• 💖 [Donate To Keep MyPTSD Online] 💖 Every contribution, no matter how small, fuels our mission and helps us continue to provide peer-to-peer services. Your generosity keeps us independent and available freely to the world. MyPTSD closes if we can't reach our annual goal.

Any advice for managing nightsweats?

Status
Not open for further replies.

bellbird

MyPTSD Pro
I hate nightsweats. I hate my nightmares too. But I swear nightsweats are just PTSD adding insult to injury.

My nightsweats started several months after my nightmares did.
My nightmares happen basically 100% of nights, aside from those where I keep myself awake for long enough that I suspect I don't get enough REM cycles to get into intense dreaming territory.
My nightsweats happen probably 90% of nights. Some nights they're worse than others. Last night they were intense. When I managed to calm down enough from my nightmare, I sat up in bed and got my laptop out. For some reason my laptop tipped over at one stage and I noticed on the underside there was a bit of moisture. It was sweat. For f*cks sake. I'd managed to sweat through 2 duvets + 3 blankets (it's winter here). I'd only just washed my bedding the day before.

They're starting to really bother me. And it's also frustrating that not only do I feel mentally gross after waking from a nightmare, but then when I want to curl up in bed all day I feel physically gross because everything's been saturated with sweat.
In summer it was slightly less bad because I could wash my bedding pretty much every day and it'd be dry again within a couple of hours, but coming into winter that just isn't possible anymore. I've spoken to my doctor about it in the past, probably quite a while ago now, but I think I'm going to bring it up again when I see her on Thursday.

I think there is most likely some link between the nightmare intensity and nightsweats intensity, but it's not a direct correlation and the fact that there have been those 10% where I've had a nightmare and woken up in a completely dry bed (small victories), makes me think that there must be some other factor influencing them.
I've thought about things like what I've eaten that day/right before bed, whether I've exercised during the day, whether it's too hot/cold and they're my body's way of trying to regulate temperature, whether is PMS related, etc... but I can't come up with any clear link.
I've tried meditating/doing EFT before bed, I've tried eating more/eating less right before bed, I've tried varying my amount of blankets, but nothing has helped.

Does anyone experience similar? Have you found anything that has helped?
Does what I'm experiencing sound 'normal' or do you think this is something more than nightmare-induced nightsweats?

Any input would be greatly appreciated :)
 
I used to get horrible nightsweats, still not sure why. When I'd get up my bed would be completely soaked, and I'd be dripping everywhere and looking like I just fell in a swimming pool. It only happened when I slept in my bed though. A lot of times I'd end up crashing out on the love seat and then it never seemed to be a problem. So maybe you could try sleeping in a different position? On your back with your legs propped up would be close to how I slept on my little couch.
 
It does sound like normal nightsweats, but it may be worth asking your GP about anyway.
Prazosin has really helped me, but not fixed the problem entirely.
A couple of loose, breathable cotton blankets, not sheets on top, under a doona if necessary, drastically reduced my amount of cleanup though.
Deodorant (lynx) before bed helps

Oh, and a fan for white noise.
The dog is invaluable as well. She sleeps on her bed next to my bed, because I'm scared of hurting her or tipping her off mine, I do tend to thrash a little. But just small cues that calm me down.
I don't sleep in total darkness either.
A comforting smell right next to my bed - I use vanilla, an unlit candle - and room spray.
Basically how I theorized it was that my adrenaline and norepinephrine go nuts during nightmares, and I get scared if I think I'm back in trauma land, even unconciously.
So I basically try to cue in all my senses when I'm unconscious and dreaming.
So sight - soft lighting not in my room, but a nice warm colour under the door.
Hearing - a fan, dog breathing.
Smell is the sense most closely linked to memory, so I try to hack this unconciously by making my room smell utterly like my own idea of a room that smells good.
Touch is my teddy bear, who was a present to myself at 21, and the cotton blankets.
Idk if it works or if it's placebo, but I do feel better for it, even if I wake up not knowing where I am, I can cue myself in pretty quickly usually.
Good luck.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
My nightsweats happen probably 90% of nights. Some nights they're worse than others. Last night they were intense. When I managed to calm down enough from my nightmare, I sat up in bed and got my laptop out.
Symptom - not cause. Anxiety is the reason, and anxiety is caused by nightmares / other thoughts prior to bed. Anxiety sweating is common in those with severe anxiety variations. Treat the cause -- trauma which is causing the nightmares.
 
Hey thank you all for your responses, they're really helpful.

I'm going to try some of the ideas to reduce my anxiety before bed.
I bought a himalayan salt lamp last night while I couldn't sleep. Regardless of whether it actually produces the 'negative ions' or whatever the claims are, many online have said that the soft light it emits is a lot more soothing than just a bed side lamp (what I currently have on at nights when I can't sleep), so we'll see how it goes.
A comforting smell right next to my bed - I use vanilla, an unlit candle
I'm going to have a look for something along these lines too.
 
Practical

I double & triple sheet my bed.

Mattress Protector + Fitted Sheet
Mattress Protector + Fitted sheet
Mattress Protector + Fitted sheet

When I wake up I strip off the first layer, dump them in the hallway, climb into the shower & rinse off, then climb back into bed & go to sleep. Elapsed time about 90 seconds. 120 if I need to pee. I don’t even have to wake up all the way. Dry bed. Dry me. Zzzzzz. I can wake up soaked 2 more times before it’s an actual Issue, and most of the time I only wake up once or twice. If I’m waking up 4-5 times in a night I’m just napping, anyway, and take it to the couch.

For pillows & “top sheets” (I don’t use them, but to protect my duvet) I use polar tech blankets in winter. Big one as a “sheet”, baby one as a pillowcase. Synthetic, dries in a jiff, and the feathers don’t get wet & moldy & stink of my own fear and rage that way.

I can wash the sheets and remake the bed in the daytime, when I’m awake.
 
Last edited:
You have my sympathy as it is definitely no fun. I'd try to sleep in a warmer room, so you can have less layers to allow the sweat to evaporate. I'm in south florida, so I often sleep with nothing or just a sheet. I can pop off the sheet off to let any sweat evaporate.

I find that I need to wake myself up entirely to break out of the psychosis of PTSD dreams. I can really be pretty deeply into my own personal Narnia and the faster I break out the better.

I may be atypical, but I've found some medications that have really worked for me. I'd recommend trying.
 
A few ideas.

I hold a little wooden cross in bed to help ground me.

Don't have heating on at night.

I try to keep the main duvet light but wear a woolly hat and socks in bed if cold. You lose heat through head and feet mostly.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top