Are you a man in your 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's or 70's who suffers from occasional or constant heavy and intense night sweats? We have all sorts of reasons or causes for male night sweats and hot flashes, including things like cancer, alcoholism, stress (anxiety), surgery, diabetes, infections, among others. We also have ways to treat or stop night sweats in men and more.
Understand sweating during sleep
Night sweats or nocturnal hyperhidrosis in men, women or even children refers to excessive sweating while someone is sleeping at night. Some lyrics often refer to them as "sweat in bed" or "sweat in their sleep". This definition may not include people who sweat during sleep because they sleep in very hot rooms, have very warm beds, or sleep on heavy beds, since sweating is expected and very normal.
Actual night sweats can be described as "very intense hot flashes" or "damp night sweats" in which victims have "profuse sleep sweats" and wake up with sweat-soaked clothes and sheets. The cause of this heavy or excessive night sweating is not influenced by your environment.
While some people experience night sweats occasionally, others experience excessive, profuse, or intense night sweats continually until the underlying cause is properly diagnosed and cured or prevented.
Although their effect is very unpleasant, they are harmless in most cases. They only serve to indicate or are a symptom that something is seriously wrong with your body.
Because of the similarity between night sweats and hot flashes (a sudden onset of feverish heat), it's not easy to tell if they're just hot flashes or night sweats.
Cold sweats and cold night sweats in men
This is "the body's response to stress as part of the 'fight-or-flight' response that helps us react in a dangerous situation." It comes on suddenly and leads to clammy and cold skin. Cold sweats can be triggered by anxiety, nightmares, heart attacks, serious injuries that cause a lot of pain, shortness of breath, shock, low blood sugar, etc.
With this understanding of night sweats and cold sweats let us move on to the focus of this discussion where we look at night sweats in men of all ages i.e. young, middle and older men.
Night sweats symptoms and signs of night sweats in men
Night sweats symptoms are often linked to the underlying cause. For example, the symptoms of alcoholism, night sweats, may differ from the symptoms of infection.
The main symptom is the soaking of your nightwear and linens. However, it's common to expect hot flashes, chills, fever, or chills along with night sweats, or you just have these sweats on their own.
What causes night sweats in men: Possible causes of night sweats in men
What causes night sweats in men? Why do men have night sweats or what diseases cause night sweats in men? There are many possible causes of night sweats in men, which we will look at in detail.
Who can be affected by the different causes of night sweats in men affects different age groups i.e. under 20, under 25, under 30, under 40 or over 40, over 50, over 60, over 70, in the age of 75 etc. boys and girls are no exception.
Some of the most common causes of night sweats in men, especially men in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, including older men, are:
1. Excessive sweating while sleeping due to idiopathic hyperhidrosis
The first possible reason for excessive night sweats in men isidiopathic hyperhidrosiswhich, according to WebMD, is "a condition in which the body chronically produces excessive sweating for no apparent medical reason."
2. Night sweats in men due to infection with various diseases
Night sweats in men, women or children can be caused by various infections. Some of the most common infections often associated with night sweats are:
- Tuberculosis – Known to cause profuse night sweats along with chills, coughing up blood, chest pain, shortness of breath, and other symptoms.
- Osteomyelitis: is a bacterial infection that causes bone inflammation characterized by high fever, often above 38°C, in addition to bone pain, swelling, heat, and redness in the affected bone areas.
- Endocarditis: is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation of your heart valves (endocardium), characterized by symptoms such as fever and chills, tiredness, shortness of breath, paleness, persistent cough, among others.
- Abscesses such as boils, tonsils, perianal, diverticulitis, peritonsillar, among others.
- bacterial infection brucellosis
- HIV infection according to DrED.com. "HIV-related night sweats occur mainly during sleep and can seep through bedding, sheets and blankets." About 50% of HIV-positive people experience this symptom of profuse night sweats, more common in advanced stages of untreated disease (when CD4 number is below 200 cells/ml).
3. Night Sweats in Cancer: The Correlation Between Night Sweats and Cancer
Is male night sweats a symptom of cancer or just a symptom of cancer treatment? The answer to both questions is yes. According to the American National Cancer Institute, night sweats and hot flashes in cancer patients can be due to "fever, tumor, or cancer treatment." Also, many online forums related to cancer and night sweats confirm the same thing that many patients report about this problem.
