10. Night Sweats: The Midnight Sun
You waking up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat as if you just ran a marathon. This symptom is perhaps the most perplexing, mainly because it occurs when you’re supposed to be at your most relaxed—during sleep. But make no mistake, this is not your average hot flash or hormonal imbalance; this is night sweats in the context of gastroparesis.
What makes it remarkable is that it’s seemingly disconnected from the rest of the symptoms. You don’t have to be experiencing nausea or bloating to break out in night sweats. It’s like a rogue agent, operating independently of the rest, leaving you puzzled and, quite literally, uncomfortable in your own skin.
Strangely, it’s a symptom that messes with your circadian rhythm. Your body is supposed to be cooling down and resting, but instead, it’s kicking into overdrive, working up a sweat when it should be winding down. The disruption to your sleep pattern has cascading effects on your daytime energy levels, focus, and overall mood.(10)
