What can be night sweat (night sweating)

Night sweat, also called night sweating, can have several causes and although it is not always worrying, in some cases it can indicate the presence of a disease. Thus, it is important to note in which situations it arises and whether it is accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, chills or weight loss, for example, since it can indicate from a simple increase in the temperature of the environment or body at night, as well as hormonal or metabolic, infections, neurological diseases or even cancer.

You should also not forget about hyperhidrosis, which is the excessive production of sweating by the sweat glands, which is widespread in the body or located in the hands, armpits, neck or legs, but which happens at any time of the day. Know what to do if you have hyperhidrosis.

Thus, as there are several causes for this type of symptom, whenever it appears persistently or intensely, it is important to talk to the family doctor or general practitioner, in order to investigate possible causes. Some of the main causes of night sweat include:

1. Increased body temperature

When body temperature rises, whether due to physical activity, high ambient temperature, consumption of thermogenic foods such as pepper, ginger, alcohol and caffeine, anxiety or the presence of an infectious fever, such as a flu, for example, perspiration appears as a way for the body to try to cool the body and prevent it from overheating.

However, if an obvious cause is not found and night sweating is exaggerated, it is important to remember that there are diseases that speed up the metabolism, such as hyperthyroidism, for example, and should be discussed with the doctor about the possibilities.

2. Menopause or PMS

Oscillations of the hormones estrogen and progesterone that happen during menopause or in premenstrual periods, for example, are also able to increase the basal body temperature and can cause episodes of hot flushes and sweating, which can be nocturnal. This type of alteration is benign and tends to pass over time, however, if they are repetitive or very intense, you should talk to a gynecologist or endocrinologist to better investigate the symptom and seek treatment, such as hormone replacement therapy.

Men are not free of these symptoms, as about 20% of those over 50 years old can experience andropause, also known as male menopause, which consists of the drop in testosterone levels, and courses with night sweat, in addition to heat, irritability, insomnia and decreased libido. Those undergoing treatment for testosterone reduction, as due to a prostate tumor, may also experience these symptoms.

3. Infections

Some infections, which can be acute or chronic, can cause sweating, preferably at night, and some of the most common include:

• Tuberculosis; HIV; Histoplasmosis; Coccidiodomycosis; Endocarditis; Lung abscess.

Generally, in addition to night sweating, these infections can run with fever, chills, weight loss, weakness or ganglia throughout the body. In the presence of these symptoms, it is very important to have a medical evaluation as soon as possible, and the treatment is guided according to the type of microorganism involved, and it may be necessary to use antibiotics, antifungals or antiretrovirals.

4. Use of medicines

Some medications can have the presence of night sweat as a side effect, and some examples are antipyretics, such as Paracetamol, some antihypertensives and some antipsychotics.

If people using these medications experience sweating episodes at night, their use should not be interrupted, but should be discussed with the doctor so that other more common situations are evaluated before thinking about withdrawing or changing the medication.

5. Diabetes

It is not uncommon for people with diabetes on insulin treatment to experience hypoglycemic episodes at night or early in the morning, and not to feel because they are sleeping, with only sweat being noticed.

To avoid these types of episodes, which are dangerous to your health, it is important to talk to your doctor to evaluate the possibility of adjusting the doses or types of medication, and following some tips such as:

• Check blood glucose levels before bed, as if they are too low they should be corrected with a healthy snack; Prefer to practice physical activities during the day, and never skip dinner; Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages at night.

Hypoglycemia causes sweating because it activates the body's mechanisms with the release of hormones to compensate for the lack of glucose, resulting in sweating, paleness, dizziness, palpitations and nausea.

6. Sleep apnea

People with sleep apnea suffer from decreased blood oxygenation during the night, which leads to the activation of the nervous system and can cause night sweating, in addition to greater chances of developing high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias and cardiovascular diseases.

This disease is a disorder that causes a momentary pause in breathing or very shallow breathing during sleep, resulting in snoring and a little relaxing rest, which causes symptoms of drowsiness during the day, difficulty concentrating, headache and irritability, for example. Check out how to identify and treat sleep apnea.

7. Neurological diseases

Some people may have a disorder of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for controlling functions that do not depend on our will, such as breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure, digestion or body temperature, for example.

This type of alteration leads to what is called dysautonomia, and causes symptoms such as sweating, fainting, sudden drop in pressure, palpitations, blurred vision, dry mouth and intolerance to activities such as standing, standing or walking for a long time.

Changes in this autonomic nervous system can arise from several causes, mainly in neurological diseases such as Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis, Alzheimer's, tumor or brain trauma, for example, in addition to other genetic, cardiovascular or endocrine diseases.

8. Cancer

Some types of cancer, such as lymphoma and leukemia, may have night sweat as a common symptom, in addition to weight loss, enlarged lymph nodes, risk of bleeding and decreased immunity. Sweating can also occur in neuroendocrine tumors, such as pheochromocytoma or carcinoid tumor, which stimulate the release of hormones that activate the neurological response, causing palpitations, sweating, flushing of the face and high blood pressure, for example.

Treatment should be guided by the oncologist, and in some cases followed up by the endocrinologist, with treatments that may include surgery and chemotherapy, for example, according to the type of tumor and severity of the condition.