A large number of women generally suffer from night time sweats. This condition can be generally seen in women of certain age group. Night time sweats are nothing but excessive sweating caused during the night, which makes you cold and clammy.
The first reason for a person to sweat at night may be due to the hot surroundings which causes sweating and that’s normal. But the second cause for excessive sweating for a woman may be due to menopause. A woman reaches the menopausestate at the age of 51 generally.
To have a clear difference between the night sweats caused by medical reasons from the ones occurring due to warm surroundings is referred to as hot flashes generally by the doctors. Hot flashes are not related to the overheated environment.
Causes Of Night Sweats
Hot flashes in women are mainly caused by the fluctuating levels of oestrogen secreted in the body during menopause. Hypothalamus a region in the brain that regulates the body temperature gets confused with the fluctuating oestrogen levels and responds to it as if there is an increase in the body temperature and tries to cool you down. This makes your sweat glands work actively and gives your body an intense perspiration sensation. Thus you wake up all wet in sweat. There can be other reasons of night sweats like hypoglycaemia, infections, medications, hormone disorders and auto immune diseases.
Symptoms Of Hot Flashes
Most of the women feel warmth or redness on their skin followed by nausea, anxiety, headache, weakness, sweating. Hot flashes may be mild or infrequent in nature. Hot flashes may last for a period of 5 minutes to half an hour.
There Are A Number Of Ways To Keep Night Sweats Away
Breathe Deeply
Slow and deep breathing also called as relaxation breathing may reduce hot flashes to a certain extent. This type of breathing will give you back the sound sleep which was lost during the session of hot flashes.
Cool And Comfortable Bedroom
Sleep in a cool room with air circulating around. Have a night wear made of natural layered fabric to keep you cool. Use only a sheet to cover up instead of a comforter.
Watch Your Lifestyle
Keeping a track of your lifestyle can keep away those irritable and wet nights. Eat a diet containing proteins, fibre, fruits, grains and vegetables. Avoid foods like alcohol, tobacco and caffeine as they worsen the symptoms. Do not exercise right before bed.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Hormone replacement therapy can be done to get rid of those menopause symptoms. A doctor will be able to tell you the good and the bad sides of the therapy. He would treat you according to the severity of the symptoms and depending upon your health.
Diseases can also be the reason for night sweats like leukaemia, osteomyelitis, AIDS, strokes and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Thus menopause shouldn’t be considered as the only reason of night sweats. It is better to have a word with your doctor before jumping on any conclusions for those sweating problems.
Opting for the right treatment at the right time can relieve you from the discomfort and uneasiness in the night.
