Waking up sweaty, known as night sweats, can happen for several reasons, often relating to your sleeping environment or underlying health conditions. Common causes include:
- Sleeping in a room that is too warm or using heavy bedding or clothing, which raises body temperature at night and causes sweating to cool down.
- Infections with fever, which trigger sweating as your body tries to regulate temperature.
- Hormonal changes or imbalances, such as those during menopause, pregnancy, or thyroid disorders, that disrupt normal temperature regulation.
- Medical conditions like diabetes (particularly low blood sugar at night) or hyperthyroidism.
- Sleep disorders like sleep apnea, which can cause sweating due to frequent awakenings and body stress.
- Anxiety and stress, which can increase sweat production during sleep.
- Use of certain medications or substances like alcohol and smoking that affect the nervous and circulatory systems.
If night sweats are frequent, severe, interfere with sleep, or paired with other symptoms, it is advisable to consult a healthcare provider to rule out serious causes or receive appropriate treatment.
