Night sweats are most commonly caused by heat trapped around your body while you sleep, usually from a warm bedroom, heavy bedding, or sleepwear and sheets made from non-breathable materials like polyester or synthetic blends.
That trapped heat works against a process your body is trying to carry out naturally. Core body temperature is supposed to drop as part of falling and staying asleep, and that drop is one of the signals your body uses to settle into rest. When heat builds up instead of escaping, it blocks that cooldown, and sweating becomes the body's way of forcing the temperature back down.
Not every case starts with the sleep environment, though. Hormonal changes such as menopause or thyroid conditions, certain medications, infections, and anxiety or stress can all trigger night sweats on their own, independent of room temperature or bedding.
Because of that overlap, frequent, severe, or unexplained night sweats are worth raising with a healthcare professional, particularly if they come with symptoms like fever, fatigue, or unexplained weight loss.