Its inherent dangers

…Experts warn, certain medications could lead to night sweats

 

By Doris Obinna

Night sweats can be severe and soak a person’s bedclothes and bed sheets, which may cause the person to wake up. Night sweats are a common symptom of menopause. They may also be caused by illness or medical conditions, such as infection, cancer, low blood sugar, hormone disorders, and neurologic conditions. They may also be a side effect of certain medicines, cancer treatment, too much caffeine or alcohol, or tobacco or drug use.

Hot flashes and night sweats are common in cancer survivors, particularly women, but they can also occur in men.

A study stated that if somebody has high blood pressure, their risk of stroke is significantly affected by how much they sleep. Specifically, people who sleep less than five hours per night and more than eight hours per night were found to have an 83 per cent and 74 per cent higher risk of stroke, respectively.

So what can you do to minimize your risk? At some point in our lives, for any number of reasons, nearly all of us will have difficulties sleeping and suffer from acute insomnia. This can lead to significant distress, but have no fear.

A gynaecologist and Medical Director, God’s Goal Hospital, Dr, Gabriel Omonaiye, explained: “Our bodies don’t do well with abrupt changes. The same is true for getting ready to sleep. A quiet sleep ritual such as reading, listening to calming music, or taking a nice bath helps prepare us mentally and physically for sleep.

“Tuberculosis is the infection most commonly associated with night sweats. But bacterial infections, which are other less common causes such as endocarditis (inflammation of the heart valves), osteomyelitis (inflammation in the bones), and abscesses can cause night sweats. Night sweats are also a symptom of AIDs infection.

“Taking certain medications could lead to night sweats. Antidepressant medications are a common type of drug that can lead to night sweats. Eight per cent to 22 per cent of people taking antidepressant drugs have night sweats. Other psychiatric drugs have also been associated with night sweats.

Medicines taken to lower fever, such as aspirin and acetaminophen, can sometimes lead to sweating. The hot flashes that accompany menopause can occur at night and cause sweating. This is a very common cause of night sweats in women.”

Symptoms that may occur

Depending upon the cause of the night sweats, he said, other symptoms may occur in association with the sweating, for example: with certain infections and cancers, fever can develop along with night sweats, shaking and chills can sometimes occur.

“With cancers such as lymphoma, unexplained weight loss can occur. Night sweats are an early symptom of some cancers. However, people who have undiagnosed cancer frequently have other symptoms as well, such as unexplained weight loss and fevers.

“Night sweats due to the menopausal transition are typically accompanied by other symptoms of menopause such as vaginal dryness, daytime hot flashes and mood changes as well as night sweats that occur as a side effect of medications can be accompanied by other medication side effects, depending upon the specific drug.”

What to do as a result of increased sweating

Conditions that result in increased sweating in general, as opposed to only night sweats, will result in increased sweating at other hours of the day. National Institute of Health (NIH): “Aim to get up and go to bed at the same time every day, even on weekends. We are creatures of habit, and our sleep is no exception.

“Once you determine your sleep needs, you should do your best to meet those needs everyday. By consistently going to bed and getting up at the same time, we condition our body to follow a regular pattern of sleep. This allows our body’s natural clock, called a circadian rhythm, to help initiate and maintain our sleep.

“Make sure your sleep environment is quiet, dark, cool, and comfortable. Studies find that sleeping in a cool environment is most conducive to sleep. By eliminating excess noise and light, we can minimize the disruptions that might wake us up. In addition, the bedroom should be a place for relaxing, not a source of stress. Bedrooms are for sleeping and sex, not for watching television, indulging your pets, or doing work.”

All electronics must be removed; televisions, gaming systems, computers, telephones and various other gadgets are stimulating and disruptive to sleep: “Don’t allow them in your bedroom and don’t use them in the brief period before going to bed.