Why Cancer Sweats At Night: Cancer and the night sits on men
Why does cancer cause night sweats? There are several answers to this question. Some of the possible explanations include the fact that some types of cancer are the cause of this problem (and fever), others the night sweats could be due to other infections that we have already seen due to weakened immunity from cancer or especially its treatment chemotherapy and morphine use.
The other possible link between cancer and night sweats is changes in hormone levels, i.e. “Changes in hormone levels can cause hot flashes and sweats. Your hormone levels may change because of the cancer itself or because of treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or hormone therapy.” [cancerresearchuk.org]
For example, men with prostate cancer or breast cancer may need hormone treatments, which in turn cause hot flashes and night sweats. This includes those who have had an orchiectomy (removal of one or both testicles). So, what cancers cause excessive sweating?
Night sweats due to lymphoma cancer symptoms
According to www.cancer.net, when looking at the symptoms of (Hodgkin's) lymphoma, he finds that most patients say that their night clothes or bed sheets were so wet that they had to be changed during the night. There is sometimes profuse sweating during the day.” This is a clear indication that lymphoma cancer can cause excessive sweating.
leukemia
Among the side effects of leukemia, night sweats are common; they are also a side effect of chemotherapy. This usually occurs when you have CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia), which causes the body to raise its temperature as a mechanism to fight this cancer.
Also, leukemia patients are susceptible to colds and flu, which can also cause fevers. However, this cancer can also cause night sweats without a fever, according to oncologist Mikkael Sekeres, MD, director of the Cleveland Clinic's leukemia program.
Other cancers in men that cause night sweats
Emedicinehealth.com notes that "People with undiagnosed cancer often also have other symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss and fever." This is a clear indication that any type of cancer can cause night sweats. Other cancers that can cause sweating, according to Cancer Research UK include:
- carcinoid tumors
- Mesotheliom,
- liver cancer
- birth cancer
This does not exclude patients with brain tumors, breast cancer, etc. as we have already mentioned that cancer treatment can be a cause of night sweats in cancer patients.
For example, pancreatic cancer and night sweats, lung cancer and night sweats or even hot flashes caused by lung cancer can be taken into account.
4. Some medications can cause night sweats in men
Some medications are known to cause light to heavy sweating at night. It is estimated that 8% to 22% of people taking antidepressants have this problem. Some psychiatric medications and antipyretics, such as aspirin and acetaminophen, can cause sweating.
There are many other drugs and medications that cause night sweats in men like Sildenafil (Viagra), Tamoxifen, Niacin, Cortisone drugs (Prednisone, Prednisolone), etc.
If you've had severe night sweats since starting a particular drug, these could be its side effects.
5. Diabetic night sweats, nocturnal hypoglycemia and male night sweats
Being prediabetic or diabetic can lead to daytime and nighttime sweats, especially cold sweats. This is the reason why many people have diabetes and sweat a lot during the day or night.
Since people with diabetes often sweat profusely, there must be a link between diabetes and excessive sweating. So what's the connection?
Typically, night sweats in people with diabetes are mostly caused by nocturnal hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and are not a direct symptom of diabetes. Diabetics who use insulin (type 2 diabetics) or oral diabetes medications can end up with cold night sweats due to nocturnal hypoglycemia.
This is basically the link between diabetes and night sweats. Also, this night sweats can be accompanied by nightmares, headaches, restless sleep and some headaches. Finally, although some people talk about people with diabetes smelling bad, yes their sweat smells different, but it's not stinky, it's a fruity smell.
Gestational diabetes, diabetes 1 and type 2 diabetic night sweats
Both types of diabetes are associated with hypoglycemia, and it is expected that patients with type 1 diabetes are more likely to be affected by hypoglycemia than those with type 1 diabetes.Typ 2 Diabetes.
On the other hand, the probability of developing gestational diabetes and night sweats is very low, since patients with this form of diabetes rarely have problems with hypoglycemia.
More information on diabetes and night sweats
- Diabetic autonomic neuropathy, a complication of diabetes mellitus that the Mayo Clinic says "can cause excessive sweating, especially at night or when eating." Other symptoms are sexual dysfunction, unconscious hypoglycemia, urinary tract problems, gustatory sweating, orthostatic hypotension, etc.
- Diabetes – Lymphoma: Patients with type 2 diabetes have a 20% higher risk of developing blood cancers such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma. As already seen, this cancer causes night sweats.
