5 Causes Of Pregnancy Night Sweats And Tips To Deal With It

When you are pregnant, you have to deal with tons of uncomfortable symptoms literally throughout the day for nine whole months. During the daytime, you blaze through queasiness, forget the most trivial things out of the blue (pregnancy brain!), and fight through severe aches and pains in your back and lower body. 

At night, there’s another set of pregnancy symptoms waiting for you—heartburns and frequent trips to the loo. While you conquer them too and head to your bed to catch up on some much-needed sleep, the night sweats begin.

So what exactly are pregnancy night sweats and what could they mean? Are they considered normal and common? We know you have a lot of questions. But don’t sweat, as we are here to guide you with all the answers. 

Pregnancy Night Sweats, Explained

Night sweats are characterised by profuse sweating during sleep. They are also referred to as nighttime hot flashes, which may feel uncomfortable and suffocating in some cases. In general, night sweats are considered fairly common. A study conducted by the National Library of Medicine revealed that about 35% of women reported experiencing night sweats during pregnancy. 

5 Causes of Night Sweats During Pregnancy

Hormonal Changes

The fluctuating hormones can make your body temperature higher. It usually stems from the increase in the production of estrogen and progesterone hormones, which play a huge role in raising your body temperature. This sudden and drastic hormonal change pushed your body to sweat to regulate your overall body temperature.

Increase In Blood Flow

During pregnancy, your blood volume increases by 40% and continues to rise until your third trimester. This causes your blood vessels to dilate in order to flow more blood to your skin’s surface, leading to a warmer sensation. Furthermore, a rise in your peripheral skin temperature interferes with your body’s natural ability to regulate core body temperature, causing you to sweat profusely, and even waking up at night due to feeling drenched.

Thyroid Issues

Thyroid hormones help regulate your body temperature and metabolism. A rise in these hormones during pregnancy may leave you feeling overheated in general or while sleeping. Moreover, existing thyroid conditions may interfere with your body’s natural temperature regulation, and lead to night sweats.

Infections

Night sweats could be an indicator of a more serious infection or an underlying health condition. Due to low immunity during pregnancy, you are more susceptible to food-borne infections and flu viruses. Hence, if you notice unusual symptoms like muscle aches, fever, and diarhhoea along with night sweats, consult your healthcare provider immediately. 

Medication Side Effects

Certain over-the-counter cold, decongestant, and acid reflux medications may increase the risk of night sweats during pregnancy. Hence, make sure to check with your pharmacist or OB-gyn about the chances of night sweats before taking any tablets.

Low Blood Sugar

During pregnancy, your metabolism fluctuates heavily to give all the nourishment to your growing little one. This means that you can be left a little depleted if you do not consume sufficient calories or equally balanced calories throughout the day. If this is the case, you could experience low blood sugar or hypoglycemia, which could further contribute to heavy sweating at night.

When are Night Sweats Most Common During Pregnancy?

Are They An Early Indicator of Pregnancy?

You may have heard the rumour that if you experience sudden night sweats or hot flashes, you are pregnant. Well, it’s true that your basal body temperature (BBT) increases during certain times of your menstrual cycle, and this spike usually happens when your body is releasing your ovaries to release an egg. This time period is referred to as your fertile window when the chances of conceiving are high.  

Moreover, it’s also possible that hormonal fluctuations in the early stages of pregnancy could also cause you to wake up soaked up at night. But it is advised that you lean on a pregnancy test and your OB-gyn to get a definitive answer rather than relying on this symptom.

First Trimester to Postpartum

In general, a pregnant woman’s core body temperature registers the highest during the first trimester, which then decreases throughout each trimester and up to three months postpartum.

However, a 2013 study found that about 29% of women reported hot flashes even after delivery. This means that the ups and downs of pregnancy and childbirth can also interfere with your body temperature postpartum.

How to Cope With Night Sweats During Pregnancy?

While there is no definite way to prevent this symptom, you can try the following methods to keep yourself more comfortable. 

• Stay hydrated: As you sweat more, your body loses a lot of water, which can make you feel dizzy or faint. So always keep a bottle of cold water with you, and keep taking sips from it to meet your hydration needs and regulate your body temperature. 
• Avoid the sun if possible: Staying out in the sun can make you all the more uncomfortable, and hence it’s best to avoid it. Also, make sure to stay in air-conditioned and well-ventilated environments both during the day and night to reduce sweating. 
• Wear light and loose clothing: this will keep you cool and allow air to pass easily. You can also consider layering your clothes so that you can easily remove some if you are feeling hot.
• Carry a hand-held fan: Fanning can help evaporate excess sweat and cool off your skin.
• Sleep on a towel: This will help absorb excess sweat while you sleep and avoid you from waking up at night due to discomfort.

Conclusion

Pregnancy night sweats do not require additional medical treatment and usually resolve on its own once your hormones settle down after childbirth. However, if you have chronic night sweats and find this symptom uncomfortable, you can consult your healthcare provider for guidance and treatment. Apart from that, just try to keep yourself cool by drinking a lot of water and avoiding hot spaces.

Also read:

Varicose veins during pregnancy: Here’s what you can do to deal with varicose veins during pregnancy.

Symphysis pubic dysfunction: What is symphysis pubic dysfunction and how does it affect your pregnancy? Get all the details here.

What to expect during vaginal birth: Here’s everything you need to know about vaginal delivery and what to expect during the entire process.

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