“Even the small amount of light from a computer screen in the evening hours can stimulate your brain into thinking it is time to be awake. It’s also important to remove your pets from the bedroom as they can disrupt your sleep. Also, don’t use the bedroom as a place to work, as these activities are likewise stimulating and will disrupt your sleep.”

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A study reveals that caffeine can be found in expected places like coffee, soda pop, or tea, but also in unexpected foods like chocolate: “As a stimulant, it will keep you awake, even if used nearly six hours before bed. Likewise, nicotine will disrupt your sleep. And contrary to common practice, an alcoholic ‘nightcap’ can actually make your sleep worse. Though it may cause you to become drowsy, alcohol fragments the stages of your sleep and makes it more disrupted.

“Also, the period of time that you are awake adds to something called ‘sleep drive.’ The longer we stay awake, the more we want to go to sleep. By taking a nap, we can relieve this desire to sleep, but we’ll also have a harder time getting to sleep later.

“Adults should have a consolidated period of sleep at night without additional naps. If there is excessive daytime sleepiness and desire to nap, in spite of adequate sleep time, this might suggest a sleep disorder warranting further evaluation.

“Staying active and physically fit is an excellent way to ensure a good night’s sleep. However, exercising too close to bedtime may actually cause difficulties in getting to sleep. It causes difficulties, as your body will be revved up when you should be winding down.

“Just as we maintain for children, adults need daily sleep rituals prior to going to bed to allow us to unwind and mentally prepare for going to sleep. These rituals should include quiet activities such as reading, listening to relaxing music, or even taking a nice, hot bath.

“Individuals who have difficulty initiating sleep often toss and turn in bed, trying to force sleep to come. If this happens night after night, you may begin to associate your bed with the anxiety of not being able to sleep. If you’re unable to get to sleep within 15 minutes of going to bed, go to another quiet place and lie down until you feel ready to fall asleep, and then return to your bedroom to sleep.”

Making sleep a priority

The gynaecologist warned: “Don’t sacrifice sleep to do daytime activities. By this, the most important advice is to respect that your body needs to sleep. Too often, we allow our sleep time to be infringed upon when our daytime obligations take longer than anticipated.

“Additionally, opportunities to engage in pleasurable activities; visiting friends, watching television, playing on the internet, eating out, and any other activities that quickly cut into our sleep time if we allow them to. It’s important to schedule your sleep time and stick to that schedule, no matter what might come up during the day.”

Know when to see a doctor

According to the American Osteopathic Association, while night sweats are often due to a sleeping environment that is too warm, they can also be caused by an underlying medical condition.

“If you are one of the many people who suffer from night sweats, classified as excessive sweating at night, then you may be wondering about the potential causes and if you should be concerned.

“True night sweats are defined as severe hot flashes occurring at night that can drench sleepwear and sheets,” explains Laura M. Rosch, an osteopathic internal medicine specialist from Wheaton, Illinois.

“If your night sweats occur on a regular basis, interrupt your sleep, or are accompanied by a fever or other symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss, then you should schedule an appointment with your physician.

“Your doctor will take a look at your detailed medical history and may order tests, such as blood counts and virus and thyroid tests, to determine if you have any underlying medical conditions that could be responsible.”

Key takeaways

Sleep Foundation, said, “Although sweating is a normal part of the body’s temperature regulation system, night sweats are not caused by external factors such as your bedroom temperature or choice of bedding. Instead, the term refers to excessive nighttime sweating caused by physiological processes or underlying health conditions. Night sweats can vary in severity but are often described as severe enough to soak through bedding.

“Both men and women may experience night sweats for many of the same reasons, such as infection and stress, but some causes differ between the sexes. Men do not experience night sweats as often as women do, possibly because menopause is a leading cause of night sweats in women.

“However, hormones can also play a role in night sweats among men, as low testosterone levels have been identified as a potential cause. A person’s sex also affects other aspects of health, including how they sleep. So men are sometimes more likely to have other conditions that cause night sweats.”