnea
• Behavioral health conditions, such as anxiety or panic disorder
• Digestive disorders, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Other hormonal disorders, like an overactive thyroid or diabetes
• Low blood sugar
• Syringomyelia (a cyst filled with fluid in the spinal cord)
• Takayasu’s arthritis

7: Fighting Off Infection

When your body is fighting an infection, it may trigger night sweats. Your immune system works hardest while you sleep – sometimes even raising your body temperature to eliminate viral and bacterial infections. As a result, your body may sweat to cool you down. Even more, when trying to regulate your temperature and eliminate germs, your immune system releases chemicals that cause sweating to flush the infection out. Some examples of infections that could cause night sweats include:

• Viral infections, like the cold, flu, or COVID-19
• Bacterial infections, like endocarditis, osteomyelitis, or pyogenic abscess
• Infectious diseases, like tuberculosis or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

8: Medication Side Effects

In some cases, the culprit of your night sweats may be a side effect of the medication you’ve been prescribed. While not an extensive list, some medications that can have night sweats as a side effect include:

• Medications for cancer treatment
• Certain antidepressants
• Certain diabetes medications
• Steroids
• Acetaminophen
• Aspirin
• Medications for high blood pressure

9: Bedroom Temperature

Night sweats can also be caused by your environment, namely, the temperature in your bedroom. This can occur if you set the thermostat too high, sleep in a room with poor ventilation or air circulation, or use heavy blankets or bedding made of non-breathable fabrics like flannel. If your body overheats, it sweats to cool itself.

10: Nighttime Eating

While studies show that eating foods too close to bed may interrupt sleep, it’s also possible that what you eat also affects your sleep. For example, spicy foods may cause night sweats. Spicy foods can not only raise your core body temperature, but can also activate your sweat glands (this can also apply to alcohol and caffeine). This can cause sweating while you sleep, especially the closer you eat these foods to your bedtime.

11: Stress Levels 

We may associate sleep with rest, but if you’re dealing with immense stress, it could cause you to sweat during sleep.

Anxiety and stress hormones keep your nervous system alert (even when you’re sleeping), sometimes inducing night sweats. 

To determine whether you’re experiencing night sweats, your healthcare provider will perform a diagnostic evaluation, including a physical exam and a review of your medical history. They will try to determine the cause(s) of night sweats if they aren’t immediately obvious, and then treat the underlying condition(s) that are likely causing them.

Since night sweats can be a symptom of many conditions, treatment will depend on the underlying cause. For example, if the cause is a hormonal imbalance due to menopause, then hormone therapy may be administered.

Common treatment options that may be considered for night sweats include:

• Medical conditions: Treating the underlying medical condition through medication, lifestyle changes, or other forms of treatment like hormone therapy.
• Infections: Treating infections with hydration and prescription or over-the-counter medication.
• Side effect of medication: Your healthcare provider may consider finding an alternative medication that doesn’t cause night sweats, though you will need to discuss whether different medications will effectively work to cure the initial cause. In some cases, the side effect of night sweats may be preferable or the only option to treat your specific condition.
• Behavioral health conditions: Some behavioral health conditions may be treated with medication, but deep breathing exercises, meditations, and other calming options are highly recommended to manage anxiety.
• Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Treating through vitamin B12 therapy, either through pills or injections.

Home Remedies for Night Sweats

If your night sweats aren’t due to a medical condition or hormone disorder, here are other recommendations and changes you can make to your daily routine to manage them:

• On average, it’s recommended to keep the thermostat between 65 and 68 degrees for ideal sleep.
• Consider wearing loose-fitting clothes to sleep in that are breathable, such as cotton or linen pajamas.
• Use lighter, layered bedding and avoid using too many blankets when you sleep at night.
• Consider a small bedroom fan, crack a window open, or increase your air conditioning to improve airflow.
• Keep a cold pack under your pillow to provide a cool surface for your face.
• Keep a glass of cool water by your bed to sip on throughout the night.
• Avoid eating spicy foods before bed
• Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine before bed

Because night sweats are a common symptom of multiple conditions, their exact cause may not always seem obvious. Most people with night sweats don’t have an underlying issue; however, if it’s happening on a regular basis and is accompanied by additional symptoms, it may indicate a more serious medical emergency.

If you are experiencing night sweats and one or more of the following symptoms, you should contact a healthcare provider:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Fever
• Chills
• New or worsening symptoms such as cough, fatigue, or pain
• Night sweats that wake you from sleep, or that last for two weeks or more
• Sweating that drenches your sheets

If you are a woman close to 50 and start having night sweats, it could be an indicator of menopause, though you should see a doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Similarly, men over 45 who suddenly start to experience night sweats may have a drop in testosterone called andropause and should see a healthcare provider to confirm their diagnosis. If you have a known medical condition but symptoms have changed, including night sweats, you should check with your doctor to ensure your condition hasn’t worsened.