Table of contents:
- Why does cancer make sufferers sweat while sleeping?
- Sweating while sleeping can also be caused by other, less serious conditions
- See a doctor if you experience this persistently
- Treatment that can be lived
Have you ever sweat while sleeping at night? Indeed hmm, it could be because the air is very hot. However, if it's cold but you're still sweating, watch out. It could be that you have health problems, one of which may be cancer.
Sweating occurs when your body is cooling itself. Sweating definitely happens to everyone, but there are also people who always sweat heavily while sleeping at night. This intense sweating can make you, the pajamas you wear, your blankets, pillows, and your bed turn completely soaking wet. Usually, you can no longer sleep because your bed is too wet. Some even call it like they just jumped into the pool.
Now, if this happens even if the room temperature where you sleep is cold and you have no fever, you may need to see a doctor.
Why does cancer make sufferers sweat while sleeping?
Heavy sweating at night could be a sign that you have a serious illness, for example:
- Cancerous tumors
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Bone cancer
- Heart cancer
- Mesothelioma
It's still not known exactly why certain cancers make people with cancer sweat at night. This can happen because your body is trying to fight cancer cells. Changes in hormone levels can also be the cause. When cancer causes a patient to have a fever, the patient's body sweats as it tries to cool the patient's own body.
In certain cases, sweating while sleeping at night is a side effect of medications such as chemotherapy, drugs that change hormones, and morphine. If indeed you sweat at night because of cancer, then you will also experience other symptoms, such as fever and unreasonable weight loss.
Sweating while sleeping can also be caused by other, less serious conditions
Don't panic. It could also be that you are sweating not because of cancer. Here are other causes that cause you to sweat at night:
- Changes in hormone levels during premenopause and menopause
- Increased hormones and blood circulation during pregnancy
- Bacterial infections, such as tuberculosis and endocarditis
- Idiopathic hyperhidrosis, which is a condition in which your body produces excessive sweating without medical or environmental consequences
- Low blood sugar levels, or hypoglycemia
- Side effects of certain drugs, such as antidepressants, hormone therapy drugs, and fever-reducing drugs
- Overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism
- Stress
- Fright
It could also be that night sweats are caused by the lifestyle you are adopting, for example:
- Exercise before bed
- Drink a hot drink before bed
- Drinking alcohol
- Eat spicy food near bedtime
- Less cold air conditioner in very hot air
See a doctor if you experience this persistently
If you're only experiencing heavy sweating at night for only one or two nights, then you probably shouldn't go to see a doctor. Usually, this is only due to the influence of the environment or your current lifestyle. However, if you continue to sweat while sleeping for days and start to interfere with your sleeping hours, then you should go to the doctor to find out what causes you to sweat like this. Especially if sweating during sleep is accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, weight loss for no apparent reason, and other unusual symptoms.
Treatment that can be lived
Treating this disorder depends on the cause:
- If the reason you sweat at night is because of your lifestyle, then once you change your lifestyle, you no longer sweat while you sleep.
- If environmental factors are the cause, then once the environment becomes more comfortable, your body will also stop sweating.
- If the infection is the cause, your doctor may ask you to take antibiotics.
- If these night sweats are due to premenopause or menopause, talk to your doctor about hormone replacement therapy (HRT). However, keep in mind, that some types of HRT can increase the risk of serious health problems, including blood clots, stroke, and heart disease. You should really consult your doctor about the pros and cons of using HRT to treat this sweating while sleeping.
- If cancer is the cause, then you must get treatment to treat cancer. Cancer treatment varies depending on the type of cancer and the stage of the cancer. The most common treatments are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Some cancer drugs also cause the patient to sweat at night. These drugs include tamoxifen, opioids, and steroids. Your body may sweat because your body is adapting to the treatment you are getting. Usually, night sweats due to cancer will go away once the cancer is treated.