Menu Healthy Lifestyle Diseases & Conditions First Aid Symptoms Tests & Procedures Videos Definitions FAQs Night sweatsUpdated: 2022-03-05DefinitionNight sweats are repeated episodes of very heavy sweating during sleep, heavy enough to soak your nightclothes or bedding. They're often caused by an underlying condition or illness. Sometimes you may wake up after sweating heavily, particularly if you're sleeping under too many blankets or your bedroom is too warm. Although uncomfortable, these episodes aren't usually considered night sweats and aren't sign of an underlying condition or illness. Night sweats usually happen with other concerning symptoms, such as fever, weight loss, pain in a specific area, cough or diarrhea.CausesMedications that can cause night sweatsCauses of night sweats include medication such as:Depression medications (antidepressants)Hormone therapyA drug used to treat opioid use disorder (methadone) Drugs used to treat low blood sugar with diabetes (hypoglycemic agents)Conditions that can cause night sweatsCauses of night sweats include conditions and illnesses such as:Alcohol use disorder Anxiety disorders Autoimmune disordersAutonomic neuropathy (damage to your autonomic nerves)Brucellosis (a bacterial infection)Carcinoid tumors (a type of neuroendocrine tumor)Drug addiction (substance use disorder) Endocarditis (an infection of the inner lining of the heart)HIV/AIDS Hodgkin's lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease) Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) Leukemia Menopause Myelofibrosis (a bone marrow disorder)Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma Osteomyelitis (a bone infection)Pheochromocytoma (a rare adrenal gland tumor)Pyogenic abscess (a pus-filled cavity caused by an infection)Sleep disorders (such as obstructive sleep apnea)Stroke Syringomyelia (a fluid-filled cyst in the spinal cord)Takayasu's arteritis Thyroid diseaseTuberculosis Valley fever (coccidioidomycosis)When to see a doctorSchedule a visit with your health care provider if night sweats: Occur on a regular basis Interrupt your sleep Are accompanied by a fever, weight loss, pain in a specific area, cough, diarrhea or other symptoms of concern Start months or years after menopause symptoms ended © 1998-2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research(MFMER). All rights reserved. Terms of Use