What Is a Night Sweat?

Night sweats are any type of sweating that occurs during the night that is not caused by a heated environment or excess clothing or blankets. This phenomenon can happen as a side effect of a many different disorders, and is most often marked by the complete saturation of clothing or bedding with sweat.

Menopause

Menopause can be one of the main reasons for night sweats. During menopause women undergo a variety of hormonal changes that can change the way in which their bodies act. One of these changes involves hot flashes. Hot flashes can quickly increase the body's temperature, causing excessive sweating during the night and resulting in night sweats.

Infections

Certain types of infections, especially tuberculosis, can often cause night sweats. This usually occurs because of the body's natural ability to increase its internal body temperature to fight infection. Other infections that can cause night sweats are abscesses, endocarditis and HIV/AIDS.

Cancer

Though a night sweat does not mean you have cancer, some cancers such as lymphoma often have night sweats associated with the disease. This is usually accompanied by a high fever.

Neurological Disorders

Neurological disorders may also increase sweating during the night to the point of night sweats. These disorders include post-traumatic syringomyelia, strokes and autonomic neuropathy.

Psychological Disorders

Some psychological disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, can also cause night sweats. This is usually in reaction to night terrors that increase the release of adrenaline in the body. The increased adrenaline then also increases the heart rate and in most circumstances also increases the body's core temperature. This can result in profuse sweating through the night.

Treatment

Treatment for night sweats will vary depending on why they are occurring. Treating the underlying problem will usually relieve the night sweat. For example, treating post-traumatic stress disorder with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medication will help relieve the night sweats by preventing the night terrors during the night.