Effective treatment for night sweats depends on the underlying cause, which can range from hormonal shifts (like menopause or perimenopause) to medications, infections, or stress. Addressing this issue typically involves targeted medical therapies or strategic lifestyle and bedroom adjustments.
The best approach for night sweats is identifying the underlying cause, but immediate relief starts with cooling your sleep environment. Use moisture-wicking sheets, sleep in light cotton or linen pajamas, set your thermostat between 65∘F and 68∘F, and run a fan.
Hypoglycemia—Since hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, can cause sweating, people who are taking medications to lower blood sugar, like insulin and oral anti-diabetics, may experience sweating at night. Hormone disorders—Night sweats can be a result of problems in the hormone-producing glands (endocrine system).
The most common cause of night sweats is menopause and perimenopause, driven by fluctuating estrogen levels that disrupt the body's internal thermostat. Other frequent causes include an overly warm sleep environment, certain medications, anxiety, and underlying infections.
Medication for night sweats depends on the underlying cause. Common treatments include Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and non-hormonal options like FDA-approved neurokinin inhibitors (e.g., fezolinetant), low-dose SSRI antidepressants, and blood pressure medications (e.g., clonidine).
Anticholinergics help block signals from nerves that would otherwise tell sweat glands to produce sweat - thus, they help tackle the problem of too much sweating at the source. Anticholinergics include medicines such as glycopyrrolate, oxybutynin, benztropine, propantheline, and others.
You should see your doctor if you're having night sweats when it's not hot. Especially if you notice other symptoms such as: unexplained weight loss. fever.
Cancers and serious illnesses that include night sweats as a symptom include lymphoma, leukemia, carcinoid tumors, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
Night sweats are usually harmless, but you should consult a doctor if they happen frequently (disrupting your sleep multiple times a week), occur even in a cool room, or cause you to wake up drenched. Pay special attention if they are accompanied by red-flag symptoms like unexplained weight loss or persistent fevers.
Night sweats in a 70-year-old woman are most frequently caused by medication side effects, hormonal shifts (such as late-onset hot flashes), or sleep apnea. Other common triggers include underlying infections, thyroid disorders, or anxiety.
Some studies say that omega-3 supplements may help with night sweats during menopause, but that they're less helpful for hot flashes and sleep. All the same, omega-3s could be worth a try — and not just for the potential menopause symptom relief. That's because omega-3 fatty acids have many health benefits.
Night sweats are primarily caused by the body's immune response to certain cancers or the hormonal shifts brought on by cancer treatments. Cancers most frequently linked to drenching night sweats include:
Waking up in a sweat at 3 AM is incredibly common and usually results from natural cortisol spikes, an overheated bedroom, or shifting hormones. However, it can occasionally signal an underlying health condition.
Great cooling herbs include mint tea, fennel, chamomile tea and nettle teas – many are readily available in teabags in most supermarkets today. You can drink herb teas hot, or even cold with ice and a slice!
Foods that cause night sweats typically do so by raising your core body temperature, overstimulating your nervous system, or triggering insulin and blood sugar spikes. To prevent hot flashes and excessive sweating, it is best to avoid consuming the following items in the hours leading up to bedtime:
To stop severe night sweats, immediately optimize your sleep environment by lowering your thermostat to 65–68°F and using a bedside fan. Wear loose, breathable cotton or linen pajamas, and switch to moisture-wicking bedding. If symptoms persist, seek medical care to rule out underlying conditions.
Normal sweating at night is a mild bodily response to an overly warm room, heavy bedding, or spicy food. In contrast, true night sweats involve recurring episodes of severe, drenching sweating that soak your nightclothes and sheets—even when the room is cool.
Yes, congestive heart failure (CHF) can cause night sweats.
Drinking plenty of cold water is the most effective way to reduce sweating. Staying hydrated maintains your internal cooling system so your body doesn't have to work as hard to regulate temperature.
Night sweats: Rarely cause for concern
This includes kidney infections and much rarer infections like tuberculosis. In other cases, the cause may be thyroid or liver disease, or a sleep disorder like obstructive sleep apnea.
Treatment for night sweats from a GP
If you have night sweats, you will not usually need treatment, but the GP will want to check if you have any other symptoms. If you're taking medicine and the GP thinks it might be causing night sweats, they may prescribe a different one.
Sweating in your sleep is generally your body’s natural mechanism to cool itself down when its core temperature rises. While occasional, mild sweating is harmless, waking up frequently drenched in sweat (night sweats) can disrupt your sleep quality and may be an indicator of an underlying issue.
Night sweats are episodes of excessive perspiration that drench your sleepwear or bedding. They are most commonly associated with cancers of the immune system and blood, but can also occur with solid tumors or as a side effect of certain oncology treatments.
There is no single "night sweats test." Evaluation begins with a physical exam and medical history to check your medications, lifestyle, and symptoms. Based on these, your doctor will determine the appropriate diagnostic tests.
Severe night sweats—episodes of drenching sweat that soak your sleepwear and bedding—are commonly linked to hormonal shifts, underlying infections, or medication side effects. While many causes are non-serious, persistent drenching sweats can be an early indicator of more serious medical conditions.