Why Do We Sweat While Asleep If We Are Supposed To Be Inactive?

Sleep is a natural state of our mind and body. When we sleep, we stop all our voluntary actions and put our bodies to rest. There is no advanced knowledge to learn how to sleep, as it is a natural state of humans, wherein we go to sleep ever since we were born. From babies to toddlers, to our teenage years, up to our adolescence, we sleep every time. In fact, the average person sleeps for roughly twenty-six years or 227,760 hours total in his or her lifetime.

We need sleep as it is essential for us to survive and continue functioning properly. Without it, our body and mind may weaken, and we are bound to catch diseases since it will dramatically destroy our immune system. So it is already established that sleep is vital for our well-being and overall health.

Is it true that we are inactive when we sleep?

When we sleep, we relax our bodies and stop all voluntary movements, as mentioned earlier. Because of this, it is usual to say that our bodies are inactive when we sleep.  However, over the years, various studies show that our mind and bodyare still active even while sleeping.

This body activity that is present during our sleep is from different involuntary actions. Because when we sleep, our bodies take advantage of the held voluntary movements, and it exerts energy to regenerate new cells, increase blood supply to muscles, repair and grows body tissue, and release different kinds of hormones to the body. This natural process of regenerating and restoring exerts energy. When we go to the next level of sleep, called the REM, we go to deep sleep. However, this part of our sleep is where our mind is most active, and it is when dreams occur.

Why do we sweat while asleep?

We all love a good night’s sleep, wherein there is no disturbance, with an ample amount of time, and gives us the energy that we need to start the day. But then when you wake up, you notice your body covered in sweat, as well as your soaked bedsheets. This scenario is usual for some people. However, it is a surprise to others.

This excessive sweating while sleeping is a common symptom,also known as night sweats. Several different reasons contribute to having night sweats. Although it is an occurrence that could happen to anyone, there are various reasons why a person gets night sweats, and some of them are negative symptoms that require medical attention.

The most common reason for night sweat is room temperature. As obvious as it seems, room temperature should not be too warm to avoid sweating at night. Many people go to the doctor due to night sweats, although in most cases, it is only caused by warm room temperature. Knowing this, when we go to sleep, we should make sure that our room temperature is cool enough to avoid excessive sweating in our sleep.

There are cases wherein a person has idiopathic hyperhidrosis – a condition in which the body produces unnatural amounts of sweat. This condition is common to some people, which we can easily detect in the hands of a person, known as sweaty palms.

Another significant reason for night sweats is different medical diseases, which can cause abnormal sweating at night. These medical diseases include tuberculosis, endocarditis or inflammation of the heart valves, AIDS or HIV, and cancer. These diseases are often the cause of night sweats, and if not treated, could lead to more adverse effects.

We can also have night sweats by taking certain medications. Many drugs relate to excessive sweating at night. We may not be aware of it, but a drug has several side-effects to our body, and night sweats are one of them. Not just medical drugs, but as well as anti-depressants, when taken, could lead to night sweats.

These are the common reasons why a person experiences night sweats. Some cases are normal, while some could lead to serious harm. Regardless of the reason, we should keep in mind that when we sleep, we need to maintain a healthy body, check our room temperature, follow proper sleeping habits to avoid abnormal sweating at night.