Night sweats can occur for a number of reasons, and many of them aren’t too serious. However, in some cases, regular episodes of night sweating could indicate a serious medical condition.

It’s not uncommon to sweat at night. Depending on how many blankets you sleep with, how warm your room is, and what you eat before bed, you may sweat some.

But if you sweat enough to regularly wake up in wet pajamas and bedding, there could be an underlying medical condition.

Occasional night sweats typically aren’t a reason for concern. But if you experience night sweats frequently that interfere with your sleep quality or experience them with more serious symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss, speak with a doctor immediately.

It’s not always possible to determine the cause of night sweats. But other symptoms you experience, along with nighttime sweating, could help you narrow down an underlying medical cause.

Your sleeping environment

Your room, mattress, and pajamas could all influence whether you sweat during the night. Some fabrics retain heat more than others.

Replace plush or heavy blankets with breathable sheets, light quilts, or moisture-wicking sheets. It may help to remove extra bedding and sleep under lighter layers before buying new bedding.

Wear loose-fitting and breathable sleepwear. To cool down your room before bed, try cracking a window or lowering the thermostat.

If your budget allows, you might also consider replacing your mattress with one more suitable for hot sleepers.

Your nighttime routine

External factors beyond your sleeping environment may impact night sweats by raising your body temperature. These include:

  • Alcohol or caffeine consumption: Experts recommend avoiding alcohol at least 3 hours before bed and caffeine at least 6 hours before bed.
  • Spicy foods: Try to avoid eating these foods at dinner or as a late-night snack.
  • Exercise: Aim to finish your workouts at least 1 to 2 hours before bed to give your body time to cool down.

Stress and anxiety

Increased sweating (or “stress sweat“) is a common physical sign of anxiety and stress.

If your night sweats are happening because of anxiety or stress, you might also have or feel:

  • worry, dread, and fear, and find it hard to think about anything besides these feelings
  • sleep issues or unpleasant dreams
  • stomach and digestive issues
  • unexplained aches, pains, or muscle tension
  • irritable or experience other mood changes
  • weak, tired, or generally unwell

Addressing the underlying cause of stress and anxiety, generally by working with a mental health professional, may help improve some of your symptoms.

Hormonal imbalances

Hormonal disorders or hormone imbalances may lead to excessive nighttime sweating. These may include:

Other signs of a hormonal condition left without proper management (yes, they’re treatable!) may include:

  • unexplained weight changes
  • changes in energy level
  • headaches
  • sexual dysfunction
  • menstrual changes

Speak with your doctor about checking for a hormone imbalance. Determining the underlying hormone condition, if any, will help you and your doctor narrow down treatment options.

Medication side effects

Some drugs known to sometimes cause night sweats include:

If you’ve recently started a new medication and are experiencing night sweats, talk with the doctor who prescribed your medication.

If you suspect that a medication is causing your night sweats, speak with your doctor before you stop taking it. Stopping without a doctor-approved plan may have serious health effects. Your doctor may recommend a different medication instead or suggest ways to manage the side effects.

Hyperhidrosis

Hyperhidrosis causes you to sweat excessively to the point of it being noticeable to you and possibly others.

You may have the condition with no underlying causes. It may be a symptom of another medical condition or a side effect of medication.

Whatever the case, your doctor can help suggest treatments and management strategies.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)

Hypoglycemia may cause you to sweat at night or during the day. Some people also experience nightmares or feel disoriented after awakening.

You may have hypoglycemia if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Other reasons for low blood sugar may include alternations in hormone levels or metabolism.

Other symptoms of hypoglycemia may include:

  • unsteadiness
  • shaking
  • hunger
  • exhaustion or fatigue
  • racing or irregular heartbeat
  • headaches
  • disorientation

Severe symptoms include losing consciousness or seizures.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

You may experience GERD during the day or at night. It may cause night sweats along with:

You may receive a GERD diagnosis if you experience this at least twice a week or if more severe reflux happens at least once a week.

Sleep apnea

If you have sleep apnea, you might:

  • feel tired during the day
  • often wake in the night or sleep restlessly
  • wake up struggling to breathe
  • have difficulty focusing during the day
  • have headaches

People going through menopause who experience night sweats may also be at a greater risk for developing sleep apnea, according to a 2018 study.

Serious infections

Some serious infections may cause night sweats, including:

  • tuberculosis
  • endocarditis, an infection in the valves of your heart
  • osteomyelitis, an infection in your bones
  • brucellosis, an infection you can contract from animals with brucellosis or unpasteurized products from infected animals
  • HIV
  • fungal infections
  • infectious mononucleosis (mono)

Infections may also cause other noticeable symptoms. These include:

Speak with a doctor immediately if you are showing any of the above symptoms. The sooner you receive proper treatment, the sooner you may be able to feel relief from some of these symptoms.

Neurological disorders

In rare cases, night sweats may occur as a symptom of certain neurological issues, including:

Neurological issues may involve many other symptoms:

Cancer

Unexplained night sweats could be a symptom of cancer, but this doesn’t happen often.

Types of cancer that may be linked to night sweating include:

These cancers may also have the following symptoms:

  • persistent fatigue and body weakness
  • fever
  • chills
  • unintentional weight loss
  • swollen lymph nodes
  • chest and stomach pain
  • bone pain

If you do have cancer, you’ll most likely have other noticeable symptoms, too. It’s recommended to speak with a doctor if you have:

If you only have night sweats occasionally and they don’t significantly affect your sleep quality, you probably don’t need to be too concerned. Still, you may want to mention them the next time you see your doctor.

If you have trouble sleeping, regular night sweats, or other symptoms that concern you, it’s best to check in with a healthcare professional.

A doctor can help you get to the bottom of your night sweats and, if needed, come up with a treatment plan.

Your doctor will use several methods to determine the cause of frequent or disruptive night sweats. These may include:

  • discussing your symptoms, health history, and medications
  • going through your family medical history
  • conducting a physical exam
  • ordering laboratory or imaging tests to determine an underlying health condition

Your doctor may refer you to a specialist if they suspect an underlying health condition that requires specialized treatment.

There are many reasons you may sweat at night.

The first culprit to consider is your environment, including your clothing, bedding, and the temperature of your room. Next, examine your habits before bedtime.

If you adjust these factors and still wake up in sweat, there may be another cause. Speak with a doctor to diagnose and treat the underlying cause so you can get back to more comfortable sleep.

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