- Gustatory sweating: is "profuse sweating of the face, scalp, and neck during or immediately after ingestion of food or drink" that is common in diabetics, particularly those with diabetic autonomic neuropathy. People with the problem often complain of head sweating, i.e. sweating on the head while sleeping.
- Diabetes insipidus and night sweats - Stanford University lists this as one of the causes of sleep hyperhidrosis.
Remember, if you have diabetes, stay away from alcohol, as alcoholism can worsen insulin resistance in those with type 2 diabetes.
6. Alcoholic night sweats and male night sweats due to alcohol withdrawal
Why do I sweat after drinking alcohol or why do I have this excessive sweating after drinking alcohol? Is there a connection between red wine and night sweats? This part will enlighten you more about male night sweats and the alcohol connection.
The fact is that alcohol causes night sweats in men, especially in patients with alcohol intolerance, alcohol withdrawal or alcohol dependence.
Effects of alcohol on your body that can make you sweat
When you drink alcohol, it affects your circulatory system, central nervous system, and every other part of your body. It also increases heart rate and makes blood vessels much wider. All of these can trigger the body to sweat.
Whether you sweat alcohol or not, sweating can excrete a small amount of alcohol, while most of it is broken down in the liver, so sweating can't remove most of the alcohol from your body.
Night sweats from alcohol withdrawal
In addition to drinking alcohol, night sweats can also occur as a result of alcohol withdrawal, particularly in individuals who have developed an alcohol addiction problem.
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms usually begin a few hours after your last drink and can last for several days or weeks. Sweating, clammy skin, and night sweats are common withdrawal symptoms. You may also feel anxious, depressed, or out of shape.
Other symptoms include nausea, tremors, nightmares, fatigue, trouble sleeping, fever, muscle aches, restlessness, body aches, loss of appetite, and insomnia due to alcohol.
Some patients may experience severe symptoms such as confusion, tachycardia, palpitations, tremors, vomiting, high blood pressure and changes in respiratory rate.
Delirium tremens: Heavy night sweats due to alcohol withdrawal.
This is severe nocturnal alcohol withdrawal, which Healthline.com says is “the most severe form of alcohol withdrawal. It can cause profuse sweating, fever, hallucinations and seizures.” It is a life-threatening condition and requires immediate medical attention.
Typical symptoms appear 48-96 hours after the last drink and can last up to 10 days. Other symptoms include disorientation and confusion, body tremors, changes in mental function, delirium, anxiety, hallucinations, rapid mood swings, drowsiness, seizures, agitation, deep sleep lasting more than a day, irritability, increased activity, anxiety.
Most of these symptoms are always accompanied by regular or constant heavy sweating during sleep or heavy night sweats.
Night sweats alcohol intolerance
Due to a genetic mutation common among Asians, victims of this problem do not produce enzymes that help break down alcohol. Such people often suffer from alcohol-induced night sweats, which are accompanied by other symptoms such as hives, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure,runny nose, facial flushing and worsening of asthma in patients who already have it.
This alcohol intolerance has no cure and can be managed by reducing or stopping alcohol consumption.
Dealing with alcohol-related night sweats
Alcoholic night sweats or any other heavy night sweats can dehydrate your body. Drink plenty of water to replace lost fluids, avoid heavy blankets as they increase sweating, keep your room temperature comfortable, change bed linen after sweating, and rinse your skin to remove dried sweat salts. Also find ways to get your alcohol abuse and addiction problem under control and get a good alcohol detox remedy.
7. Night sweats after surgery
Is it normal to sweat after surgery? Why do people have postoperative night sweats? How long does the sweating last after the operation? We hear people talking about night sweats after gallbladder surgery, knee surgery, heart surgery, hysterectomy, sinus surgery, appendectomy, abdominal surgery, back surgery, hip surgery, etc. or even night sweats after a surgical abortion.
There are a number of things that can cause night sweats after surgery, such as: B. the anesthesia used, the medication administered after the operation, the healing process, the psychological anxiety associated with the operation and the infections that may occur.
Some victims of recent surgery often complain of severe night sweats after surgery, while others say they are mild. These night sweats may or may not be accompanied by fever; H. fever may not occur and may last for a short or long time depending on the nature of your surgery.
Some indications of night sweats after surgery are among others.
According to the University of Southern California Cardiothoracic Surgery, heart surgery patients note that patients often complain of night sweats in the first few weeks. If you feel this, check your temperature to make sure you don't have a fever.
