Did you know our bodies have several million sweat glands? That’s a lot of sweat!
But is sweating healthy? What are the benefits of sweating? And how much sweat is just too much?
Read on to find out, is sweating good for you?
Is Sweating Good For You?
Overall, sweating is good for your body in most situations. The function of sweating is basically that it’s a mechanism that your body uses to keep cool. This can stop you from overheating when the temperature rises or when you’re working out.
You might also feel yourself sweating when you have a fever – sweating helps your body get back down to a healthier temperature so that you don’t end up in the hospital.
You might not know this, but we’re actually always sweating a little bit. It’s a completely natural component of how our bodies work. You just probably won’t notice unless you’re sweating a lot, like when you’re sick when it’s hot outside, or after a big workout.
The Benefits of Sweating
There are also specific health benefits of sweating you might not have considered. Sweating can help detox your body, getting rid of things that shouldn’t be in there.
Sweating can help make your skin healthier since it can help remove bacteria from our skin. It helps purge your pores of anything it picked up when you were going about your life, helping keep your complexion smooth and your skin glowing.
Sweating helps to hydrate your skin, too. So, if you have naturally dry skin, you might want to consider sweating a little more and see if you can improve your dry and flaky skin without layering on a ton of different products.
Sweating can keep you healthy in other ways, too. Sweating contains antiseptic compounds, which can be particularly helpful if you’re exercising in a gym full of other people. Some recent research has even shown that some of the compounds could fight off diseases such as tuberculosis!
Sweating is great for your body’s internal health as well. Sweat helps to regulate your body’s salt levels, which stops all that salt from heading directly to your kidneys.
Problems With Sweating
While sweating is usually a good thing, there are some possible sweat issues you should be watching out for. If you’re sweating too much for no reason, it could be a sign of an ongoing health problem. You might be suffering from hyperhidrosis – otherwise known as excessive sweating.
Hyperhidrosis can be a primary health problem, which means it can be directly treated. But, it can also be a sign of a more significant health condition. Some pregnant people can find themselves suffering from hyperhidrosis, as can people who suffer from anxiety.
Hyperhidrosis can be a symptom of certain medications, including some types of antidepressants. If that’s the cause of your hyperhidrosis, you may want to talk to your doctor about switching to a medication with less severe side effects.
Of course, hyperhidrosis can also be a symptom of more severe health conditions. In some cases, hyperhidrosis can be a symptom of diabetes or Parkinson’s disease. It can also be a sign of lymphoma.
If you’re not struggling with any other symptoms however, don’t panic. You’re probably just a little bit sweaty!
How To Sweat (Right)
There are some strategies you can use to ensure that your body is sweating the right way, so you’re not excessively sweating or risking any damage to your skin.
Sweating while you exercise is always a good thing. It shows that you’re burning calories and getting your heart pumping. Just make sure you shower when you’re done. You don’t want your sweat drying on your skin and smelling up the room as you go about your day.
Always hydrate as much as possible when you’re sweating. You don’t want to sweat out all the water in your body and end up dehydrated. Dehydration can cause further health problems, so be very careful.
You may be looking to sweat for weight loss. In that case, you might want to look into buying a heat healer sauna blanket.
Be careful about your diet, too. What you eat affects the smell of your sweat, so especially if you’re in a situation where you might not be able to shower right away, it’s important to be mindful. Stay away from strong-tasting things that can alter the smell of your sweat, like onions or garlic.
Manage Your Conditions
Be careful about the conditions when you’re sweating, though. If you’re sweating on a hot sunny day (particularly when you’re not used to such a climate) you’ll want to take a lot of precautions so that you don’t end up coming down with heat exhaustion – or worse, heat stroke. Take plenty of breaks out of the hot sun when you can. Staying hydrated is a given. Wear sunscreen, and keep your eyes protected.
You’ll want to get yourself slowly used to the hotter weather, which you won’t be able to do in just one day. It takes time to get used to different weather when you go on vacation, so the same applies when you’re trying to sweat in the hot sun for the first time.
Is Sweating Good For You? Now You Know
Is sweating good for you? There are pros and cons, but overall, it can be a positive thing for your health as long as you’re not sweating too much.
Are you looking for more health and wellness advice? We’re here to help. There are tons of other articles on this website that can provide all the resources that you need.