Night sweats or excessive sweating that occurs while sleeping, is diagnosed when the cause can not be traced back to a hot room temperature or using too many blankets. Night sweats can be severe; soaking clothing and the sheets and hinder the ability to get a restful night's sleep. There are many medical conditions and medications that can cause night sweats and the first step in treatment, is to identify the underlying cause. Then a physician can recommend foods to avoid, when dealing with night sweats as part of an overall treatment program.
Identification
In many cases, night sweats are not related to a serious medical condition and can be traced back to an infection, menopause, or occur as a side effect of a medication being taken, reports MayoClinic.com. However, there are many chronic medical conditions that can cause excessive sweating at night and a physician can run tests, to determine the underlying cause. Night sweats occur because the body's temperature gets too high. To lower the temperature of the body, heat rushes to the surface of the skin which leads to sweating and flushing.
Caffeine
Night sweats can have many triggers including fatigue, stress and cigarette smoking. Certain foods can also contribute to night sweats and should be avoided or cut back, to help manage symptoms. According to the Cleveland Clinic, caffeine is a common trigger for excessive nighttime sweating. Caffeine can be found in coffee, tea, sports drinks, chocolate and it is in some medications. Everyone's sensitivity to caffeine is different and it may be helpful to first cut caffeine out completely, to see if symptoms improve. Then slowly add small amounts back into the diet to see how much can be ingested without causing night sweats.
Spicy Foods
Severe night sweats can become debilitating if they disrupt sleep on a regular basis and each patient has their own individual triggers. Given this the Breastcancer.org website, recommends keeping a food and symptom journal to help identify problem foods. Since spicy foods can often trigger night sweats, keep track of when spicy foods are eaten and any symptoms that occur that night. As with caffeine, it may not be necessary to cut out all spicy foods, but it may be necessary to eat them in moderation, or substitute strong spices with herbs that add flavor without the spice.
Alcohol
Heavy alcohol consumption has also been linked to an increased risk of hot flashes and reducing intake, should be part of the overall plan to control symptoms. While the exact mechanisms are not well understood, it may be that alcohol affects hormone levels in the body which may set off a night sweat. A general guideline, is for women to limit alcohol intake to one drink per day and men limit intake to no more than two drinks per day. The exact amount may vary, based on individual health and sensitivity to alcohol.
Solution
In addition to avoiding common trigger foods, night sweats may be helped by eating smaller meals. Large meals require the digestive system to work harder, which produces body heat. Drinking cool beverages while eating and before going to bed, may also help. If changes to diet are not effective, there are medications that can help to control symptoms, so that sleep can be restored.
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