Middle aged women in their late 40s or early 50s often experience a higher amount of night sweats than any other group of people in the United States. There are a wide variety of reasons that women of middle age get night sweats.
Uncommon Reasons for Night Sweats
Here is a list of some of the more rare reasons that night sweats occur in women of middle age:Cancer
One of the first symptoms of certain kinds of cancer, like lymphoma, is having night sweats. When cancer is not diagnosed, night sweats occur along with other things such as extreme weight loss and fever.Infections
Sometimes, bacterial infections or abscesses lead to night sweats in middle aged women. Rarer is AIDS or tuberculosis causing cases of night sweats.Medicine
Some medicine, especially those taken to treat depression or breast cancer, can lead to night sweats for women in middle age.Usual Causes of Night Sweats
The most usual reason for night sweats in older women is the imbalance in hormones that come with menopause. In the time before and after menopause, up to 85% of women in this country claim to experience night sweats.Night Sweats and Menopause
Night sweats that happen because of menopause are a result of the increases and decreases in hormone levels, especially estrogen. When estrogen gets too low, the hypothalamus in the brain receives a message. This part of the brain controls the temperature in the body. The abrupt low level of estrogen makes the hypothalamus go crazy and raise the body’ s temperature very high for a small amount of time which causes both night sweats and hot flashes.
The most potent night sweats come from imbalanced hormones. However, there are other outside causes as well. To prevent or lessen the effects of night sweats, women should stay away from these items:
• Food that is extra spicy
• Bedding that is too thick
• Heavy sleepwear made from synthetic fibers
• A bedroom with a high temperature
• A warm bath or shower
• Consuming a high amount of caffeine
Other Causes of Night Sweats
Night sweats may cause a great deal of distress. However, if women are equipped with enough knowledge about what can cause night sweats, what they do to a person’s body, and how they can be effectively treated, they will be able to return to a peaceful night’s sleep free from any worries. Gaining this comprehension can be done through further research or consulting a medical professional who can answer any remaining questions. A doctor will also be able to guide a woman toward better options for treatment as well. It is also in the best interest of a woman to bring severe night sweats to the attention of a doctor in order to rule out a more serious condition besides menopause.Find out the link between anxiety, stress and night sweats durign menopause.
