Alcohol consumption can come with side effects, especially among people who drink heavily. Sometimes, people notice they are sweaty after drinking alcohol. So, are night sweats after drinking normal? Learn the answer below, as well as information about seeking medication-assisted treatment for alcohol use. If you have been experiencing side effects, such as excessive sweating after drinking alcohol, medication-assisted treatment can help you to stop drinking.
What Are Night Sweats?
From a medical standpoint, night sweats refer to episodes of heavy sweating that occur while a person is sleeping. Night sweats usually cause people to awaken in the middle of the night, because they are so severe that sweat soaks through clothing and onto bed sheets.
Night sweats are more than just the body making an attempt to cool you down. Instead, they are rather uncomfortable and disruptive. For some people, night sweats are a sign of an underlying health condition.
Common Symptoms of Night Sweats
If you’re experiencing night sweats, you’ll have some or most of the following symptoms:
- Heavy sweating that drenches the bedsheets
- Awakening in the night to the feeling of a cold sweat or a sudden wave of heat
- Red skin
- Fast heart rate
Severe Symptoms of Night Sweats
If night sweats are severe, you may find that you’re hardly able to sleep at all. Severe night sweats can lead to disrupted sleep, as well as tossing and turning throughout the night. You may have a racing heart and hot, red skin.
Causes of Night Sweats
Night sweats can occur for a number of reasons. In women, they can be a symptom of hormonal changes that happen during perimenopause or menopause. Women may also experience night sweats prior to their period and during pregnancy, because of fluctuating hormone levels.
Other causes of night sweats include viral and bacterial infections, infectious diseases like HIV, hormonal diseases like diabetes or thyroid problems, neurological disorders, cancer, panic disorder, and anxiety. Night sweats can also occur as a result of substance misuse, including alcohol consumption, so alcohol night sweats are a possibility.