Wake up drenched in sweat?

I have completed ssbhv1 and am one week into ssbhv2. This is my first time trying structured training. For a few weeks now I have woken up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat. I did not experience this before. My bedroom is typically cold, and i am usually a bit cold when i go to bed and when i wake up.

Is it possible that this is related to training? Anyone else have this problem? I have read that this could be caused by a thyroid problem or a drop in blood sugar. I guess i might have an diagnosed thyroid dysfunction, but I don’t think its likely.

Are you doing workouts in the afternoon or evening?

Late afternoon / early evening during the week. Around 5:30 or 6:00. Dinner after, bedtime between 9 and 10. On the weekends I do workouts in the morning, around 9:00 am usually.

Are you eating a lot before you go to bed or drinking alcohol? That combo has triggered sweating for me in the past.

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No food after around 7:30 pm. I have been doing intermittent fasting for a couple of years. No alcohol ever.

maybe EPOC or “the afterburn effect”

It happens to me from time to time.

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No, I’ve been using TR plans for three or for years.
I’d speak to a doctor.

Definitely, but I definitely have EPOC / Afterburn sweating ever since starting training hard in the evening.

I’ve been having the exact same problem lately (last 2-3 weeks), which is weird because I never had it in my first season. I also now feel an “afterglow” after training, going as far as feeling comfortable in a T-shirt outside in freezing temperatures. Do you have that too?

Exercise more commonly reduces the incidence of night sweats, which iirc are usually brought on by other types of stress.

I get that late night exercise can interfere with the sleep routine, but this is more than that right? I’d look for some other cause.

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Not trying to worry you but I had night sweats before being diagnosed with lymphoma 11 years ago. Go see your Doc.

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Ok. Thanks for all the replies. Sounds like I should probably bring this issue to my doctor. It only began after i was a few weeks into training, so I thought it may be related and wanted to see if it might be common in the community.

Thanks all

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You have classic night sweats and that’s not normal or related to training. You need to see your doctor if that persists.

(trust me, I’m a doctor)

MC

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I experienced those for several nights maybe two months ago. I have no idea what caused it, but they went away as mysteriously as they arrived. It was weird, I’d awaken completely drenched – t-shirt, sheets, pillow, just soaked in sweat.

Just to allay your fears, go see a doc, but it might be nothing. 12 years ago I was having drenching night sweats without explanation. It went away and never came back and I am still healthy to this day :slight_smile:

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Yes.

This is normal as per what I have read from many pro triathletes who reported sweating at night when in peak training (I believe it was Jordan Rapp on Slowtwitch along with many other but have read many sources claiming this issue). When I train over 3 days and do a really hard bike, a long run and an long ride all together, I notice it on the 2nd night and it diminishes when I lower volume (lower training load, life basically lets me train hard on weekends and rest on weekdays).

I am no doctor though and suggest speaking with your physician if you are concerned. I am not concerned personally but I am not a doctor and I am just speaking from my experience and what I have gathered. Would be worth speaking to a sports physician or someone with endurance background as many doctors may brush this off as something else. Someone with experience with athletes might be able to help you and give you better advice.

There are (serious) medical conditions that can cause night sweats. It might be coincident but unrelated to your training. You should speak with your doctor.

This happens to me all the time. Especially when training. I def keep the room cool (66-67). I can’t have a down comforter over me or I’ll sweat all night. Going to see the doc is a good idea, but this is normal for me. Also, my usual body temp is 96.5 deg. Two deg below “normal”.

What do you use to fuel your rides? How much sugary food do you eat? My reduction of sugar intake has led to significant reduction in sweat and inflammation in general.

I have had them for years. This was discussed on the podcast I think. I never worried about them. Just kept towels nearby to put on the bed and dry off. I still get them if I do a hard evening workout. (Most of my stuff is early am now).