What sweating means to your routine.

Spend enough time in the gym and you may have a day now and then when you sweat like a water hose. Then again, you may have a day on occasion when you seem to not sweat at all. But what’s it all about, and do you need to sweat your body’s perspiration habits?

Read on, because the answers await you!

Why You Sweat

Think sweating is nothing but a nuisance? Think again. Sweating is actually your body’s built-in cooling system. Whenever your body begins heating up, millions of sweat glands all over your body kick into gear, allowing sweat to escape your body. When this happens, the sweat acts to cool down your body and keep you from overheating.

When You Sweat

There are plenty of opportunities to sweat. From doing yard work in the sun to getting in an uncomfortable situation, anything that causes your body temperature to rise can result in sweating. One of the most common causes of sweating (and the one that should get you sweating most often) is exercise. As you move your body and force it to work harder than it would if you were sitting around watching television, your body is warming up. Get it to a certain point, and expect light perspiration. Push your body hard or for a long time, and the sweat may very well begin pouring down your body.

What to Do When Sweating

For many people, lifting weights doesn’t produce much – if any – sweating. While it is okay to not sweat as much during a strength-training routine as you would while running a few miles, it’s also a good thing to work up a sweat while lifting. But no matter what exercise you’re doing, you need to sweat a little bit. To help ensure your body can sweat and cool itself in the process, you’ll need to stay hydrated. This requires drinking plenty of water before, during, and after you’ve worked out.

Drinking gallons of water every day and still not producing any sweat? It may be time to push yourself a little harder in the gym. Adding extra weight to your exercises, putting in a few more reps, or running a little faster or longer on the treadmill may be what it takes to get your body to work out a little bit of sweat.

When You Should Sweat Sweat

For the most part, sweating is a normal, natural part of life. But not always. Some people sweat to the point that it interferes with their daily lives. For these individuals, medical intervention may be required to gain control over their sweating. And while it may be great to get excessive sweating under control, the condition is often a symptom of something more serious.

From menopause and excessive alcohol use to thyroid problems and pregnancy to Parkinson’s disease and arthritis to various cancers and infectious diseases, many conditions and diseases can be at the root of excessive sweating. So if you start sweating with very little effort or in calm situations, seek medical attention to ensure there’s nothing more than sweat affecting your body.