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Night sweats

Kathleen Davis
July 17, 2015

    Night sweats, also known as sleep hyperhidrosis, refers to sweating at night resulting in drenched sleepwear and sheets, unrelated to an overheated sleeping environment. Night sweats affect approximately 3% of the population and can be a sign of a serious disease. Although the majority of causes of night sweats are non-life threatening, a health care provider should always be consulted to determine the underlying cause.

Facts about sweating

    Sweating is the body’s natural cooling system to prevent overheating. The brain’s hypothalamus regulates our body temperature, utilizing over two million sweat glands to help keep us cool. During periods of exercise, hot weather, or when the body’s core temperature goes too high, the hypothalamus triggers the glands to release sweat. As the watery sweat evaporates from the skin, it releases heat energy, which in turn cools the body.

Causes of night sweats

    Hot days and workouts are not the only things that trigger the hypothalamus to cool us down. Other conditions can trigger the hypothalamus to produce excess sweat, particularly during sleep. Some of these conditions include: (1) infection: tuberculosis is the infection most commonly associated with night sweats. Others include HIV, influenza, and other febrile illnesses; (2) various hormone (endocrine) imbalances that occur with menopause, diabetes, thyroid disease, puberty, and pregnancy; (3) ailments such as obstructive sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux, anxiety disorders, obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and Parkinson disease; (4) substance abuse; (5) medication side effects: many medications such as antidepressants, hormones, diabetes medications, pain relievers, and steroids can cause sweating.

Treatments for night sweats

    The treatment of choice for night sweats depends upon the underlying cause such as correcting hormone irregularities, adjusting medications, and attending to contributing factors. If there is no direct determined cause of the excessive sweating, treatment consists of both prevention and management methods. Night sweats are a common annoyance usually associated with sleeping in warmer than ideal conditions. However, persons with drenching night sweats or a change in their pattern of sweating should pursue a medical evaluation.

Menopause symptoms ‘last for at least 7 years’

    Hot flashes and night sweats affect up to 75% of women in the US who are going through menopause. Though common, these symptoms can significantly impact a woman’s quality of life. But how long do they last? According to a new study published in JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association) Internal Medicine, many women may experience these symptoms frequently for at least 7 years.

(http://medicalnewstoday.com. Adaptado.)

Cabin Environment

There is an erroneous perception that the cabin environment of a pressurized aircraft 1 is bad. That is not true. Treated by

HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance) filters – similar to those used in organ transplanting and burn hospital units – the air

in airplane cabins is climatized and dehydrated, which makes the environment free from fungi and bacteria and - because the air

relative humidity becomes very low – even protects the existing airborne electronic equipment (avionics). The air flow is directed

[5] downwards, thus reducing the rate of contamination between seats. Additionally, all of the cabin air is replaced every three minutes.

This will keep the oxygen rates throughout the aircraft at much higher levels than those required by human consumption, and

carbon dioxide and particulate matter at acceptable levels with respect to passenger safety, health and comfort.

(Adaptado de: TAM magazine, ano 3, nº 34, dez. 2006.)