Question
Why do children sweat a lot on their heads while sleeping?
Answer
It’s quite normal for children to sweat while sleeping, as they have more developed sweat glands. The secretion of sweat glands is suppressed by the autonomic nervous system (vagus nerve), and after falling asleep, the excitement of the vagus nerve leads to excessive sweating, usually on the head and face, but this usually resolves within one to two hours after sleep. If restlessness and crying occur again, it might be due to a calcium deficiency, in which case calcium supplements can be taken. If the sweating stops upon waking up, consider giving the child warm kidney Qi tonics.