Table 1. Published Definitions of Night Sweats

Authors/Year	Purpose	Definition
Lister et al, 1989⁴⁷	Clinical and research	“Recurrent drenching night sweats during the previous month”
Smetana, 1993⁵³	Clinical	“Drenching sweats that require changing bed clothes”
Holtzclaw, 1996⁵⁴	Clinical	“A nonspecific term that refers to heavy sweating during sleep”
Chambliss, 1999⁴⁴	Clinical	“Unusual sweating that occurs only or mainly at night”
Mold et al, 2008³⁸	Clinical	“Sweating excessively during the night during the past month”
Mold et al, 2002³⁷	Research	“Sweating at night even when it is not excessively hot in your bedroom during the past month”
Lea and Aber, 1985⁵⁵	Research	Mild: “no bathing or change of clothing required”
		Moderate: “sleep disturbed by need to arise and wash face or other affected body areas, but no clothing change”
		Severe: “both or clothing change required”
Quigley and Baines, 1997⁵⁶	Research	Mild: “no change in bedclothes necessary; sweating only reported after specific questioning”
		Moderate: “no change of clothing necessary; washing of affected areas required; sweating volunteered by patients as a specific problem”
		Severe: “volunteered by patients as drenching sweats requiring a change of clothing or bed linen or both”