You might be finding yourself under attack from hot flashes and subsequently tossing and turning through the night bathed in sweat.
If you have a male partner, do you find that he also perspires during the night?
Today we’ll double down on the issue of night sweats explaining what they are, how male night sweats in particular come about along with some actionable treatment options.
What Are Night Sweats?
The medical definition of night sweats extends beyond a few beads of perspiration on your forehead.
If you regularly wake up with your clothing and bedding drenched, you could be suffering from night sweats due to underlying circumstances. (1)
As a result of sweating so profusely, it’s common to feel extremely hot or unpleasantly cold in the aftermath. (2)
If accompanied by other symptoms like weight loss, fever and diarrhea, night sweats can be more than mildly irritating for you and your man both.
What’s the driving reason for these male night sweats, then?
How Male Hormones Affect Night Sweats
Male hormones are often responsible for night sweats.
Low levels of testosterone – informally known as Low T and medically as hypogonadism – is routine in men of all ages. If you’re entering menopause, your man is likely to be at heightened risk of his hormones changing. Starting in the 30s or 40s, levels of testosterone in males drop by 1% every year. (3)
While it might be tempting to crank up the AC, it’s this hormonal imbalance rather than external factors likely to be responsible for your husband or any other andropausal male sweating heavily at night.
We’ll look briefly now at some other signs of low testosterone in men.
Other Signs of Low Testosterone
As well as manifesting through night sweats, decreasing levels of testosterone can come to your attention in several other ways, too:
- Lowered libido
- General mood swings
- Increase in body fat
- Erectile dysfunction (4)
It’s important to see a doctor and arrange to be tested for testosterone levels if you’re at all concerned.
We’ll look now at some other causes of night sweats beyond hormonal factors at play.
- Prescription Medication: Antidepressants containing SSRIs can cause you to sweat during the night. Drugs used for diabetes and certain hormone therapy used to combat cancer can also result in those dreaded night sweats. (5)
- Diseases and Other Conditions: A long list of diseases and conditions can be responsible for saturated bedsheets and an uncomfy night’s sleep. From autoimmune disorders and sleep disorders through to HIV and hyperthyroidism, many serious underlying issues can prompt you to sweat your way through the night. Speak with your doctor so you can discover if there’s any underpinning reason for male night sweats. (6)
- Alcohol: Drinking alcohol to excess is not helpful if you want a good night’s sleep. If your man has a few too many, he might drop off in an instant, but chances are he won’t experience a good sleep quality anyway. Not only will he repeatedly wake in the night, he’s likely to sweat like a demon as well. (7)
- Clothing: The clothing you wear in bed can obviously affect your body temperature. Hit the sack wearing a hoodie and tracksuit pants in summer and it shouldn’t be any surprise if you wake covered in moisture. Dress appropriately for the season and don’t be afraid to sleep in your birthday suit if you live somewhere extremely hot.
- Bedding: Check out our article on Top 10 Brands of Sheets To Help Reduce Night Sweats for more information on just how important getting your bedding right is to minimize the chance of male night sweats.
- Stress Levels: Stress can lead to excessive restlessness when you’re trying to fall asleep. The more agitated you become, the more likely you are to start perspiring. If your man’s stress levels are through the roof, work with him to better manage his feelings of being pressured and he’s likely to reap the rewards at bedtime.
As you can see, men are at risk of night sweats just as much as you’re likely to sweat after hot flashes.
The important thing is knowing how to take action to improve the situation.
How Men Can Improve Night Sweats
Once you’ve established he’s suffering from night sweats, it’s a smart move to consult his doctor. She might point you in the following directions for solutions…
- Hormone Therapy: If your man has testosterone levels that are particularly low, testosterone replacement therapy can be administered by gel, patches, tablets or injections. You shouldn’t consider this strategy until discussing it extensively with a doctor. (8)
- Change Your Bedding: This is perhaps the easiest thing to take care of right away if you’re feeling too hot at night. If you’re stuck for ideas, check out our suggestions in the article mentioned above.
- Make Dietary and Lifestyle Changes: Whether it’s cutting back on your caffeine and alcohol intake or quitting smoking, if you can identify potential triggers for male night sweats, often making some simple tweaks can effectively target excessive sweating.
REFERENCES
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/night-sweats/basics/definition/sym-20050768
- https://www.bodylogicmd.com/for-men/night-sweats
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/sexual-health/in-depth/testosterone-therapy/art-20045728
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1476110/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/night-sweats/basics/causes/sym-20050768
- https://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/8-causes-of-night-sweats
- https://www.healthline.com/health/night-sweats-and-alcohol
