Night Sweats and Fatigue: Signs of Breathing Problems

* Low CO2 values in the blood lead to the narrowing of small blood vessels (arteries and arterioles) in the whole body. That causes two problems. First, blood flow to the heart muscle decreases. Hence, heart tissue gets less oxygen, glucose and other nutrients. Second, since small blood vessels are the main contributors to the total resistance in relation to blood flow, CO2 deficiency increases resistance to blood flow and makes the work for the heart muscle more difficult leading to increased heart rate or pulse.

Due to constriction of blood vessels, all vital organs get reduced oxygen and blood supply (see the image above).

* The suppressed Bohr effect, due to low CO2 values in the arterial blood, also reduces oxygenation of the heart muscle. That increases anaerobic metabolism and produces excessive amounts of lactic acid producing more stress on the heart. Note that lactic acid is often implicated as a source of pain in any tissue. In the case of chronic fatigue, a person can suffer from weakness in muscles and angina or chest pain, as well as night sweats.

* The excited nerve cells in the heart (the cells that are called pacemakers) interfere with the normal synchronization and harmony in the working of the heart muscle. Desynchronization can make the whole process of blood pumping less efficient or more energy- and oxygen-demanding.

* Abnormal metabolism of fats leads, as Russian medical studies revealed, to increased blood cholesterol level in some people. That condition gradually, over periods of weeks or months, produces cholesterol deposits on the walls of blood vessels in genetically predisposed people. Such deposits can induce primary hypertension. As Russian published studies suggest, the CP has a linear correlation with the blood cholesterol level.

* Chronic hyperventilation affects the normal work of essential fatty acids causing changes in inflammatory responses and the malfunctioning of the immune system interfering with synchronizing work of hormones.

* Mouth breathing (both at rest and during exercise) is an additional adverse stimulus. It prevents normal absorption of nitric oxide (a hormone and powerful dilator of blood vessels) synthesized in the nasal passages.

In cases of more severe overbreathing, apart from night sweats, people often experience muscle pain and fatigue, chronic headaches, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and weakness. Hallucinations are sleep seizures are other possible effects (see Prevent Sleep Seizures Naturally Article).

Breathing retraining is necessary for treatment of all these signs of abnormal breathing.

The degree of chronic fatigue-night sweats and body oxygenation can be found using a stress-free variety of the breath-holding test: exhale as usually, pinch your nostrils, and stop breathing. Count how many seconds you can be without breathing and without any stress too. As soon as any discomfort appears, release the nostrils and start breathing. If you do this test correctly, then your breath pattern after the test will be about the same as before the test. You must not gasp for air after the test. This test defines body oxygenation in seconds.

Normal breath holding time is forty seconds. It corresponds to the normal breathing pattern. Patients with chronic fatigue symptoms have less than 20 seconds depending on degree of fatigue. Hence, they breathe at least 2 times more than the tiny medical norm for breathing. Less than 10 s of oxygen in the body corresponds to extreme fatigue and breathing for 4 people at least. Such respiratory parameters are typical for hospitalized and critically (and terminally) ill patients.

Body Oxygenation Index Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms
1-10 s Extreme fatigue syndrome; severe chest tightness; night sweats;
severe dyspnea; severe muscle pain; severe chronic headaches
11-20 s Moderate fatigue; tightness in chest; weakness; mild chest pain;
shortness of breath; night sweats and muscle pain are possible
20-40 s Moderate level of energy; possible desire to slouch;
light muscle pain; night sweats and headaches are very rare
Over 40 s Craving and joy of physical exercise; the attention is focused
on the outer world instead of bodily pains and aches

Cause and Cure for Chronic Fatigue and Chest Tightness.

Breathing retraining, so that one breathe differently 24/7, requires lifestyle changes for better body oxygenation and breathing exercises that can make breathing lighter and slower. Among positive lifestyle factors are:
- Physical exercise with strictly nasal breathing (in and out)
- Relaxation and meditation exercises
- Diaphragmatic breathing 24-7
- Straight spine or correct posture 24-7
- Forgiveness, silent prayer, good will, cooperation, acceptance, peace-making, calmness, composure, self-discipline, commitment, perseverance, and responsibility
- Eating, only when you are really hungry (and stopping in time)
- Going to bed for sleep, only you are really sleepy, and getting out of bed in the morning after waking up; sleeping on solid-hard beds
- Moderation in pleasures
- Taking cold shower (while following certain rules), massage, barefoot walking
- Some breathing techniques (the Buteyko breathing exercises and Buteyko method, Frolov device, Strelnikova breath gymnastic, correctly done hatha yoga, etc.)

Breath correction is a serious project which is explained in detail in Buteyko Breathing Exercises Section.