In modern Western culture, it is generally considered bad form to sweat. Sweating is seen as ‘gross’, unprofessional, or as a sign of bad hygiene. In many people’s minds, sweat is an indication that the person doing the sweating is lying or can’t be trusted, thanks to a lot of strong social conditioning in our society.
But sweating is a good thing. In fact, it’s a great thing!
Most of us know the main causes for sweating. It is most commonly is a sign that the body is trying to cool itself. After all, that is the primary function of sweat. Physical exercise, being exposed to high temperatures, or consuming hot food or drinks will bring about sweating almost immediately. It is also caused by emotional stress (hence the conditioned response to read it as a sign of lying… you have been trained it means the person is nervous, as they would be if they were hiding something from you). It can also come from fever when you are sick. Finally, it is a natural response to eating spicy foods, which is one of the reasons we use ‘hot’ to mean ’spicy’.
Sweat is mostly water. In fact, it’s about 99% pure water. Pores in the skin open up, water comes out. These pores widen and narrow in accordance with changes in core temperature. By releasing liquid to the skin, simple physics takes over: your body heats the water and it evaporates. Each gram of evaporated sweat cools a liter of blood about one degree Fahrenheit. The sweat that doesn’t evaporate either drips off the body or is reabsorbed once the body cools. It’s a very simple process. Because of the fluid loss, it is important to replace that fluid continually while you are sweating… just drink water regularly and you’ll be fine.
Besides water, sodium and potassium are released (giving sweat it’s salty taste). This is why sports drinks are high in electrolytes (a fancy word for certain salts, like the ones in the body). Additionally, some other materials are released in trace amounts, including fats, oils, and possibly some heavy metals that accumulate in the body.
Sweating is a process that adapts to the local environment. In very dry areas, sweating a little bit has a big effect, because it is easy to evaporate water into the air. In humid areas, however, more sweat has to be released in order to get enough to evaporate to make a difference. Therefore, as the climate changes, so does the activity of the sweat glands: they naturally enlarge over several weeks as the humidity increases. When it gets dry, they shrink again. You’ll sweat more effectively as the summer goes on, or as your vacation continues.
You also lose less salt during a sweat the more often you sweat. People who train vigorously or use a sauna often have less salty sweat than those who don’t. The body learns to conserve these substances when sweating is common or tends to continue for long periods of time.
The health benefits of sweating are many and varied, although some things you hear and read about are unproven. First, it is clear that sweating is a form of exercise, as the actual sweating process takes energy (around 300 calories per hour for a typical sweat). Therefore, sweating can help with weight loss and will increase metabolic rate. Sweating also boosts the immune system, by indirectly purifying the blood and circulating the lymph system. Sweat is naturally good for the skin, softening and smoothing it. And sweat appears to be a natural pheromone (though the effect can be overpowered if you let yourself get smelly in the process).
Most cultures have developed rich traditions of sweat-inducing relaxation. Whether you prefer the baths, the sauna, or the spa, if you’re sweating, you’re doing your body a favor. Add to that the social benefits of group activity, and you’ve got a solid, holistic reason to go regularly.
Sweating is a good thing. Whether you walk, run, or otherwise exercise, working your body to the point where you sweat is good for you in many ways. Even sitting in a sauna, just working the natural cooling system of the body, is very healthy.
Get out there and sweat!
Resources:
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Quote for the week
The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea. – Isak Dinesen
Healthy thoughts,
Jeff
