Cold sweats can make a cold or the flu feel so much worse. One moment you’re bundled up and shivering — the next, you’re damp, clammy, and uncomfortable.
Cold sweats are common during illness, but they can also happen for many other reasons. Here’s what can cause cold sweats, and what you can do to feel better.
What Are Cold Sweats?
A cold sweat is when you start sweating even though your skin feels cool to the touch. You might have damp palms, a clammy forehead, or chills that don’t match how warm you actually feel.
Cold sweats are a different kind of sweating than what happens after exercise or when you’re overheated. In those instances, your body is trying to cool itself down. But cold sweats show up when your body is under stress — either physical stress, emotional stress, or a mix of both.
Your nervous system drives this response. When something triggers it, like illness, pain, fear, or a sudden drop in blood sugar, your sweat glands switch on. Even if you’re cold.
There’s no formal medical definition for cold sweats, and they aren’t a health condition. They’re a symptom that can appear for many reasons.
Why You Get Cold Sweats with Colds and Flu
Cold sweats often appear when you’re sick with a cold or the flu. You can also have them with other viral and bacterial infections, such as strep throat, norovirus, and rotavirus. These infections put stress on your body, and that stress can activate your sweat response.
Fever changes
Fever is the most common cause of cold sweats.
When you have a fever, your body raises its temperature to fight off infection. As your fever rises or falls, your internal thermostat shifts. That change can make you sweat while still feeling chilled.
You may notice cold sweats when your fever breaks. Your temperature drops, your body releases heat, and you start sweating even though you feel cold.
Dehydration and fatigue
Colds and flu can leave you tired and dehydrated. When your body doesn’t have enough fluids or energy, it has to work harder to keep everything running. That extra effort can trigger cold sweats.
Pain and discomfort
Sinus pressure, headaches, and body aches can activate your stress response. When that happens, cold sweats may follow.
Night sweats during illness
Night sweats are a type of cold sweat. They happen while you sleep, and you may wake up damp, chilled, or shivering.
When you’re sick, your body temperature can swing quickly. Those shifts can cause sweating, followed by chills when the sweat cools on your skin.
Managing Cold Sweats When You’re Sick
Most of the time, you can treat cold sweats at home. To stay comfortable while your body recovers:
- Adjust your layers — Wear light, breathable clothing. Keep a blanket nearby so you can add or remove layers as your temperature changes.
- Rest — Your body needs rest to heal. When you slow down, your immune system can work more effectively.
- Stay hydrated — Drink water, juice, or electrolyte drinks. Cold sweats can make you lose fluids without realizing it. Staying hydrated helps your body regulate its temperature.
- Take fever reducers if needed — Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help lower a fever and ease aches.
- Use a cool washcloth — A cool, damp cloth on your forehead or neck can help reduce discomfort.
Other Common Causes of Cold Sweats
Cold sweats aren’t limited to colds and the flu. They can happen any time your body feels stressed or out of balance. That stress might come from your emotions, your environment, medications, or another health issue.
Cold sweats from anxiety
Anxiety is a common cause of cold sweats. When you’re anxious, your body goes into “fight or flight” mode. Your heart rate rises, your breathing changes, and your sweat glands turn on.
Nighttime anxiety can also cause night sweats. You may wake up sweaty, shaky, or unsettled. These episodes can feel intense, but they’re usually not dangerous.
Simple strategies can help ease anxiety naturally:
- Calming music.
- Gentle stretching.
- Slow, deep breathing.
If anxiety becomes a pattern or starts to affect your daily life, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.
Cold sweats from medications
Some medications can cause sweating as a side effect. This includes certain antidepressants, hormone treatments, steroids, and pain medicines.
Opioid withdrawal can also cause sweating, chills, and shaking. These symptoms happen when your body adjusts to the absence of the drug.
If you think a medication is causing cold sweats, call your health care provider. You may need a different dose or medicine. But don’t stop taking a prescription without talking to your doctor first.
Cold sweats from hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes excessive sweating even when you’re cold, resting, or not doing anything to make you perspire. When you’re sick, this baseline sweating can feel even stronger because your body is already working harder to regulate its temperature.
People with hyperhidrosis often notice sweating on their hands, feet, underarms, or face, but it can happen anywhere. The sweating may come on suddenly, last longer than expected, or feel out of proportion to what you’re doing.
Hyperhidrosis treatments may include:
- BOTOX® injections.
- Medications that reduce sweating.
- Prescription antiperspirants.
- Surgery (in severe cases).
