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This is why you’re sweating during sleep
Research suggests that heavy blankets or sickness can push your body into a “thermoneutral zone”, forcing it to sweat to regulate body temperature and bring it back to normal.
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In most cases, night sweats are not a problem, but if you are waking up every morning soaked, consider seeing a doctor and keeping track of your symptoms. (Shutterstock/File)
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f you often wake up after a night’s sleep drenched in sweat, do not be alarmed – this is fairly common and there are a number of reasons why this could be happening to you.
According to one study originally published in the Annals of Family Medicine, about one-third of patients reported night sweats over the course of a month. The figure may be greater – the study's author, James Mold, MD, a professor of family medicine at the University of Oklahoma, said that most patients do not inform their doctors when they have night sweats.
The study suggests that heavy blankets or sickness can push your body into a “thermoneutral zone”, forcing it to sweat to regulate body temperature and bring it back to normal.
Mold’s study also found that those who exercise more often may be conditioned to sweat at lower temperatures, making it more likely that frequent gym-goers find themselves sweaty after a night’s rest.
In a review published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, Mold says that there are other factors that can play a role in night sweats, such as panic attacks, sleep problems, fever, numbness in hands and feet, anxiety and stress, and trouble breathing at night.
Read also: Nine sleep myths debunked
Night sweats may also be a side effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are medications commonly prescribed for depression.
“Though causation has neither been proven nor disproven with certainty, it seems likely that SSRIs are a cause,” Mold told Men’s Health.
In most cases, night sweats are not a problem, but if you are waking up every morning soaked, Mold suggests seeing a doctor and keeping a record of other symptoms. (sul/kes)
