---
title: "What causes night sweats"
description: "Learn what causes night sweats, from menopause and estrogen changes to thyroid issues, medications, anxiety, and common triggers like alcohol or heat."
url: "https://www.myalloy.com/knowledge-base/what-causes-night-sweats"
---

# What causes night sweats

> Learn what causes night sweats, from menopause and estrogen changes to thyroid issues, medications, anxiety, and common triggers like alcohol or heat.

## What causes night sweats?

In perimenopause and menopause, night sweats are usually hot flashes that happen while you’re asleep. The main reason is shifting estrogen levels. Estrogen helps your brain regulate body temperature, and when estrogen starts fluctuating, your “thermoneutral zone,” the temperature range your body feels comfortable in, gets narrower. Then even a small change in temperature can make your internal thermostat overreact, which can lead to sudden sweating at night.

Some things can make them worse, including stress, caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, heat, smoking, and tight clothing. Outside menopause, sweating at night can also have other causes, including thyroid problems, some medications, cancer treatments, or anxiety and panic symptoms that can overlap with vasomotor symptoms.

For a clear overview, our [night sweats symptom page](https://www.myalloy.com/symptoms/night-sweats) and [hot flashes and night sweats article](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/dealing-with-hot-flashes-and-night-sweats) break it down well. If menopause is the cause and symptoms are disruptive, here at Alloy we also offer treatment options like the [estradiol pill](https://www.myalloy.com/solutions/estradiol-pill), [estradiol gel](https://www.myalloy.com/solutions/divigel-estradiol-gel), [Evamist estradiol spray](https://www.myalloy.com/solutions/evamist), and the non-hormonal option [paroxetine](https://www.myalloy.com/solutions/paroxetine).


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This answer was created using the following resources:

- [Estradiol Pill](https://www.myalloy.com/solutions/estradiol-pill)
- [Evamist® Estradiol Spray](https://www.myalloy.com/solutions/evamist)
- [Estradiol Gel](https://www.myalloy.com/solutions/divigel-estradiol-gel)
- [Low-Dose Birth Control Pill](https://www.myalloy.com/solutions/low-dose-birth-control-pill)
- [Paroxetine](https://www.myalloy.com/solutions/paroxetine)
- [Night Sweats & Menopause: What Causes Them?](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/the-flash-in-the-heat-of-the-night)
- [Hot Flashes and Night Sweats During Menopause | Alloy Health](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/dealing-with-hot-flashes-and-night-sweats)
- [Menopause: Is it a 'Panic Attack' or a 'Vasomotor Symptom'?"](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/is-it-a-panic-attack-or-a-vasomotor-symptom)
- [What Causes Hot Flashes? What Supplements Can Help? HRT?](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/what-causes-hot-flashes)
- [Can Anxiety from Menopause Cause Hot Flashes? Does HRT Help?](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/hot-flashes-and-anxiety-whats-the-connection)

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*This is a markdown version of [https://www.myalloy.com/knowledge-base/what-causes-night-sweats](https://www.myalloy.com/knowledge-base/what-causes-night-sweats) for AI/LLM consumption.*