Remedies for Night Sweats

If you find yourself waking up drenched in the middle of the night, sweating and drenched, you obviously have had an attack of night sweats. Night sweats can affect both men and women, and in fact, women are more prone to it in their menopausal stages. It is also associated with different types of sleep disturbances such as sleep apnea. Those who suffer from night sweats experience fatigue the day after, a general jerkiness, and in some cases, pain in different parts of the body. Sometimes, night sweats may be a symptom of a condition of the heart, but can also be a result of anxiety, nightmares, heartburn, obesity, alcoholism, hypoglycemia, and even tuberculosis and cancer. In some cases, they may simply be a side effect of a type of medication. Those of you who suffer from night sweats should attack the root causes of this problem, and perhaps, visiting a doctor to do so is the best way to do it. There are remedies for night sweats in the field of alternative medicine too, and those of you who believe in the power of herbal remedies, the list of herbs that can help you have been mentioned here, along with some tips to help you enhance the effectiveness of these remedies.

Herbal Remedies

There are several herbs and foods that serve as natural remedies for this condition. These have been mentioned here.

• As mentioned earlier, night sweats in women are one of the symptoms of menopause. Hormonal fluctuations in the body tend to cause such effects as cold night sweats. The best herbal remedy for this is sage tea. Consuming it before bedtime is the appropriate way of treating your condition. Simply steep a few dried sage leaves in a cup of boiling water for about 5 minutes, and allow it to cool, following which you may consume it. It may taste bitter so you can sweeten it with honey. Continue this remedy until you feel your condition has been treated. Both women and men may benefit from this remedy.
• Other herbal teas that are known to help in alleviating night sweats in both men and women, are black cohosh, red clover and licorice root.
• Soy milk and tofu are known to have the ability to calm the body, and get rid of night sweats. Include these foods in your diet to treat this problem.
• Consume evening primrose in the form of a capsule or supplement, or in its natural oil form to help cure this condition.

Other Home Remedies

The details mentioned here are simple measures that will help you take care of night sweats, and cure yourself of this condition. These tips include the following.

• Wear light, absorbent fabrics such as cotton while sleeping. This will not heat up your body and will lessen the likelihood of an attack of night sweats. Ensure that the bed sheets you sleep on are also light, and that you sleep in a room that is well-ventilated.
• There are certain triggers of night sweats, avoiding which can prevent this problem. These include alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, and refined sugar. Also, hot baths, steam and saunas should be avoided.
• Though some physical activity is essential when it comes to treating any health condition, excessive physical activity can cause intense night sweats. As such, do only the necessary amount of exercise as required by your body.
• Perform yoga to take care of the excessive perspiration you face at night. Also, perform some deep breathing exercises that will relax your body and regulate its functioning. Along with these techniques, meditation is also helpful to relax the body and release all the pent up anger, stress, frustration, anxiety, and night sweats.
• Losing weight and maintaining appropriate blood sugar levels is also essential. Stick to a healthy diet that includes a lot of fresh leafy greens and fruits. These are natural healers for the body and the various conditions it faces.
• Getting vitamin E in the form of various vitamin E rich foods along or its supplements is also helpful.

If none of the aforementioned remedies work for you, consult your doctor immediately, who will run you through several tests to determine the cause of excessive sweating. This may include tests for thyroid, tuberculosis, cancer, and heart disease. Do not fear these tests or their results, as the sooner you determine the cause of the problem, the easier it will be for you treat it.

Disclaimer: This Buzzle article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.