What should men do about night sweats?

Many people have heard of night sweats, which are more common in men. Under normal circumstances, sweating helps protect the body and promotes metabolism. So what should men do if they experience night sweats?

What to Do for Night Sweats in Men

If night sweats result from excess conditions (“shi zheng”), common underlying patterns include liver-gallbladder heat stagnation and pathogenic heat retention causing steaming. In such cases, Long Dan Xie Gan Tang (Gentiana Decoction to Drain the Liver) may be prescribed under a physician’s guidance. This formula includes Gentiana (Long Dan), Scutellaria (Huang Qin), Gardenia (Zhi Zi), and Bupleurum (Chai Hu) to clear liver heat; Alisma (Ze Xie), Akebia (Mu Tong), and Plantago (Che Qian Cao) to drain heat and promote diuresis. Long Dan Xie Gan Tang is particularly effective for night sweats caused by pathogenic heat retention and steaming. Additional astringent herbs—such as floating wheat (Fu Xiao Mai), Ephedra (Ma Huang), Schisandra (Wu Wei Zi), and rice root (Nu Mi Gen)—may be added based on the patient’s specific symptoms to help control excessive sweating.

Night sweats in men may also stem from kidney yin deficiency, chronic illness, or excessive mental stress. Patients may benefit from nourishing kidney yin and relaxing their minds. If an underlying disease is responsible, the cause must be promptly identified and addressed. Night sweats refer specifically to sweating during sleep that ceases upon waking. In men, this is commonly attributed to kidney yin deficiency. When yang heat steams the deficient yin, body fluids escape externally, manifesting as night sweats. Etiologies of kidney yin deficiency may include constitutional insufficiency (e.g., congenital qi deficiency) or excessive mental or physical strain. Patients are advised to seek timely treatment under professional guidance to nourish yin and tonify the kidneys. For night sweats due to yin deficiency with hyperactive fire, treatment should focus on nourishing yin and clearing fire.

Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption; maintain regular sleep-wake cycles and avoid staying up late. Ensure a balanced diet incorporating both meats and vegetables to support nutritional equilibrium, and engage regularly in outdoor physical activity. We hope this information proves helpful to you.