Many people with lung cancer struggle to get a good night’s sleep. In addition to producing common symptoms of lung cancer like pain and coughing, night sweats can disrupt sleep.

Night sweats — episodes of heavy or excessive sweating during the night — can be caused by treatments for lung cancer and the cancer itself. Episodes of night sweats can leave a person feeling uncomfortable. They may also make falling back to sleep difficult. Luckily, there are ways you and your oncologist can work together to manage your night sweats and help you get a cooler, more comfortable sleep.

In this article, we discuss three causes and four ways to manage night sweats with lung cancer.

The Impacts of Night Sweats on People With Lung Cancer

As their name suggests, night sweats cause a person to become overheated and experience episodes of extreme sweating at night, most often while sleeping. This sweating is excessive enough that it often soaks through a person’s clothes or sheets. They may also be accompanied by chills and a racing heartbeat.

Many people with lung cancer find that night sweats are uncomfortable and disrupt their sleep. As one MyLungCancerTeam member shared, “Had one of those nights myself last night for the first time in ages. Woke up feeling like someone dumped me in a pool. Fatigue from this illness and its subsequent treatments is more than enough without the addition of lack of sleep.”

Some members find that their night sweats coincide with anxiety about their lung cancer. “Had a ‘night sweats’ type of night. Normally, I do not feel stressed by the fact I have lung cancer,” one member shared. “The night sweats are very infrequent and are likely indications that my mind occasionally realizes I am in a dangerous situation. Maybe thoughts of my upcoming PET scan brought on last night’s sweats. Who knows?” (PET is short for “positron emission tomography,” a type of imaging technology.)

3 Potential Causes of Night Sweats in People With Lung Cancer

People living with lung cancer may experience night sweats for several reasons. Night sweats may be caused by cancer or cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy. They might also be caused by medical conditions unrelated to lung cancer.

1. Lung Cancer Itself

People living with lung cancer may experience night sweats due to the cancer itself. Tumors can cause fevers, which may result in sweating.

Feelings of anxiety about lung cancer or its treatments may also lead to night sweats, sometimes with nightmares. This is because the body’s stress response can cause an increased body temperature, which can lead to sweating.

2. Lung Cancer Treatment

Chemotherapy, radiation, and other cancer treatments may cause sweating and night sweats. Certain medications used to manage lung cancer symptoms and complications — like antidepressants and opioid pain medications — can also lead to nighttime sweating.

Cancer treatments also affect how well your immune system works, which increases your risk of infections. When your body has an infection you may experience a fever, which can also lead to sweating.

3. Other Medical Conditions

Sometimes, experiencing a symptom while living with lung cancer doesn’t necessarily mean that the symptom is related to the cancer. For example, menopause — which usually starts around age 50 — can cause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats.

Several other conditions can cause night sweats, including:

• Alcohol and substance use and withdrawal
• Anxiety disorders
• Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
• Tuberculosis
• Other types of cancer
• Hormone changes

It’s important to speak to your doctor about your night sweats so they can assess the underlying cause.

4 Ways To Relieve Night Sweats With Lung Cancer

Night sweats can interrupt your sleep, which can impact your quality of life and overall well-being. If night sweats are interfering with your ability to get a good night’s sleep, talk to your oncology care team or other health care provider. They can help determine the cause of these episodes and work with you to find a way to manage them.

You can help prevent or cope with extreme sweating and overheating in several ways, including through adjustments to your lung cancer treatments, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), relaxation and breathing exercises, and changes to bedtime routine adjustments, to help you be more comfortable while sleeping.

1. Treatment Adjustments

Let your oncologist know if you think certain treatments have been contributing to night sweats. If chemotherapy or other lung cancer treatments are to blame, changing or adjusting your treatments may help alleviate the issue.

2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of talk therapy that’s proved effective for those dealing with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. CBT helps people notice unhelpful thinking or behavioral patterns and learn healthy ways to cope with them. These learned coping skills can help you gain a sense of control over the emotions that might be causing your night sweating episodes, allowing you to better manage your symptoms.

3. Relaxation and Breathing Exercises

Other mind-body techniques may also help you manage night sweats. Relaxation, breathing techniques, and other types of mindfulness-based stress reduction methods can offer benefits similar to those of CBT.

The goals of these techniques are to relax your body, relieve the stress and negative feelings that might contribute to night sweats, and help cool down your body. You may learn these and other self-care techniques through CBT or other forms of psychotherapy. Your oncologist or a mental health care provider such as a psychotherapist may have tips for addressing night sweats caused by anxiety and stress.

4. Adjustments to Bedtime Routines

You can do several things on your own to help keep cool at night and prevent or reduce night sweats. Practicing good sleep hygiene and using methods to keep yourself cool may help you get better, more comfortable sleep.

Change Your Bedding

Opt for natural fibers, like cotton, or try sweat-wicking bedding. You may also want to consider using a thin sheet instead of a blanket.

Keep Your Room Cool

Studies have found that people may sleep better at a temperature between 60 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal comfort. If your home doesn’t have central air conditioning, consider putting in a window box or using a fan to keep air cool and circulating.

Be Mindful of Your Diet

Some foods and drinks can aggravate the gastrointestinal system and lead to night sweats. Avoid hot beverages and spicy foods, in particular, in the afternoon or evening.

Talk to Your Doctor

If your night sweats persist, or you have a fever and other signs of a potential infection, tell your health care provider. It’s important to seek treatment for potential infections, especially if you have lung cancer.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyLungCancerTeam is the social network for people with lung cancer and their loved ones. On MyLungCancerTeam, more than 13,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with lung cancer.

Have you dealt with night sweats with lung cancer or during treatment? How have you managed them? Share your experience and tips in the comments below or by posting on your Activities page.