Many people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience night sweats.
These tend to happen consistently, but may also be intermittent.
Adequate sleep helps regulate theimmune systemand potentially reduce inflammation.
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However, there are several ways to help manage night sweats and improve sleep quality.
Causes
It may be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of IBD night sweats.
A fever may spike several times over the night, causing your body temperature to rise and fall.
Certain IBD medications may cause a fever as one of their side effects.
These include:
Switching medication or adjusting to a new medication may cause night sweats.
If you are experiencing night sweats, consult with your healthcare provider.
They can help by adjusting medication or providing new treatments, as needed.
Additional Symptoms
You may notice additional symptoms that occur with night sweats.
Some of these may include:
How Common Are Night Sweats?
Sleep and IBD
Sleep is intimately connected to the disease course of IBD.
A 2018 study found that sleep disturbances are related to disease activity.
Some older studies have shown that disturbances in sleep can be the first sign of a flare-up.
Poor sleep quality may also be associated with clinical relapse.
Tips for Managing Night Sweats
Temperature changes from gastrointestinal inflammation can be unpredictable and frustrating to manage.
The best way to deal with night sweats is to be prepared for them.
Minimizing discomfort and getting back to sleep as quickly as possible is key.
If your night sweats persist or worsen, consult your healthcare provider.
Night sweats can further impact sleep quality, modify disease-coping abilities, and increase stress.
Adjusting your sleeping environment and having a plan may help alleviate night sweats.
However, discussing sleep with your healthcare provider is an important aspect of IBD that should be managed.
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