Night sweats

We use the term night sweats to refer to sudden and abundant sweating during the night. They are symptoms of excessive perspiration. It is a common phenomenon that can occur from time to time or repeatedly, several nights in a row.

Who is affected?

Night sweats are characterized by excessive perspiration at night and are very often associated with sleep disorders. It is a common phenomenon that affects both men and women between the ages of 20 and 65.

What causes night sweats?

Night sweating can have many different causes, some are totally benign, while others require medical advice.
From a mechanical point of view, it is caused by the over excitement of our body’s autonomic nervous system, but there are many reasons why this might happen.

Night sweating can be caused by:

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease
• An infection
• A hormonal disorder, for example during the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy or menopause, or in case of hyperthyroidism
• Sleep apnoea
• Restless legs syndrome, which is characterized by repeated, involuntary movements of the legs during sleep
• Stress, which can cause you to suddenly wake up with excessive perspiration, especially in case of post-traumatic stress syndrome, a panic attack, etc.
• Some types of cancer
• Some medicinal treatments

Given that there are many possible causes, it is sometimes difficult to diagnose the precise origin of night sweats. Several tests may be required to confirm the diagnosis. In some cases, the origin of such sweating is said to be idiopathic, which means no cause has been clearly established.

What are the consequences for daily life?

Night sweating often causes the person to suddenly wake up. Night sweats can therefore impair quality of sleep, which can leave you feeling tired.
If you suffer regularly from symptoms of night sweating, do not hesitate to consult a health professional to establish the cause.