In addition, according to Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D., like most other surgical procedures, expect some sweating after spinal surgery.
8. Night sweats, stress, anxiety and depression
Can depression cause night sweats or is there a link between anxiety and night sweats? What about stress, night sweats and depression?
Of course there are connections. According to WebMD, "People with prolonged stress or anxiety may experience sweating as a symptom." As such, anxiety, stress, and depression are other possible reasons for bed sweating.
When you have night sweats due to stress or anxiety, you may try to rest, sleep, or wake up to find yourself flushed, hot, and sweating for no apparent reason.
Excessive sweating during sleep due to stress is often worse in men than in women because men and women deal with stress differently. This makes night sweats more stressful for men than for women.
Sweating during sleep caused by stress, panic attacks, depression, or anxiety can be profuse (excessive or profuse sweating) or light. Also, stressors like stress from sleep apnea, stress from male perimenopause and male menopause, stress from lymphoma, stress from GERD can aggravate night sweats due to anxiety.
Hence, you can suffer from night sweats, which is associated with stress itself, as well as PTSD night stress disorder, where the previous traumatic experience causes some cold sweats at night or even during the day.
9. Night Sweats During Menopause – Night sweats associated with low testosterone levels in men
Night sweats in male menopause are also possible due to testosterone, late-onset hypogonadism, and androgen deficiency. It affects men in their 50s and late 40s. Symptoms of male menopause include depression, sadness, irritability, low libido, erectile dysfunction, anxiety, hot flashes and sweating, and problems with memory and concentration.
You can clearly see that male menopause can cause sweating and hot flashes, as well as depression and anxiety, which can make night sweats worse in men.
10. Night sweats in men due to hormonal imbalances
Hormonal imbalances, particularly hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), carcinoid syndrome, and pheochromocytoma, can cause hot flashes and sweating in men, women, and children.
11. Neurological problems and conditions
Some neurological problems and conditions, such as autonomic dysreflexia, post-traumatic syringomyelia, stroke, and autonomic neuropathy, can cause increased sweating and lead to night sweats.
Other possible causes of night sweats in men
In addition to what we have already covered in detail, other possible causes of night sweats in men include the following:
- Stroke and post-traumatic syringomyelia (cyst that develops in the spinal cord and is filled with fluid)
- Numbness in hands and feet
- GERD gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Substance and drug abuse such as heroin, in addition to the alcohol that we have already seen
Sleep disturbances, such as trouble breathing at night, especially in people with obstructive sleep apnea - Parkinson's disease
- obesity
- Cover yourself with very warm or very warm comforters or blankets
- Eating full of spices before bed
- Sleeping in very hot rooms.
- Do vigorous exercise before bedtime.
- Bad air conditioning in the heat.
- Set your thermostat temperature that high
- Drink hot beverages before bed
- Excessive consumption of caffeine.
- Night sweats in men over 50
In men in their 50s, night sweats can be attributed to male menopause. Aside from andropause, every other condition we've looked at can cause night sweats in men over 50. For example, night sweats and weight loss in men over 50 could be due to any of the cancers we've already studied, such as lymphoma, lung cancer, etc., or diabetes.
When it comes to treating night sweats in men over 50, it can't be any different than it does in people of all ages unless it's caused by andropause.
Night sweats in men over 40
What causes night sweats in men over 40 is not dissimilar to the causes we've already looked at, with the possible exception of andropause, which begins in the late 40's and/or early 50's.
Symptoms associated with this excessive night sweats can aid in diagnosis and treatment.
Night sweats without fever
It's normal to sweat a little at night, along with tremors, chills, or a fever, especially with some infections and cancers. Chills and chills are usually caused by the fever itself.
It's also possible that some of the causes we've seen, including infections, could lead to excessive night sweats without a fever, since fever isn't a disease, it's the body's response to a specific underlying problem. As informpaciente.info says, “Night sweats come from sweating a lot at night. They can be associated with fever, but can also occur without fever.
Both bacterial and viral infections can cause fever, including HIV, flu, cold, etc. It is the body's response where it tries to raise its temperature to make it more difficult for the various pathogens in the body to survive.
Is Diagnosing Excessive Night Sweats During Sleep Necessary?
As we have seen, there are many possible causes of night sweats in men during sleep. Therefore, it is very important to consult a doctor if sweating persists during sleep. The doctor will review your medical history and run some tests to help you figure out the reason for your excessive sleep sweating.
