Ending Night Sweats in Men: Practical Tips

Night sweats are a common and often frustrating experience, especially for men. If you're waking up drenched in sweat, you're not alone. Many men struggle with this issue, often due to hormonal changes, underlying medical conditions, or even certain medications.

We'll highlight effective tips and strategies for reducing night sweats and getting the restful sleep you deserve.

Understanding Night Sweats

Excessive sweating episodes during sleep, also known as nocturnal hyperhidrosis, can be more than just a minor inconvenience; they can significantly disrupt your sleep quality, leaving you feeling tired and irritable the next day.

Men who continuously sweat at night may also experience emotional distress and physical discomfort, as waking up drenched in sweat is far from pleasant.

Night sweats in men can arise from underlying medical conditions, medication side effects, or lifestyle factors. Understanding what triggers night sweats is the first step toward finding an effective solution. Whether you adjust your sleep environment or seek medical advice, addressing night sweats can help you achieve a more restful and comfortable night’s sleep.

Did You Know: Males, in general, tend to begin sweating sooner and in higher volume (with activity or heat) than females.

Keep Your Body Temperature Cool at Night

Men often seek relief from night sweats by investing in a cooling mattress topper, such as the Chilipad Dock Pro. These products have been proven to help stop or reduce the severity of night sweats in men.

One thing that makes cooling mattress pads a particularly great solution is that many offer flexibility to set schedules. This is the perfect way to get your bed prepped and ready for you in the right temperature range before you get into it.

Everyone requires a different temperature to optimize their sleep, and, fortunately, the range of temperatures for mattress pads both cool and heat from 55º to 115º Fahrenheit.

Ultimately, active cooling mattress pads help regulate your body temperature by consistently pulling heat away from your body throughout the night, rather than constantly chasing the thermostat and trying to control the environment of your entire bedroom.

Note: Sweating is a natural part of the body’s temperature regulation system, so it’s normal to experience it both during the day and at night. However, excessive sweating during sleep can lead to disrupted sleep patterns and poor quality sleep.

Maintaining an optimal bedroom temperature (65º - 72º Fahrenheit) reduces sweating and improves sleep quality for many men. Unlock the secret to deeper, more restorative sleep by exploring the benefits of cooler sleep.

Wear Comfortable Clothing

Nobody wants to wake up feeling like they've been wrestling with a swamp monster all night long. Wearing the right clothes can make a big difference. Think breathable fabrics like cotton, bamboo or linen – they let your skin breathe and wick away sweat, so you don't feel like you're trapped in a sauna while sleeping.

Loose-fitting pajamas or sleepwear are also the way to go. You want something that allows for airflow and doesn't feel restrictive.

Investing in comfortable sleepwear can significantly help males sweat at night. You'll be surprised how much better you sleep when you're not battling with sweaty sleepwear and sheets and feeling uncomfortable all night.

Optimizing Your Sleeping Environment

Check your room temperature. If your bedroom is warm, you can adjust the temperature. Experts recommend setting your optimum room sleeping temperature between 65º - 72º Fahrenheit to help reduce night sweating. Night sweats represent one of the most significant barriers to high-quality sleep hygiene for men.

Creating a sleep-friendly bedroom involves making it dark and quiet. Keep noise levels low (or drown out disturbing noise with a sound machine), avoid watching TV or using your phone before bed, and minimize exposure to blue light from electronic devices.

Evaluate Your Exercise Program

While exercise is fantastic for overall health, finding the right balance is important. Overtraining can significantly increase your body temperature and lead to excessive sweating, even at night while you sleep.

Overtraining can significantly increase your body temperature and lead to persistent sweats at night, even at night while you sleep. If you’ve recently ramped up your workouts and cannot crack the code to sleeping better, consider dialing your intense workouts back a bit. Focus on moderate-intensity exercise most of the time, with occasional bursts of more vigorous activity.

Some types of exercise, like hot yoga or intense cardio, can generate more heat than others. If you find that your workouts consistently trigger night sweats, try exploring alternative forms of exercise, such as swimming, cycling, or brisk walking. If your intense workouts are in the evening, you can even try adjusting the time of day you’re working out to allow your body sufficient time to cool back down enough to get restful sleep.

If you’re unsure about your current exercise routine or concerned about sweating and its impact on your sleep, consider consulting with your healthcare professional.

Related Blog: Understanding the Importance of Exercise and Sleep

Limit Spicy Foods

Certain foods are known to induce night sweats in men, particularly those that raise body temperature or metabolism. Spicy foods, with their capsaicin content, can trick your body into feeling warmer, leading to increased sweating. [2]

Similarly, high-fat and heavy meals require more energy to digest, potentially raising body heat. Monitoring your diet and identifying any correlation between your food intake and night sweats can be crucial in managing this discomfort and finding ways to treat night sweats in males. Consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice and to explore other potential causes of night sweats.

