Why Does Alcohol Give You Night Sweats?

Have you ever woken up drenched in sweat after a night of heavy drinking? Then you are not alone, nor are you a phenomenon. Many people will experience this situation, as there are quite a few reasons why alcohol can have such an effect on your body. As an experienced drug and alcohol rehab facility in Florida, it’s our job to help you find out an answer to the question ‘why does alcohol give you night sweats,’ as well as learn what you can do about it.

What are the symptoms of night sweats?

If you are wondering why does alcohol give you night sweats, then you have probably already had your first encounter with this phenomenon. And while excessive sweating was one of the main symptoms that you have noticed, it certainly wasn’t the only one. Now, which symptoms you are going to notice during this episode is something that depends on your body and immunity. However, people frequently report having:

• Flushed skin
• Clammy hands
• Irregular and rapid heartbeat
• Thirst
• Dehydration
• Sleeping problems
• Headaches

Some of these sound like very common symptoms of a hangover. And while the two share some symptoms, they are not the same thing. Of course, both of these phenomena are related to alcohol, and both could be avoided simply by not consuming it. If you’ve ever wondered why these unpleasant symptoms tend to happen in the first place, we are here to answer your dilemma.

Why does alcohol give you night sweats?

The night sweats you experience after an evening of drinking shouldn’t be confused with other conditions. If you are going through withdrawal, then the sweats you are experiencing are coming from a completely different source. Likewise, women who are going through menopause could notice that their night sweats are worsened when they have been consuming alcohol. In this instance, two different causes will intertwine, making you wake up soaked and sweaty. And if you have ever wondered why this is so, then here’s some input coming straight from the experts in our alcohol rehab Boynton Beach facility.

Alcohol affects your heart and blood vessels

If you are someone who drinks fairly regularly, then you must have noticed how your heartbeat mysteriously becomes faster after you have consumed a few drinks. Your heart can not only beat too fast after drinking, but it can also beat irregularly. What happens next is a process called vasodilation, which is when the blood vessels in your skin widen with the heart speeding up. They can then cause your skin to become hot and flushed, making you sweat more than usual. And while you can sweat from this cause at any point of the day, these sweats mostly happen at night. The reason is simple enough – people tend to drink most in the evenings.

But that’s not the only thing that happens throughout your body when you drink alcohol. People don’t realize this, but your body temperature actually drops after drinking alcohol, putting you at a higher risk for hypothermia in cold weather, and dehydration in warm weather. If you were to ask any of our clients who are currently in Inpatient rehab in Florida because of alcohol consumption, they would tell you that they have experienced these symptoms rather regularly. Unfortunately, everything that doesn’t fall within the bounds of moderate alcohol consumption is going to be detrimental to your health.

You can be intolerant to alcohol

This is something that not a lot of people realize, but you can actually be intolerant to alcohol. So if you are wondering why does alcohol cause night sweats, it’s time to look into your intolerance chart. This is a genetic disorder where your body doesn’t have sufficient enzyme activity to break down alcohol. This isn’t to be confused with an intolerance to something that is in a particular drink, as you can have a reaction to a certain ingredient and not alcohol as a category.

The symptoms of alcohol intolerance include facial flushing, known for causing excessive sweat. People can also experience headaches, fatigue, nausea, increased heart rate, and low blood pressure. Of course, these can also signify many other conditions, which is why it’s important not to self-diagnose. If you have any suspicions that you might have a case of alcohol intolerance, it’s best to turn to professionals. You can also feel free to turn to us. We’ve found out that many people who are currently in our Inpatient and Outpatient rehab in Florida have an undiagnosed intolerance. It’s always better to know exactly what you are dealing with than to let it go undiagnosed.

Other causes of night sweats

There are many conditions that will cause excessive sweating, especially at night. We’ve already mentioned that menopausal women are very likely to experience hot flashes. Our endocrine system plays a huge role in our body’s functioning, so when something is off with it, many things can happen. Another reason why you might find yourself experiencing night sweats is due to medications. Alcohol can interact with many different groups of medications and cause a variety of symptoms – including sweating. That’s why it’s generally recommended not to drink alcohol when you are taking a medicated therapy.