Heavy night sweats, or excessive or profuse night sweats in men
From what we've seen, it stands to reason that some of the heavy or profuse night sweats they cause in men include:
- lymph node cancer
- Delirium tremens from severe alcohol withdrawal
- male menopause
- some medicines
- neurological problems
- Emphasize
- Diabetes
How to Stop Night Sweats in Men or Night Sweats Treatments and Remedies
To stop night sweats in men, you must first get a proper diagnosis to know what is causing it i.e. the underlying cause. This will determine the appropriate treatment method. Each cause may require different treatment procedures for night sweats.
For example how to stop night sweats due to alcohol withdrawal, infections, cancer, endocrine disorders (thyroid problems), etc. it will be different. Let your health professionals guide you through the best ways to treat these causes.
Some of the common treatments for hot flashes and night sweats in men or even women are the following:
- For bacterial infections: Your doctor will recommend several antibiotics to stop night sweats. Antibiotics cure the bacteria that cause excessive or profuse sweating during sleep.
- Cancer victims: If you have cancer, treating night sweats can involve treating the cancer with various techniques such as chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, stem cell transplantation, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, precision medicine, and immunotherapy. Unfortunately, if treatments are the cause of your sleep sweating, unless they are life-threatening, which in most cases they are not, you should look for other remedies to reduce sweating.
- Alcohol and Substance Abuse: To stop night sweats in male alcoholics and multi-drug abusers, try different therapies and seek professional help. It will help them overcome their addiction.
- Diabetics: You should check your insulin and blood sugar levels, especially before bed. A continuous blood glucose meter, such as a B. a continuous glucose meter, is helpful.
- Taking medication: If the medication you are taking, such as B. antidepressants, cause your night sweats. Talk to your doctor about prescribing alternative medications. This is the ideal way to stop night sweats from antidepressants.
- Andropause Night Sweats: There are several specialized treatments for male menopause
- Other Treatments: Try medications for excessive sweating, such as botox injections, antidepressants, nerve block medications, etc.
- Remove the sweat glands if only the armpits are affected. Also try nerve surgery and electric current (for mothers who aren't pregnant or don't have a pacemaker).
- Try anticholinergic regimens for night sweats: Try these medications that help reduce night sweats after being prescribed by a healthcare professional.
- Use a clinical-strength antiperspirant: Use a clinical-strength antiperspirant on your armpits, feet, hands, scalp, chest, bikini line, chest, and other sweat-prone areas.
- Relaxation Therapy: If you wake up after a night of heavy sweating, try breathing therapy or relaxation exercises.
Natural remedies for night sweats in men and general advice
In addition to the above treatments, you can also consider natural remedies to treat night sweats or stop night sweats in men naturally. Some of the common ways to prevent night sweats are:
1. Black cohosh herb
cohosh NegerWeed is one of the herbs for hot flashes and night sweats. It is usually recommended for women who suffer from hot flashes and night sweats during menopause, but it can also help anyone with this problem. This is because it helps bring down the temperature, hence it also reduces excessive night sweats in men. Do not use it if you have liver disease as it can put more stress on your liver.
2. Quercetin
This substance, derived from onion skins, can help reduce chronic night sweats, especially in cancer patients, as it acts on cancer cells.
3. Stay away from triggers
We have mentioned some things that can cause night sweats in men like spicy food, alcohol, caffeine etc. Stay away from these triggers to avoid the risk of overheating your body.
4. Turn off the thermostat
To avoid excessive sweating while you sleep, it's okay to turn the thermostat down a few degrees. Do not exaggerate.
5. Air conditioning
Air conditioning is another way to reduce night sweats in men as it keeps the air moving and keeps your body cool.
6. Try these lifestyle changes and appropriate clothing
Shower daily, change socks frequently, keep your feet dry, and consider wearing appropriate clothing. This can reduce body heat and consequently night sweats in men. Breathable sheets and pajamas made from natural fibers are often recommended.
Also, make sure you get enough exercise every day, watch your weight, and avoid spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine, heroin, and eat about 2-3 hours before bed.
We hope that you now know what helps against night sweats or what you should take against night sweats.
When to the doctor
See a doctor if you have persistent night sweats that interfere with your normal sleep or are accompanied by other symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, chest pain, chills, dizziness, fever over 40°C, and other serious symptoms.