When is it okay to sweat and when it isn't. Check if everything is ok with you

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The life hacker figured out why sweat does not always smell and what diseases it may indicate.

Sweating outside of the treadmill or, say, the gym is considered indecent. Moisture allegedly indicates a lack of proper hygiene. Don't support this nonsense!

Sweating is great (almost always), no matter which syllable in the word "great" you emphasize. Another question is that sweating is a multifaceted phenomenon that has both obvious advantages and disadvantages. And all these mathematical signs are worth considering. Start over.

Where does sweat come from?

Sweating is primarily a physiological mechanism Mechanisms and controllers of eccrine sweating in humans. About the same as the one that makes the eyes blink and water intensely if dust gets into them; skin - respond to ultraviolet light with sunburn; stomach - produce acid when food enters it …

Sweat is part of the thermoregulatory system. It is released when the corresponding parts of the brain (the so-called thermoregulatory center) record an increase in body temperature or ambient temperature.

At such moments, the autonomic nervous system gives a signal: "It seems we are on fire!" The sweat glands receive a nerve impulse that causes their ducts to contract intensively, absorbing moisture from the surrounding tissues and throwing it out. This creates sweat on the surface of the skin. Then it evaporates. And this process lowers the temperature of the skin, and with it, thanks to the blood flow, and the body as a whole.

On the surface of our body, from 2 to 4 million sweat glands are unevenly distributed. Their concentration is higher under the armpits, in the groin folds, on the palms, feet and face.

Everyone needs to sweat. Insufficient sweating (anhidrosis), when, for one reason or another, the sweat glands carry too little moisture to the surface of the skin can be fraught with overheating and heatstroke.

Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) from a physiological point of view is not that terrible, but it brings serious psychological discomfort. Which is especially unpleasant if excess sweat also smells.

Why do people sweat even when it's not hot

Increased sweating in the heat or during physical activity, in general, is predictable and understandable. So, by urgently lowering the temperature by evaporation of moisture from the skin, the body reacts to overheating. However, there are conditions in which there is no rise in temperature, but excessive sweating is present. Such sweat, appearing without overheating, is called cold.

There are many reasons why we sweat without overheating. Here are some common options.

1. Strong emotions or stress

Lifehacker has already written about the unconscious "fight or flight" defense reaction. Our brain interprets strong emotions and experiences as a signal of approaching danger and mobilizes the body: what if you have to fight someone or flee?

Even if you're not going to fight the boss or run from the planning meeting at all, your body is still preparing for increased activity. Preventive sweating is one element of this training. What if you tear the enemy too quickly and instantly overheat? “Well, no, no,” says the sympathetic nervous system and starts the thermoregulation procedure in advance, rewarding you with damp palms and a sweaty back, outwardly absolutely calm.

2. Eating spicy foods

The work of the sweat glands is sharply increased by the use of dishes rich in spices (mustard, horseradish, red and black pepper, curry, onions, garlic, coriander, ginger …). Also, alcohol often makes us sweat. This type of sweating is called food sweating (Normal Amounts): Causes, Adjustments, and Complications.

3. Some diseases

Sweating often accompanies fever-related illnesses. For example, acute respiratory infections, flu, sore throat, all kinds of infections. Suddenly protruding cold sweats can be a side effect, in particular:

1. Hypoglycemia (a sharp drop in blood sugar).
2. Taking synthetic thyroid hormones.
3. Taking certain types of pain relievers, including morphine.
4. All kinds of pain syndromes.
5. Cancer.

By the way, an important clarification! Be sure to visit a therapist if, along with increased sweating, you observe the following symptoms:

1. Chest pain.
2. Severe dizziness.
3. Difficulty breathing.

They can indicate serious heart problems.

Also, the reason for the obligatory consultation with a doctor is constant sweating, which does not stop for a day or more.

4. Smoking

In addition to other unpleasant effects that nicotine has on our body, it also stimulates the production of acetylcholine for 8 reasons you sweat. This chemical compound also makes the sweat glands work more actively. If you smoke a lot, you sweat more. The connection here is unambiguous.

5. In women - pregnancy or menopause

Hormonal fluctuations associated with bearing a child and menopause are also often accompanied by increased sweating. And this is a natural process.

Why does sweat smell

The sweat glands are not all the same. There are two types of them, which form sweat of a fundamentally different composition.

Eccrine glands

The actual thermoregulation elements. They make up about 75% of sweat glands, are located throughout the body and are actively working from birth. The sweat they generate is colorless and odorless as it is 99% water. It is discharged to the surface through special ducts, which outwardly resemble the smallest pores.

Under normal conditions, the eccrine glands remove about 0.5 liters of moisture daily. But with heat, physical activity, stress, and so on, the volume of sweat can reach 10 liters per day.

It is thanks to eccrine sweat that children, even if they rush in the heat and turn out to be completely wet, can easily do without antiperspirants and showers during the day. The sweating system performs the thermoregulation function perfectly, but it does not smell at all. Whether the situation is with the following type of sweat glands …

Apocrine glands

They are about 25% of the total number of sweat glands. They are larger than eccrine ones, and are located only in strictly defined areas of the skin: in the armpits and folds of the groin, on the forehead and scalp. The apocrine glands are activated only after reaching puberty.

The moisture produced by them is thrown onto the skin surface not directly, as in the case of eccrine glands, but into the hair follicles. So, climbing the hairs, apocrine sweat appears on the skin - a milky sticky liquid, which, in addition to water, contains an impressive dose of fats, proteins, hormones, volatile fatty acids and other organic compounds.

It is believed that it is this type of sweat that largely determines the specific smell of each person. By the way, another name for apocrine glands is the glands of the genital odor.

Mixing with bacteria living on the surface of the skin, becoming a good breeding ground for them, nutritious apocrine sweat (if not washed off) acquires a pungent unpleasant odor.

But even if you shower every 20 minutes, you can't get rid of your sex odor. At least until, with age, the reproductive function begins to fade away, simultaneously "closing" the apocrine glands.

What to do to avoid sweating

… Or at least not sweating so much. The question is relevant, especially in the warm season. And the answer to it as a whole is contained in the information above.

You will not be able to completely get rid of sweat: at least a normal half-liter must evaporate from your skin anyway every day. With heat, active physical activity, infectious diseases, the amount of moisture naturally grows, and this should be rejoiced, and not prevented: the evaporation of sweat allows your body to function in a normal temperature regime. The only thing that is important to take in these situations is to drink more water to stay hydrated.

Otherwise, sweating management involves, first of all, correcting lifestyle and daily habits:

1. Wear breathable clothing that won't get hot.
2. Avoid stress and excessive emotional reactions.
3. Remove from the diet foods and drinks that activate the work of sweat glands.
4. Stop smoking.
5. If your sweating is causing your medications or existing medical conditions, talk to your doctor about alternative treatments.
6. Use antiperspirants and do it right.

And remember, sweating is your friend, not your enemy. Treat this physiological feature with care and gratitude.