Anxiety and night sweats are closely related, as individuals experiencing high anxiety are more likely to suffer from them. Menopausal women are especially at risk for both symptoms. Practicing relaxation as well as monitoring environmental conditions can help relieve these problems.
Individuals who sustain constant high levels of stress throughout their lives may experience anxiety and night sweats. Night sweats caused by anxiety are typically due to spikes in adrenaline that occur while one is sleeping. These night sweats can disturb sleep and if they happen often enough and may result in sleeplessness, which increases stress and promotes the cycle of anxiety and night sweats.
It is common for menopausal women to experience night sweats. This may be due to a number of triggers. For example, the low estrogen levels a woman experiences during menopause result in the body being less able to control its temperature. Decreased estrogen production can also result in menopausal women experiencing high levels of anxiety, which is a common trigger of night sweats. Changes in estrogen levels impact the body’s levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, and melatonin, all chemicals that the body uses to stabilize mood and emotion.
In order to control anxiety induced night sweats, the anxiety causing the problem must be addressed. Dealing with stress and anxiety can be difficult, yet there are some remedies that can be implemented at home. Reducing caffeine consumption can be helpful, as can regular exercise. Making time to relax is also important. If these methods don’t help, it is important to see a doctor or a therapist who can help treat the anxiety.
Although anxiety and night sweats are closely related, night sweats may be further encouraged by environmental or behavioral actions. For example, sleeping in an overly warm room or in a bed with too many blankets can result in night sweats or make night sweats triggered by anxiety even worse. Consuming hot or spicy foods before bed can also result in excessive sweating, as can smoking, drinking, alcohol, or consuming diet pills. Certain medications have also been known to result in night sweats.
Usually night sweats are not dangerous, and there is no need to consult a doctor. Yet in rare cases, night sweats can be a symptom of a more severe problem, such as an infection, tuberculosis, or some cancers. If night sweats occur frequently and are not the result of anxiety or environmental factors, a doctor should be consulted.