Night Sweats in Men Under 40

Night sweats can be described as an episode of profuse sweating at night. This is a very uncomfortable feeling for a person suffering from it, as the clothes and the bedding are soaked up completely due to heavy sweating. It causes sleep disturbances and thus it has an adverse impact in the daily life of the concerned person. The medical term used for night sweats is nocturnal hyperhidrosis or sleep hyperhidrosis. Some people get it every night at least once. Other may get it once in a while. Many people think that it is experienced by women only during menopause. Though the fact is it can affect men and women of any age group. In fact, night sweats in men under 40 is a common complaint.

Common Causes of Night Sweats

There are several factors responsible for night sweats in man under 40. Some of them are trivial issues and others are serious medical conditions. The most commonly found causes behind hot flashes in men under 40 have been discussed below:

• Idiopathic Hyperhidrosis: There are some people who face the problem of excessive sweating all the time and not just during the night. This is a medical condition but it is not yet known why these people sweat more than the others.
• Food: Some men experience night sweats after consumption of certain food items such as garlic, onion, spicy foods, alcohol, etc. The body tries to eliminate some components that are present in these foods through the sweat glands.
• Side Effects of Medicines: Some medicines can be responsible for causing cold night sweats. It includes antidepressants, acetaminophen, nitroglycerin, sildenafil drugs and so on. These kinds of medicines may interfere with the chemicals present in our body and lead to occurrence of night sweat.
• Infections: Various forms of infections caused by bacteria or virus, can affect the temperature regulation mechanism of the body and cause severe night sweats in men. Tuberculosis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis and HIV infection are the most common among them. However, in these cases, night sweat is accompanied by many other symptoms as well.
• Andropause: Although it is a common cause of night sweats in men over 40 but it may affect some men at an early age when he is around 35 years of age. Here, night sweat is a symptom of hormonal changes where there is a slow decrease in the production of reproductive hormones in the body. Usually, it is a temporary phase for men under the age of 40.
• Other Causes: There are many other medical conditions due to which one may experience night sweats. Diabetes, sleep disorders, anxiety disorder, thyroid problems, a specific form of cancer known as lymphoma, etc. are few of those causes of night sweats.

Treatment

As there are so many health issues that can lead to night sweats, it is advisable to see a doctor for identification of the cause. If it is a case of idiopathic hyperhidrosis, night sweat treatment involves use of oral anticholinergic medicines. As these medicines have side effects, they cannot be taken for a long period of time. Sometimes, doctors recommend botox injections to block the nerves of hands feet and arms which produce maximum sweat. In serious cases, these nerves are rendered ineffective by surgical means. When any underlying health disease is causing night sweats, then it should to be treated properly in order to get rid of its symptom. People with anxiety disorders are advised to learn some relaxation techniques in order to stop anxiety sweating.

When night sweats in men under 40 is not caused due to medical conditions, then it can be checked by bringing about some changes in the habits and lifestyle. Firstly, the bedroom environment should be kept cool. Avoid alcohol and spicy foods for dinner. Include plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products in the diet as they can keep the body cool. Wear comfortable sleepwear made of natural fabrics while sleeping.