Why Do We Sweat?

Sweating is a very natural function of the body and occurs for a number of reasons. But why exactly do we sweat? Does it mean something if you sweat too much? How do you stop your sweat from smelling bad? Here is where you find out everything you need to know about perspiring from the team here at Procoal

What is sweating?

When we get too hot or sometimes even feeling nervous or excited you begin to sweat. This is when your body releases sweat from the sweat glands in an aid to cool down the body. The liquid evaporates once it leaves the glands and so helps your temperature to drop. For those who find they sweat when they are nervous or anxious this means more of an emotional connection to this reaction. This is a very natural function of the body and although can be a little embarrassing at times, it doesn’t need to knock away your confidence as there are many things you can do to help, such as using natural deodorant daily.

Is it healthy to sweat?

When you sweat it means your body is riding itself of all the toxins and bacteria build up in your pores. Sweating allows your skin to basically have a clear out everything that is doesn’t need. Blemishes are caused by a clogged pores, sweating enables the pores to become unclogged and so blemishes are less likely to develop. This is considering your sweating levels are mild to moderate, if you find yourself sweating excessively you could, potentially have a condition called hyperhidrosis.

Is it bad to sweat a lot?

It is tricky to determine how much sweat is too much sweat. Various studies have shown a large amount of contrasting results, for example, some state that the healthier the diet a person has and depending on their fitness means they perspire quicker and a lot more than those who don’t exercise. Others claim your sex determines how much you sweat, with men sweating more than women. In all seriousness there are a huge number of reasons for how you sweat and the amount you sweat. Your ethnicity, race and DNA can also be factored into the amount you sweat also. Overall it isn’t fully understood why these affect perspiration, however for excessive sweating all of the body constantly throughout the day and night may be a condition called hyperhidrosis. This is when you excessively sweat all over or on particular parts of the body such as palms of your hands or armpits. If you find you have these symptoms it is best to visit your doctor for advice on possible treatments to help.

Does sweating aid weight lose?

For a number of years now it has been believed that wrapping the body in cling film or even investing in sweat suits will help with loosing weight, but before you dash to the kitchen drawers, it has been stated that although you will notice a difference when stepping onto the scales, once you have had something to eat and drink you will go back to your original weight again. Sweating is not really the best solution for weight lose, instead sticking to a balanced diet and exercise will benefit you a lot more over time.

Why do you smell when you sweat?

Sweat itself doesn’t have an odour, the smell you notice is body odour, or more commonly known as B.O, comes from the bacteria that naturally forms on the skin that breaks down around the pores when the sweat glands release sweat. The smell you experience is a very natural element to a healthy body and there are different options to take to stop the smell if you wanted to.

How do I stop smelling when I sweat?

Sweat itself doesn’t have any odour, it is the bacteria on the skin breaking down and releasing the smell you notice. There is no way of completely stopping the smell as it is a very natural thing to do. You can help with combating the smell by doing the following.

• Use a deodorant or antiperspirant
• Wash daily using a gentle soap
• Dry your underarms thoroughly using a soft towel.
• Wear clean clothes
• Change your diet, food such as garlic and curry increases body odour so if these are your diet a lot of the time try cutting back. 

Is sweating good for my hair?

Seeing as sweating is great for the skin of ridding of toxins and all many of nasty things, leaving you with radiant skin, it can also have the same benefits for your hair too by unclogging your hair follicles and making space for more strands of hair to grow. Having said that, leaving sweat in your hair over time is not very suitable as the build up of the salts and protein that is released in sweat will stop hair growth and may even develop itchiness for the scalp. Ensuring you wash your hair around 2-3 times a week will help keep your hair healthy. 

Is it bad for you not to sweat?

When someone doesn’t have the ability to sweat can become a very dangerous condition, called Anhidrosis.  If you are not able to sweat the chances of you over-heating can lead to heatstroke which requires immediate medical attention. It is difficult to diagnose yourself with this condition so you are concerned it is best to visit your GP to explore various treatments available to help.

So there you have it, an explanation of why we sweat and what it is. As mentioned previously, although it may be embarrassing at times there are lots of options to take. Don’t forget the more you sweat during exercise, the better your skin will look, so get glowing!