Cold sweats aren’t caused by the cold, heat or exertion.
Also known as diaphoresis, cold sweats are actually caused by our body’s ‘fight or flight’ response, which is designed to protect us in dangerous situations. This kicks in when our bodies are responding to fear, pain, shock, shortness of breath or low blood sugar.
Some people experience cold sweats with the flu or wake up in a cold sweat if they have a fever. You can also experience excessive cold sweating if you’ve had too much alcohol.
If you’re experiencing daily cold sweats or night sweats, you and your doctor or medical practitioner need to check other symptoms to indicate the cause. Cold sweats along with difficulty breathing, pale skin, dizzy spells or feeling weak could mean you have a medical problem or an underlying illness.
If you’re having unexplained cold sweats, they could be the result of an injury or underlying illness. See your doctor or medical professional as soon as possible.