Nocturnal fever (only at night): main causes and what to do

Fever is a very common symptom that generally appears when there is some inflammation or infection in the body, and is therefore associated with almost all types of changes in health status, from the simplest situations, such as flu or tonsillitis, to more serious conditions such as lupus, HIV or cancer, for example.

Generally, fever is more easily felt during the day when you are awake, as it is accompanied by other symptoms such as an intense headache or generalized muscle pain, however, there are also several cases in which the fever can worsen at night, causing you to wake up with excessive sweat production.

Regardless of when it appears, the fever should always be evaluated by a general practitioner, especially when it is persistent and lasts more than 3 days, and does not improve through natural techniques such as placing wet cloths on the forehead or using home remedies, such as tea. macela or eucalyptus, for example. Check out some natural ways to lower your fever.

Main causes

Fever is a natural response of the body, and can occur as a consequence of several situations, the main ones being:

• Virus infection, such as the flu, cold and COVID-19;
• Bacterial infection;
• During the crisis of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease;
• As a consequence of the use of some medications that can lead to a decrease in the functioning of the immune system;
• After the application of vaccines.

It is important that the cause of the fever is identified, so that it is possible to initiate the most appropriate treatment, if necessary. Learn more about the causes of fever.

What to do

To alleviate the fever, it is important to identify the cause. In the case of infections, it is important that treatment is initiated to combat the infectious agent, and the doctor may recommend the use of antibiotics or antivirals. Furthermore, it is common for the use of anti-inflammatories and/or antipyretics to be indicated. Furthermore, it is important to stay in a well-ventilated environment, wear light clothing, rest and take a shower with warm water. Find out more about what to do to lower your fever.

When night fever can be serious

Nighttime fever is rarely a sign of a serious problem, and even when it has no apparent cause, it is more often caused by environmental factors such as increased room temperature or excessive use of clothing, which end up increasing the body’s metabolism. body.

However, there are some diseases that may have as their only symptom the onset of nighttime fever every night. Some examples are:

• Lyme disease;
• HIV;
• Tuberculosis;
• Hepatitis;
• Lupus.

Some types of cancer may also have nighttime fever as their first symptom, but they are generally accompanied by weight loss that cannot be justified by changes in diet or exercise patterns.

Why fever rises at night

In most cases, the fever appears or worsens at night due to the natural cycle of the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is the part of the brain responsible for producing hormones that regulate body temperature and is normally more active at night, which can cause an increase in temperature when you are sleeping.

Furthermore, due to the normal functioning of the metabolism, it is also common for the body temperature to increase slightly throughout the day, being higher at night and even causing excessive sweating. Find out the 8 main causes of night sweats.

Therefore, having a fever at night is rarely a sign of a serious problem, especially if it is associated with other symptoms that may indicate an infection. However, whenever it lasts more than 3 days, it is important to go to the general practitioner to identify whether it is necessary to take any specific medication, such as antibiotics, or carry out tests to help identify the correct cause.