Do you sweat at night?

People suffering night sweats usually find themselves waking up in the night to find their bedclothes and bedding drenched, even if their room temperature is cool. It’s a common complaint that stops our nation from getting a good night's sleep. We’re here to help you (and the rest of the nation too) manage if you’re someone who sweats at night.

Night sweats are a very annoying problem but are normally harmless. In most cases, they’re linked to Hyperhidrosis, a condition which literally means "excessive sweating" and is common and harmless. Sometimes, however, sweating a lot at night can be a sign of underlying problems, so it's a good idea to see your GP if you feel at all worried.

For now though, here are some of the causes of night sweats and some remedies that might help.

Symptoms and causes

It’s important to check for fever, unintentional weight loss and fatigue with night sweats as these symptoms should not be overlooked. However, if you don't suffer any other symptoms then it's unlikely your problem is linked to anything too serious.

• One possible cause of night sweats is the menopause. If you're aged over 40 and can't sleep for hours at night because of abnormal sweating, hot flushes might be your problem.

• Another thing to note is that some medication can trigger sweats in people. For example anti-depressants, steroids and painkillers are known as causes.* This is something to chat through with your doctor if you are taking regular medication.

• Anxiety can be a factor in causing night sweats. Although it’s a mental health issue, it can also have some physical symptoms too, including excessive sweating at night. 

There may still be no identifiable cause for your night sweats, and it could just be one of those things that happens now and then. But with such busy days the last thing we need is tiredness from a poor night's sleep. We've put some tips together to help you out in this situation.

Helpful remedies 

Although there is no absolute cure for night sweats, there are things you can do to get a better sleep:

1. Wear light clothing - loose fitting, light clothes are best to sleep in if you suffer from night sweats. Natural fabrics like cotton are more breathable, so even if you do sweat it won’t cause as much discomfort.

2. Don't stress - to prevent sweating because of anxiety during the night, try practicing yoga, deep breathing or meditation. Or indulge in any activity that makes you feel relaxed. Dr Nerina, Silentnight’s Sleep Expert says that winding down properly before getting into bed is crucial to helping you sleep better - "you are more likely to access efficient deep sleep if you allow your body and mind to relax than if you rush into bed feeling anxious - so even delay going to bed if necessary."

3. Eat the right kinds of food for dinner - fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, soy and fish are known to have a cooling effect on the body. On the other hand, spicy foods, onion, garlic, caffeine and alcohol should be avoided. Dr Nerina's top tip is to have a glass of milk before bed, as this is a great way to induce sleep.

4. Silentnight Eco Mattress – if you’re looking for a more permanent solution to stay cool at night, check out our Eco Range of mattresses. Made from 100% recycled materials, they offer unrivalled breathability and are proven to keep you cool at night. Our Eco Comfort Breathe Mattress features a Coolmax ™ Sleep Surface to wick moisture away from the body, combined with our Eco Breathe Fibres ™ to prevent overheating through the night. 

 * source - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/night-sweats/