Night sweats during pregnancy

Most people have heard of the night sweats but predominantly the only people to actually suffer with them are people who suffer with menopause, thyroid conditions, obesity and pregnancy. Usually if you are prone to night sweats before you get pregnant then it is probable that you will most definitely suffer with them in your pregnancy as well.

What are Night Sweats?

Pregnant women will tell different stories as to when they suffer with night sweats and what they experience. There is no set time period in the pregnancy that can be set as a general rule. For example some women will wake up in the night dripping in sweat once or twice whilst other pregnant women tell a story of constantly having their sleep disrupted by the night sweats. Mostly the night sweats will dissipate once the baby has been delivered or as soon as a woman’s hormone levels are back to their usual state.

Causes of Night Sweats

Basically the main culprit are hormones, the lower estrogen levels are the source of the hypothalamus functioning incorrectly. The hypothalamus is part of the brain and has the job of being responsible for regulating temperature. In general, it reacts to alterations in the temperature and discharges surplus heat in the body via sweat on a sizzling day. For this reason, when a woman is pregnant the body can make the mistake of thinking the changes in estrogen levels mean that the hypothalamus needs to make more heat in the body.

Reducing your Night Sweats

You probably will not be able to completely stop the sweats, you can do some things to lower the intensity of them. In your bedroom try to make it slightly cooler on the thermostat or open a window, or even use a fan or the air conditioner. You will inevitably sweat more if you tend to wear heavy pajamas and use lots of blankets on the bed, you need to make sure you are using cotton for both the bedding and your night wear as this will help your body to breathe better. There are some women who suggest that you should take a cold shower prior to going to bed as this will help to minimize the sweating during the course of the night. It is important that you have a glass of water next to your bed and perhaps a towel to help you cool down and wipe yourself, this will aid you in getting to sleep quicker so you do not have to climb out of bed to get these items.