Night sweats can occur to anyone, with their cause varying significantly from person to person. Some people suffer from chronic night sweats for various reasons, such as menopause or cancer treatments. There are also acute cases that stem from common colds or other viruses. Although night sweats are generally seen in middle-aged adults, they can also occur in teenagers for various reasons.
Night sweats are defined as being episodes of excessive sweating that occur during sleep. They are generally so extreme that the teen's clothing and bedding end up entirely soaked. They can be very disruptive to sleep as well because the discomfort of the wet sheets can wake the teen, and the scorching hot feeling can make it difficult for them to go back to sleep. Therefore, it's essential to try and alleviate the symptoms to allow the body to get the proper amount of sleep- especially for teens who need more rest. In addition, long-term disruptive night sweats can cause a decline in mood and performance in school.
One of the leading causes of chronic night sweats in teens is puberty. During puberty, one of the two types of sweat glands, apocrine, are activated. Apocrine glands continuously release sweat when activated and are spurred on to release even more in response to emotions. Between puberty activating them and all of the heightened emotions that also come with puberty, it's no surprise that some teens struggle with night sweats during this time.
Anxiety, which frequently becomes stress, can also cause excessive sweating during the teenage years. Stress tends to cause the body to sweat more, similar to sweat caused by heightened emotions. Although stress generally occurs during the day due to specific situations, it has the potential to cause chronic night sweats.
There are also external and easy-to-address factors that could be causing night sweats in teens. For example, illnesses such as the flu or common cold could easily cause acute teen night sweats. Alternatively, eating spicy foods could cause night sweats for some people, so consider whether the sweats are occurring post spicy food binge. It's also important to address the environment where the teen is sleeping. For example, if the climate is naturally hotter, it could very well cause night sweats. This is especially likely if it's also summertime. The bedding in the teen's room could also be too heavy, causing them to overheat at night and sweat heavily.
Luckily for those teens out there suffering, there are many ways to help alleviate night sweats. Firstly, taking a cold shower and applying deodorant before bed can go a long way. In addition, exchanging current comforters and sheets for lighter choices can help prevent the body from overheating and thus feeling even hotter. Cotton and linen are excellent choices for those with night sweats, while synthetic sheets should be avoided.
Lastly, and arguably most importantly, is keeping the bedroom cool. This can be a troublesome task, especially in hotter climates and during the summer. Air conditioner costs can be exuberantly high, so it is better and most cost-efficient to opt for using the BedFan instead. The BedFan both saves money and delivers cool air to the most critical place- directly over the body.
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