It’s a simple fact that people suffer from anxiety. Apprehension and fear are the cause of this common condition.
Anxiety could be rooted in something genuine or merely the result of an overactive imagination. When a person is concerned about what will happen to them, or what they have done, anxiety night sweats can occur.
It is the physical manifestation of extreme anxiety.
It could fade on its own. However, if it gets too severe, it could lead to substantial mental and physical problems. Sherry Harris, the founder of Sherry L. Harris, says, “Nearly all people sweat at night. If you habitually wake up with soaking wet sheets, you should get it checked by your doctor. However, with this overview of anxiety night sweats, you will learn what it is and how you can resolve it.”
What Causes Anxiety
When people experience anxiety, stress is almost always the primary problem. Human beings naturally respond to stress in different ways. For instance, it could manifest as:
- Apprehension
- Fear
- Panic
If anxiety goes on for longer than a few months, it is a problem that needs clinical assistance. A doctor may prescribe different medications or recommend that you change your life significantly. Why possibly change your lifestyle? Things that we worry about cause anxiety, and these worries can lead to night sweats.
What Are Night Sweats
As the “Night Sweats” name indicates, this is a condition where people are sweating profusely at night. In some cases, people may not realize why this is happening. However, when they wake up, their body, and sometimes their sheets, is entirely drenched.
Waking up wet could happen due to temperature change in the weather. Menopause may also lead to this condition. Someone may have left the heater on in a room. If the night sweats started in parallel with stress in a person’s life, this is likely a byproduct of that condition.
An Overview Of Anxiety Night Sweats
When people describe night sweats, it is similar to anxiety night sweats. Let’s review a few ways they are the same.
- Waking up in the middle of the night, drenched with sweat.
- Experiencing hyperventilation.
- Undergoing a foreboding feeling.
- Crying uncontrollably.
- Exhausted from the heat.
If it is caused by anxiety, this could reference a mental condition that the person has. In this situation, a physician or psychologist can intervene to curtail sweating at night.
Can This Be The Result Of A Medical Condition
If a physical or mental condition causes your anxiety night sweats, there may be a few possible reasons. Menopause is often a culprit, experienced by people over the age of 40, as their body and metabolism are changing.
Another real reason that someone may be experiencing night sweats is that they have a strong case of GERD. Excessive amounts of stomach acid can use heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Again, if someone has this problem, it is often the result of stress. Therefore, the correlation between anxiety night sweats and GERD is present. People may also think that they are suffering from a stroke or heart attack. This is because the pain from the gastric acid, passing into the esophagus, mimics this condition.
Night Sweats And More Severe Conditions
Hormonal issues such as hyperthyroidism, carcinoid syndrome or low testosterone can produce a similar effect. Taking drugs like cortisone or prednisone can experience this.
If taking new hormonal therapy, or too much acetaminophen may also lead to night sweats developing. Even worse, when someone has leukemia, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, or even HIV, night sweats can be produced.
After visiting a doctor, and after tests have been done, anxiety may be the primary culprit.
How To Prevent Anxiety Night Sweats
To reduce anxiety night sweats, you may need to try out a few options. A physician may recommend changing your lifestyle. A psychologist may ask you to do meditation. Both psychiatrists and medical doctors will prescribe different pharmaceutical remedies.
However, what is often best is to determine what you are currently worried about.
If you are going through a bitter dissolution or divorce or having severe financial problems, night sweats are quite common. Along with the anxiety night sweats, you will also notice other symptoms. Let’s talk about those symptoms next.
Symptoms Associated With Anxiety Night Sweats
There are symptoms often associated with night sweats caused by anxiety. They can include:
- Chronic body pain
- Aching muscles
- Aching joints
- Weight loss
- Chills and fever
- Bulimia or Anorexia
If you have a general lack of appetite and are waking up at night covered in sweat, it likely is the result of this condition. Anxiety night sweats can be resolved if you can get control of your mind. Even if you are experiencing external problems, you may see a dramatic shift in this condition by changing your mindset.
Strategies For Reducing Or Eliminating Anxiety Night Sweats
The first step toward resolving anxiety night sweats is to consider what is going on in your life. Before visiting your doctor, you definitely should make a list of the things that could be causing this condition.
Lots of stress in your life will be a top candidate. You may also be experiencing depression. If those things are not affecting you, but you are sweating profusely at night, visit your physician.
Once there, they can recommend different tests. According to Dr. Laura M. Rosch, “Your doctor will take a look at your detailed medical history and may order tests. Such tests include blood counts and virus and thyroid tests, to determine if you have any underlying medical conditions that could be responsible for the night sweats.”
After completion of your tests, your physician can provide you with their professional opinion. As always, trust your medical doctor for a remedy for conditions that you may have. Working with your doctor will ensure that you will have the best possible chance of resolving night sweats caused by anxiety.
As a plan of action, if someone has chronic night sweats, they need to address it promptly. Evaluate your life, and set an appointment with your local physician to start the process of resolving this condition.
Although this may not represent a dangerous condition, it’s always good to have it checked out. By addressing this issue immediately, you will soon be on your way to understanding how to sleep better at night.