A dermatologist can help you figure out which treatment makes the most sense for you. They can also help rule out other conditions that may look similar to hyperhidrosis.
Serious Causes of Cold Sweats
Cold sweats are usually harmless, but not always. In some cases, they’re your body’s way of alerting you to a more serious problem that needs quick attention.
Cold sweats from low blood sugar
Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can trigger cold sweats. This can happen if you’re sick and haven’t been eating well, or if you have diabetes and your blood sugar drops too low.
When your body lacks enough glucose for energy, it reacts with a stress response — sweating is often one of the first signs. Common symptoms include:
- Dizziness
- Hunger
- Irritability
- Shakiness
- Weakness
The CDC recommends treating low blood sugar right away with fast‑acting carbs, such as:
- Fruit juice
- Glucose tablets
- Hard candy
- Regular soda
Once your symptoms improve, follow up with a balanced snack to help keep your levels steady.
If you have diabetes, it’s especially important to monitor your blood sugar closely when you’re sick. Illness can make your levels swing more than usual, raising the risk of hypoglycemia.
Cold sweats from heat exhaustion
Heat exhaustion happens when your body overheats and can’t cool itself down fast enough. It’s often caused by spending too much time in hot weather, exercising in the heat, or becoming dehydrated.
Heat exhaustion can cause cold, clammy skin. Even though the word “heat” is in the name, your skin may feel cool because your body is struggling to regulate its temperature. Symptoms may include:
- Dizziness.
- Nausea.
- Pale, moist skin.
- Weakness.
To treat heat exhaustion:
- Cool your skin with a damp cloth.
- Drink water or electrolyte drinks.
- Move to a cooler place.
- Rest.
- Take a cool shower, if possible.
If symptoms don’t improve, seek medical care.
Cold sweats from a heart attack
Cold sweats can be a symptom of a heart attack. When your heart isn’t getting enough blood, your body goes into a stress response. That sudden surge of adrenaline can make your skin feel cold and sweaty.
According to the CDC, other heart attack symptoms may include:
- Chest pain or pressure
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Pain in your arm, shoulder, back, or neck.
- Shortness of breath.
- Sudden weakness.
These symptoms can come on quickly or build slowly over time. Some people describe the discomfort as pressure, squeezing, or a feeling that “something just isn’t right.” Remember, heart attacks can happen in young people, too.
If you notice these symptoms, call 911 and go to the emergency department right away. Getting care fast can protect your heart and save your life.
Cold sweats from shock
Shock happens when your blood pressure drops suddenly. It can follow a serious injury, infection, or allergic reaction. Symptoms may include:
- A rapid or very slow heartbeat.
- Confusion.
- Fast breathing.
- Pale, clammy skin.
Shock is a medical emergency. Call for help or go to the emergency department immediately.
Cold sweats from other health problems
People with weakened immune systems, including those with HIV/AIDS or undergoing cancer treatment, can develop cold sweats as an early sign of infection. The CDC notes that fever, chills, and sweating are often the first clues. Because infections can become serious quickly in people with low immunity, it’s important to reach out to your doctor right away if you notice these symptoms.
Cold sweats (or night sweats) can also happen with other health conditions, such as thyroid disorders, hormone disorders, and certain cancers. If cold sweats keep showing up and you can’t pinpoint a clear cause, it’s a good idea to schedule a checkup. Your doctor can help you figure out what’s behind the symptoms and what to do next.
When to Call Your Doctor
Some causes of cold sweats are mild and easy to manage, but your body may be signaling something more serious. You should contact your doctor if:
- Cold sweats keep happening or recur often.
- You can’t stay hydrated, even with fluids.
- You feel worse instead of gradually improving.
- You have a fever that doesn’t go down with treatment.
- You notice new, worsening, or unexplained symptoms.
Head to the emergency department if you have cold sweats along with:
- Chest pain
- Confusion
- Fainting
- Severe weakness
- Trouble breathing
Sources
American Osteopathic Association, Night Sweats. Accessed April 2026. https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/night-sweats/. Link.
Cancer Research UK, Causes of Sweating. Accessed April 2026. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/physically/skin-problems/dealing-with-sweating/causes. Link.
MedlinePlus, Hyperhidrosis. Accessed April 2026. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007259.htm. Link.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery. Accessed April 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/heart-attack.html. Link.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Know the Signs and Symptoms of Infection. Accessed April 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer-preventing-infections/patients/symptoms.html. Link.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia). Accessed April 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/about/low-blood-sugar-hypoglycemia.html. Link.