Night Sweats – Menopause – Hot Flashes – Sleeping hot

Night sweats in men are not nearly as researched or discussed as the night sweats in women because of menopause. However, men are equally capable of experiencing sleep hyperhidrosis for a number of physical and psychological health reasons as women. Additionally, men also experience a period of hormonal change referred to as andropause. It is worth noting that men over 40 experience nocturnal hyperhidrosis far more frequently than younger men.

Night sweats, also referred to as sleep hyperhidrosis or nocturnal hyperhidrosis, is an excessive variation of a natural process. Our bodies perspire to detoxify and to cool. Toxins are released through our pores as we perspire and out body’s core thermostat triggers our sweat glands to help us reduce our temperature.

A general cause of night sweating which cuts across a number of conditions and sources is the confusion of our hypothalamus, the part of our brain which acts like a thermostat, measuring our body temperature and sending directions to our body on how to respond to that temperature. Various hormones, diseases, foods and medicines can throw the hypothalamus off or at least affect the brain chemical norepinephrine which then throws our natural thermostat off.

Foods which cause night sweats in men include read meat, garlic, onions and foods high in capsaicin (the constituent which makes foods spicy). Beer and wine and other alcoholic beverages can cause nocturnal hyperhidrosis as well, but in a different way. Our bodies treat alcohol as a poison, and thus when we consume it our body naturally tries to detoxify. And as I mentioned earlier, one of the functions of perspiration is to detoxify.

Too many medicines may indirectly cause night sweats in men to list here, but the most common family of medicines to trigger them are antidepressants. Often times, it is difficult to delineate whether the medication is causing the night sweat or the underlying problem which the medication is treating is causing that uncomfortable perspiration.

Infections and abscesses are common causes of sleep hyperhidrosis. Bacterial or viral infections will frequently reveal themselves through sleep hyperhidrosis. Tuberculosis very often causes night sweating.

On an even more serious level, cancer — in particular lymphoma — and AIDS often cause night sweats in men. It is often an early symptom, so if you can’t isolate the cause of your night sweats to anything else, I urge you to contact your physician.

Before you become too anxious about your night sweats, however, keep in mind that research indicates that many more people believe they are experiencing night sweats than actually do suffer from nocturnal hyperhidrosis. A real night sweat is dramatic and distinct, and not just a little perspiration from an overly warm environment. Additionally, research indicates that the most comfortable sleeping temperature for most humans is actually cooler than you might think.

Learn how to identify and treat your sleep hyperhidrosis with confidence and comfort: Night Sweats In Men

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