Did You Know: Research has found that sleeping on your left side can help reduce reflux episodes caused by GERD. [3]

Monitor Caffeine to Prevent Night Sweats

Caffeine, a widely consumed stimulant found in various beverages, has been known to influence the body's thermoregulation and potentially lead to night sweats. When consumed, caffeine can cause blood vessels to dilate and elevate body and skin temperature, which in turn can increase sweat production.

Caffeine's effects can persist in the system for up to 10 hours, so consuming it later in the day can have sweaty repercussions on sleep.

However, people may differ in their sensitivity to caffeine. Some claim they can drink coffee and still sleep deeply without experiencing night sweats. In contrast, others find that they must stop their caffeine intake around lunchtime or earlier to prevent it from disrupting their sleep.

Caffeine Statistic: Today, around 80% of the global population consumes caffeinated products daily, with this figure rising to 90% among adults in North America.

Men can reduce the likelihood of experiencing sweating by having their last caffeinated drink at least 10 hours before bedtime.

Monitoring and reducing your intake of these drinks, especially before bedtime, can help mitigate night sweats and lead to a more comfortable night's sleep. Learn how caffeine affects sleep and ways to balance your intake.

There are some drinks that can actually help you get better sleep. Curious to find out more? Check out our blog on the best drinks that help you sleep.

Alcohol and Tobacco Consumption

Alcohol and tobacco use can have a significant impact on night sweats by affecting the thermoregulatory system in the body. Alcohol can also cause blood vessels to widen and increase sweating, contributing to night sweats.

Prolonged excessive alcohol consumption can lead to withdrawal symptoms when the alcohol fades from the system, and these symptoms can also include night sweats.

Additionally, hormone therapy for conditions like prostate cancer can also trigger night sweats, making it especially important to monitor alcohol and tobacco use.

Similarly, the nicotine found in tobacco products can stimulate sweat glands, even after the last cigarette of the day. Nicotine mimics the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, although unregulated, causing an increase in its release in the brain.

This results in higher levels of acetylcholine and an elevated body temperature, both of which can lead to increased sweating during sleep. Both alcohol and tobacco use have the potential to disrupt the body’s thermoregulatory system and increase night sweats. Alcohol widens blood vessels, while nicotine raises body temperature and stimulates sweat glands.

These effects of alcohol can persist even after the substances have left the body, contributing to excessive and extreme sweating while sleeping.

Relax Before Bedtime

Stress and anxiety often intensify at night, making relaxation techniques essential not only for managing stress but also for reducing night sweats. Relaxation techniques, such as meditation and deep breathing, are well-accepted tools for decreasing one of the most common causes of night sweats in men. What is the cause? Stress and anxiety disorder.

It's recommended to try meditation and breathing exercises to help calm the mind and body before bedtime.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Excess weight can cause night sweats and sweating in some men. Obesity, considered a risk factor, may lead to not only feeling hot but also sleep apnea (a common sleep disorder). Weight loss is recommended to help treat these common conditions.

Men who are overweight or obese may also experience increased hot flashes, which are similar to night sweats and can disrupt sleep.

Sleep Study: A study discovered that approximately 30% of obstructive sleep apnea patients experienced night sweats, compared to 9% of healthy men without the condition. [4]

Identifying the Causes of Night Sweats

It can be a symptom of several medical conditions, including infections (tuberculosis, endocarditis), hormonal imbalances (low testosterone), sleep apnea, certain cancers (lymphoma, leukemia), GERD, and hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). For a more detailed explanation of the specific causes of night sweats in men, you can read Causes of Night Sweats in Men.

When to Seek Medical Advice

If you experience persistent or severe sweats while sleeping at night, it is important to seek medical attention. You should also consult a healthcare professional if you experience other symptoms, such as:

• Fever or chills
• Weight loss or gain
• Fatigue or weakness
• Difficulty sleeping or insomnia
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Abdominal pain or discomfort

They might be a sign of an underlying medical condition. If you're concerned about their frequency or impact on your life, don't hesitate to seek medical advice.

Final Thought

Dealing with night sweats can be incredibly frustrating, leaving you feeling exhausted and impacting your life. Understanding the potential causes, such as hormonal changes, medical conditions, and certain lifestyle factors, enables you to take proactive steps to reduce uncomfortable symptoms.

Remember that finding the right solution can involve a combination of strategies, such as identifying night sweat triggers and experimenting with cooling techniques. Try a few, such as experimenting with cooling techniques like a Chilipad, optimizing your sleep environment, and evaluating your diet and exercise routine.

If you continue to sweat at night, do not hesitate to contact your primary physician or a sleep specialist to rule out any underlying medical conditions and discuss personalized treatment options.

Making conscious adjustments to your lifestyle and utilizing the tips outlined in this article can help you regain control over your sleep, allowing you to wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Remember, it’s important to be patient and find what works best for your needs.