There are 25,172,000 men between the ages of forty and fifty-two in the US who have reported symptoms doctors associate with the passage called male menopause, or Andropause. Worldwide, the number of male menopausal subjects is 408 million - which is why there is a need to understand the changes, causes and treatment of these symptoms linked with it, including sleep disorders and excessive sweating.

Doctors investigating the biological evidence for male menopause find that it is not merely a psychological condition, like mid-life crisis or a physiological sign of aging, but a phenomenon that every man experiences to some degree and undergoes various symptoms. We’ll try to explain the symptoms of night sweats and hot flashes that men go through during Andropause here.

Overview of Male Menopause and Side Effects of Night Sweats and Hot Flashes

Male menopause is a physical condition with emotional consequences and Andropause is said to have set in when men experience a decrease in androgen production. It is also termed PADAM, or Partial Androgen Deficiency of the aging male and can effect the sexual drive inherent in that process. It usually occurs during the 50s, but can start as early as the late 30s or as late as the 60s.

Symptoms of Andropause occur to apparently healthy men also as they lose small amounts of testosterone gradually, but typically retain levels within the broad normal range. So, occasional insomnia, night sweats and hot flashes often accompany Andropause in few men, much akin to the symptoms that women go through during Andropause.

Raising Awareness Levels about Andropause: Night Sweats and Hot Flashes

• Contrary to popular belief, sweating at night is not really a sleep disorder, but there is no doubt that waking up with night clothes and bedding soaked with perspiration does disturb your night time slumber. This is a common symptom of Andropause and many Andropausal men report that due to excessive sweating, they wake up to find their bedding damp and clammy.
   
• The causes of night sweats are closely linked with Andropause, or male menopause.

Method of Diagnosing Night Sweats

• Personal observation - if you wake up at night with bedding and nightclothes damp with sweat, then you have likely had a night sweat.

What You Need To Know

Determining the cause of your night sweats is the first step toward treating it. Consult your doctor to be sure that the cause of your excessive night sweats is due to Andropause and not any other underlying cause.

Treating Night Sweats and Hot Flashes: Andropause Aids

• If you are going through Andropause and suffer from hot flashes, excessive sweating at night, it can disturb your sleep and alter your moods. A change of lifestyle may be called for, especially if these symptoms occur frequently and cause you discomfort.
   
• Try to exercise regularly as this helps normal body functioning, and avoid alcohol and spicy foods. Change your damp bedclothes to avoid another attack of night sweats. Instead, have a cold drink - water, fruit juice or milk.
   
• Talk to your doctor about any medications you're taking to see if they could be the cause.
   
• Keep your sleeping area cool, by leaving the window open or using the air conditioning with minimum humidity.
   
• A cold shower or sponge bath, before bed, might prevent an attack of night sweats.

However, do not get panic. Andropause is a natural phenomenon that can be treated with medications and alternative therapies.

Information in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice.

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