Waking up sweating (night sweats) usually happens when your bedroom is too warm or because of minor environmental and dietary factors. However, if your bedding is breathable and the room is cool, it can signal an underlying health issue.
You should worry about night sweats if they are frequent, soak through your pajamas or sheets, and are paired with "red flag" symptoms like unexplained weight loss, persistent fever, swollen lymph nodes, or a chronic cough.
Waking up sweating often happens when your body raises its temperature to fight an infection, or when a fever breaks. While occasional night sweats can just mean your room is too hot, they can also signal the common cold, the flu, or COVID-19.
Night sweats can be an early indicator of several conditions, ranging from hormonal changes and infections to certain cancers. The most common illnesses and medical issues that present with night sweats include:
A drenching night sweat is defined as severe, excessive sweating during sleep that soaks through your pajamas and bedsheets, frequently waking you up. It occurs even when your bedroom is kept at a normal or cool temperature and is not caused by simply being wrapped in too many blankets.
Night sweats are a red flag when they are drenching—soaking your clothes and bedding—and are accompanied by persistent systemic symptoms. You should consult a healthcare provider if your sweating interrupts sleep and occurs alongside symptoms like unintentional weight loss, recurring fevers, or swollen lymph nodes.
Waking up drenched in sweat is usually caused by an overheated bedroom, medication side effects, or hormonal changes like menopause. However, it can occasionally signal an underlying medical condition, such as an infection, sleep apnea, or an overactive thyroid.
Night sweats are a common symptom of both leukemia and lymphoma. Other symptoms are usually present when cancer causes night sweats, like fever and fatigue. WHAT INFECTIONS CAUSE NIGHT SWEATS? Night sweats are a common symptom of tuberculosis.
Hyperthyroidism, when the thyroid is overactive, causes night sweats along with diarrhea, anxiety and a racing heart.
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.
Day 3-4: The Flu Is at Its Worst
Additional flu symptoms may include: Ongoing cough and nasal congestion. Increased dehydration risk due to fever and sweating.
Recognizing the warning signs of a Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS) episode allows you to take medication early to potentially abort or lessen the severity of the attack. Symptoms typically begin in the prodrome phase and can include intense nausea, pale skin, excessive salivation, abdominal pain, dizziness, and fatigue.
Night sweats without a fever most frequently result from hormonal shifts (like menopause), anxiety, side effects from medications (such as antidepressants), or an overactive thyroid. While generally harmless, they can also signal underlying sleep apnea or low blood sugar.
Night sweats are a common issue that can usually be managed, often resulting from environment, medications, or stress. However, recurring, drenching sweats may signal an underlying health condition. Here are the 10 most frequent causes of night sweats:
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.
Excessive sweating at night (often called sleep hyperhidrosis) is defined as recurring, severe episodes of sweating that drench your sleepwear and bed sheets to the point of needing to change them, even when your bedroom is kept at a comfortably cool temperature.
Other causes of night sweats in males and females include:
Night sweats are primarily linked to a Vitamin B12 deficiency. Low levels of B12 can disrupt your autonomic nervous system—which controls functions like sweating and temperature regulation—triggering your body to overproduce sweat.
Yes, Type 2 diabetes can make you sweat. Abnormal sweating is a common diabetes complication and typically happens for a few key reasons:
Lymphoma night sweats are typically drenching and profuse, leaving your pajamas and bedding soaking wet. They are often described as feeling like you were splashed with a bucket of water, occurring even when the room is comfortably cool.
For many people, the first signs of lymphoma are painless, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin. Early indicators often include "B symptoms" such as unexplained weight loss (losing ≥10% of body weight), drenching night sweats, and persistent fevers.
Yes, anxiety can definitely cause night sweats. When you are stressed or anxious—even while asleep—your body releases stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. This activates your nervous system, increases your heart rate, and kicks your sweat glands into overdrive, which can leave you waking up drenched.
Night sweats can be attributed to a wide range of factors, from completely harmless to potentially serious. The most common causes include hormonal imbalances or disorders, medications, infections, and anxiety and stress. Menopause is one of the most common conditions in which night sweats are associated with.
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.
Waking up drenched in sweat is usually caused by environmental overheating, but it can also be a side effect of medications, hormonal shifts (like menopause), or underlying health issues like infections or sleep apnea.