Of course, when it comes to alcoholism, medication might sometimes be a necessity. People who have been suffering from alcohol abuse for prolonged periods of time might not be able to solve their problem without Medically-Assisted Treatment in Boynton Beach. This program involves the use of FDA-approved medication that aims to help a person go through the process of withdrawal. These medications help with cravings, and they reduce the unpleasant effects of withdrawal. Another very important point in favor of this program is that it improves one’s long-term chances of success. That’s why we are big supporters of this program, and we recommend it to anyone with a severe form of addiction. It goes without saying that you won’t be consuming alcohol or any other substances while on this program.

How can you prevent alcohol from giving you night sweats?

Well, the first way to ensure that you don’t suffer from any alcohol-related night sweats is by giving up alcohol. However, if you think that’s too extreme and you don’t want to give up this substance altogether, then there are some things you could do. For starters, we suggest you limit the number of drinks you have. That’s the best way to ensure that you don’t go overboard and consume an amount that will result in consequences. It’s generally considered safe to have two drinks per night, especially if they are well-spaced out. Speaking of which, another good way to ensure you don’t have any night sweats is to limit how many drinks you have per hour. It’s a general rule of thumb not to have more than one drink within an hour.

However, while all of this applies to most people, those who are suffering from addiction are an exception. And you don’t have to be suffering from alcoholism necessarily. If you are in a crack cocaine rehab in Florida or have spent some time there, you are advised not to experiment with any substances. People who are prone to addictions shouldn’t take unnecessary risks. Besides, experimenting with alcohol when having a drug addiction could be what ultimately pushes you over the edge and results in relapse.

Monitor your alcohol consumption and reaction

Moderate alcohol consumption on its own isn’t a problem. After all, you probably know at least a dozen of people who are frequent social drinkers and who don’t have the slightest problem with alcohol. The real problem ensues once your once innocent alcohol use turns into dependence. Once that happens, people have to start searching for a rehab facility, and that’s where all the problems begin. The good news is that most people can avoid getting to this place where no one wants to be. All it takes is some honesty with yourself and self-awareness.

Keep a close watch on yourself and how much alcohol you can drink without getting drunk. Is the number of drinks that you can drink without consequences slowly increasing? Do you find yourself in need of more alcohol and frequent night outs? Then that’s a good sign that you are on your way to developing an addiction.

If you notice that you have already changed your behavior and physical appearance, then chances are good that you are already addicted. Individuals with substance abuse problems become more solitary, they start evading the activities that used to bring them joy, and they start ignoring their responsibilities. This is usually paired with rising money problems and concerns, as feeding one’s addiction requires a lot of money.

If you notice that you are heading toward addiction (or are already there), it’s going to be imperative that you seek proper care. By this point, it’s usually too late to give up alcohol without any professional help. The good news is that there are many places where you can get all the help you need. From rehab facilities to AA meetings, all you need is a sufficient desire to get better.

Have someone monitor you

Now, you can monitor yourself only if you are 100% sure that you will be able to take the necessary measures. If you doubt your ability to stop drinking and seek help, then you should put someone else in charge. Granted, nobody can take the necessary measures instead of you. However, they can help you by holding interventions and bringing your attention to the problem at hand. Sometimes, all you need is someone else’s input to shake you up.

Pay close attention to who you decide to entrust with this duty. This person needs to be someone whom you trust 100%. Likewise, they need to be the kind of person who will have your best interest in mind. Usually, it’s best if this person is your close friend. Family members are sometimes too personally involved, which clouds their judgment and makes them take wrong actions. Friends, on the other hand, want only what’s best for you, but they are not impacted by familial bonds. Of course, if you don’t have a close friend living near you, it’s okay to go for the next best thing. As long as you have someone who will be honest and dependable, you can greatly reduce your risks of addiction.

Alcohol won’t always give you night sweats

Now that you know how does alcohol give you night sweats, you might expect it to happen every time that you drink. That’s, of course, not going to be the case. Whether or not you will experience night sweats depends on a couple of things, including your body and the amount of alcohol that you drink. After all, drinking two drinks and calling it a night is not going to have the same effect as drinking the whole bottle. Moreover, even if you drink the same amount of alcohol every night, your body might react differently every time. That’s why you shouldn’t feel surprised if you don’t always experience night sweats. If you happen to have any other dilemmas regarding this topic or any other related to different substances, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We are here to be of service to you.