The NHS has issued an alert to anyone who “regularly” wakes up experiencing a “common” symptom. While this sign might be nothing to worry about, in extreme cases it could point to a serious health issue.
In a warning posted to X, (formerly known as Twitter) the NHS advised people tobe wary of night sweats. There are many reasons you might be sweaty at night, including the temperature and whether you share a bed with someone else.
The health body said: “It's common to sweat during the night if your room or your bedding is making you too hot.” However, it continued: “If you regularly wake up with soaking wet sheets, you should see a GP.”
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It advised that a telltale sign of night sweats can be found in your clothes and bedding. “Night sweats are when you sweat so much that your night clothes and bedding are soaking wet, even though where you’re sleeping is cool,” it said.
The NHS said you should see a GP if:
The most common reasons for night sweats are:
But sometimes the cause of night sweats is “unknown”.
Night sweats and cancer
In some cases, though, night sweats could be a symptom of cancer. “Very heavy night sweats” are listed by Cancer Research UK as a general sign of cancer.
The NHS adds that some cancers can cause you to sweat more than usual. These include:
Leukaemia Care details that night sweats as a symptom are experienced by around 30 percent of patients with the disease. “It is certainly not unusual to sweat during the night, especially in the summer when your room or bedding becomes too hot,” it says.
“However, severe night sweats that occur to an extent that your bed sheets or pyjamas become soaking wet, despite sleeping in a cool environment, can sometimes be a sign of leukaemia.”
