I am naturally "hot" and rarely sleep with more than a light sheet over me. Things that make my sweating worse during the day - layers, bras, wearing my hair down, coughing fits, when my pacreatitis pain hits me, when I am short of breath. I have to wear hats when I go outside in the warm weather (but loose ones!) bc otherwise my head sweats (gross!)
My night sweats happen whether or not I'm flaring up, but when I have an infection, they increase, even without a fever. I culture PA x3, Staph Aureus, and MRSA. I've soaked through several changes of clothes and sheets in a single night before. Now, I prepare by sleeping in as little or as light clothing as possible, and use a very light sheet. I don't sleep with socks on (allows the blood to cool as it passes down and back up your legs). I keep a fan on, every season, every night, to circulate the air. I can't have a lot of contact with my hubby while sleeping, because body heat makes it worse. (It's been proven that cooler temps help you sleep better in general, anyway).
Once you've seen a doctor and been evaluated for infection (and be treated appropriately), you can try some of these tips to keep you cool at time:
Some tips
- HYDRATE before bed. This helps cool you down and helps prevent dehydration if you sweat profusely.
- keep a glass of icewater next to the bed to sip if you wake up. Drink a bit before you get into bed.
- turn your thermostat down (in the hospital, I keep my room at 65. Otherwise, I'm dripping with sweat).
- dress lightly
- have a light cotton sheet to cover you if regular bedcovers are too hot
- use a fan to circulate the air
- use Air Conditioning if you have it
- open windows to create cross-breezes
- get a bucket and dump ice in it near a window or air source. The moving air will pick up the cold water droplets and carry them around the room. Have a dry washcloth that you can dip into the cool water and blot your head if need be.
- get satin pillowcases - these retain "the cool side of the pillow" better than typical cotton ones
- ask doctor if you can schedule meds that tend to increase heart rate (albuterol) for earlier in the day. Higher heart rate can increase sweating.
Good luck! I hope it's just the usual CF stuff rather than a new breed of infection.
