This Is Why You're Sweating So Much While Working Out
For some, exercising is a year-round commitment that often brings a few muscle aches, diets, and lost pounds while sweating it all out. But if you ever thought that more sweat meant you worked harder, you, wise reader, are mistaken. CNN reported a set amount of sweat does not directly correlate with how hard you pushed yourself within a workout and has no bearing on how many calories you may have burned.
The renowned news outlet revealed that when our body temperature rises, our eccrine glands secrete sweat, and our moisture evaporation helps cool us off when we start to get hot under the collar. Most are aware that sweating can also occur if you are stressed or frightened. But how much a person sweats during an intense workout comes down to a few factors, including whether you are male or female (since men sweat more than women), age, the weather, and genetics.
Does being in shape help with sweating?
It is always good to aim to be in your best physical shape, but yet again, there is another reason you may want to hit the gym. CNN revealed that your fitness level could also play a factor in how much sweat you produce. Shockingly, the outlet found that active people with a high fitness threshold tended to sweat sooner during an exercise. Their research showed that as a person's fitness level improved, the body's heat-regulating system became more efficient, which meant you cooled down faster, which in turn lets your body work harder.
And if the scale has ever duped you after a hard workout by telling you that you shed a few pounds, sorry to tell you, it is water weight that you will gain back once you hydrate. Even though we may all have the same sweat glands, we do not sweat equally. It is important to remember everyone is different, so don't try to compare yourself to your gym buddy who left a puddle on the floor.
How to avoid sweating so much
If you are worried that your glands are in hyperdrive and you struggle with excessive sweating, there are ways to help yourself from drowning in your own secretion. Health Digest offered individuals some advice when it came to hitting the gym, telling readers they should try to stick to cotton-based fabrics since it is more breathable.
Some excessive sweating cases are diagnosed as hyperhidrosis, which is "an excessive production of sweat secondary to increased sympathetic nerve stimulation, regardless of conditioning or the physical environment." There are special deodorants that a doctor can prescribe to help.
You want to be mindful that you are also drinking enough water during exercise as fluid replacement is a priority. You will also find that you sweat even more if you forget to take a swig (via Better Health). Drinking water will help keep your body cool and prevent elevations in your heart rate. So let's get physical and start sweating our way into the New Year!