Night Sweats and Sleep Waking up in the middle of the night feeling clammy and drenched in sweat? Too hot to get back to sleep? Night sweats are surprisingly common. In fact, in a survey we carried out, 34% of respondents reported excessive sweating at night. And with the condition common in children too, it can be a big cause of disrupted sleep for all the family, making you feel tired rather than refreshed in the morning. What are night sweats? Are you having night sweats, or are you simply too hot in bed? You may just be overheating because the central heating is on, your bedding is far too heavy or because it’s a very warm night. Real night sweats will wake you up from deep sleep with drenched bedding and are more difficult to solve than being too hot in bed. They usually occur when your body's natural thermostat isn't working perfectly. There are lots of different reasons why this can happen, from hormones to medication, and even certain foods and drinks. What’s more, they can happen to anyone – male or female, child or adult, in illness or in perfect health.
The important thing to realise is that there are steps you can take to get relief. What causes night sweats? • Menopause: 75% of women will experience extreme sweating while sleeping due to menopause. In fact, it's one of the most common symptoms. They are basically 'hot flushes' or 'hot flashes' while you're trying to sleep. • Infant/child overheating: It’s very common for young, growing children to overheat at night. We tend to warm up more in our deeper stages of sleep, which causes more trouble for little ones than adults due to immature temperature regulation systems and a greater proportion of sweat glands compared to body size. • Diabetes: When hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) happens during sleep, it can cause episodes of excessive sweating. • Sleep apnoea: Night sweats are a less obvious side effect of sleep apnoea, a condition which causes waking and restlessness during the night. • Other medical conditions and medication: A variety of other medical conditions, from infections to hormone disorders, can trigger extreme sweating at night.
It can also be a side effect of taking certain medication. • Memory foam mattress: Because they’re made from purely synthetic materials, memory foam mattresses can’t regulate temperature or absorb the moisture which comes from excessive sweating at night. In fact, these mattresses need body heat in order to mould to your body shape and provide support. So if you’re sleeping on a memory foam mattress, this could be causing your night sweats or making them worse. • Simply a warm sleeper: Not all night sweats are caused by medical conditions or the wrong choice of mattress. Some people are simply warm sleepers. However, don’t worry – there are still ways for you to improve your sleep quality. Read on to find out more. Once you've been checked over by your GP and have identified the cause of your night sweats, you can begin working on ways to help yourself sleep more comfortably. How to get relief from night sweats – and get a better night’s sleep We’re firm believers that night sweats don’t have to be a nightmare.
Simple tips, such as leaving a window open at night, having a fan pointed at your bed, and keeping a glass of iced water by your bed can all help to keep you cool. So can avoiding synthetic nightwear and bed linen. Natural fibres such as cotton, linen and wool are breathable, helping to reduce sweating at night. Swapping your polyester pyjamas and bed sheets for cotton alternatives is a great starting point for better sleep. But it’s a little-known secret that changing your duvet, pillows and mattress to wool-filled alternatives can deliver far greater benefits. Contrary to popular belief, wool is a very cool fibre to sleep in, thanks to its superior natural ability to manage moisture. If you suffer with constant night sweats, this quality is crucial to waking less and sleeping more. How wool bedding can help with sweating during sleep Wool is an amazing natural fibre that has evolved over thousands of years to keep sheep healthy. It's a natural thermoregulator and can absorb up to 30% its own weight in moisture.
It’s also natural and renewable, hypoallergenic, antibacterial and dust mite free. When you begin to sweat, the dry wool fibres draw that moisture away from your skin and absorb it into the structure of the fibre. It's common to sweat around half a litre of moisture every night. If you are suffering from night sweats it's likely you'll lose far more. This moisture has to go somewhere, which is why wool’s ability to absorb moisture is so beneficial. Even a simple cotton sheet won't perform as well to keep you cool as it can't absorb as much moisture as wool. Cotton can absorb 10% its weight in moisture in comparison to wool's 30%, so amazingly, you'll be better off with a wool duvet than a cotton sheet. Better still, combining a wool duvet with cotton sheets and covers will provide further benefit. Night Sweat Solution from The Wool Room Our wool bedding sets come with a 30-day money back sleep guarantee – if you don't see an improvement in your sleep after 30 days, we'll give you a full refund.
You can choose one of our pre-made bedding sets or alternatively you can select your ideal duvet, mattress protector/topper and pillows to make up your own custom bedding set. A good night’s sleep is invaluable to your health and wellbeing – which is why choosing wool bedding is one of the smartest investments you can make. Ready to reclaim your sleep routine – try our tips for relieving night sweats and let us know how you get on in the comments.In addition, various medications may cause night sweats. The most common categories of medications that cause night sweats are: psychiatric (especially antidepressants), fever reduction (aspirin and acetaminophen) and cortisone medications. There is also a type of hyperhidrosis known as "idiopathic", in which no underlying medical cause can be found. If you are experiencing night sweats and are unsure of the underlying cause, it is essential that you seek medical attention for a proper diagnosis. Regardless of the underlying reason that you are experiencing night sweats there are many things that can be done to combat this uncomfortable condition.
The most obvious option is to wear lightweight bed clothes made of natural fibers when sleeping. Cotton pajamas rather than polyester or flannel are recommended, as lighter weight fabrics do not generate as much heat by the body. The more heat that is generated by the body, the more you sweat. Down comforters are discouraged for the same reason. The ideal blanket or comforter for someone suffering from night sweats should be made of lightweight, breathable fabrics made of natural fibers. are generally best, as they allow air to flow freely and won't "trap" the heat generated by the body. Sheet thread count is another thing to consider when dealing with night sweats. Thread count refers to the number of horizontal and vertical threads used to create one square inch of fabric. The higher the thread count, the tighter the weave. A tighter weave and higher thread count will allow less air to flow through the fabric and will hold the heat in. For this reason cotton sheets of no more than 300 thread count are best.