Sweating is kind of a nuisance. It makes us smelly, slimy and can often be embarrassing.
But did you know that sweating has a number of amazing benefits, like reducing pain, clearing
up your skin and more! Today here at bestie we’re gonna dive into why sweating can be
good for your mind and body.
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Before we get into the benefits of sweating it out, we thought it might be ideal to go
over what sweat actually is. Perspiration is mostly made of water, with small amounts
of specific chemicals mixed in. These chemicals are sugar, salt, urea and ammonia. A common
misunderstanding when it comes to perspiration is that it smells...well fun fact about sweating,
it doesn’t actually smell. When you sweat, it mixes with bacteria that’s already on
your skin which could cause an unpleasant odor, or that sweat will mix with hormones
that live in places like your armpits. Which again, is what causes that, less than rosey,
smell. If you think that sweating is more annoying than beneficial you should stick
around..we might change your mind after you check out these 9 great health benefits of
sweating:
Helps Keep Us Comfy - The first and maybe most obvious function of sweating is that
it helps us regulate our internal temperature. When it’s the middle of a really hot day
and the air conditioning goes down you better believe your body is gonna start to produce
some sweat. That’s how your body cools itself. When the sweat glands start releasing sweat
onto your skin, it’ll evaporate cooling your skin and the blood underneath. This will
help to bring down your bodies rising internal temperature.
It’s Like A Natural Detox - Can sweating help cure you from a hangover? Kinda.. research
shows that sweating is your body’s way of releasing natural and unnatural toxins from
your system. Toxins like cholesterol, types of salt and yes, even alcohol. Plus the more
you exercise and “work out” your sweat glands, the better job they’ll do of removing
all this bad stuff from your body.
Boosts Immune System - Boosting your immune system is always a good idea. Who knew that
sweating can help you fight off infection as well. According to one study, researchers
found that sweat kind of acts like our antibodies in the way they help fight off infection.
Scientists have also suggested that harmful virus’ and bacteria don’t like sweat and
that means sweat could be more effective than some antibiotics in the long run.
Perspiring Can Possibly Heal Your Wounds - More research is being discovered all the time
on this topic but sweat might be more powerful than we think! Humans have millions of tiny
sweat glands called eccrine sweat glands, which are the ones that bring water to the
surface of the skin to cool us down. Dr. Laure Rittié discovered that eccrine glands are
extremely understudied because they are unique to humans. Dr. Rittié says: “The regenerative
potential of sweat glands has been one of our body's best-kept secrets. Our findings
certainly advance our understanding of the normal healing process and will hopefully
pave the way for designing better, targeted therapies.”
Healthier Looking Skin - Paired with a good hygiene routine, sweat can help get rid of
all that gunk that can build up in our pours from regular everyday life. Having healthy
sweat glands can help push out all that grit and bacteria that’s trapped underneath which
can cause unwanted skin irritation or acne. Which no one likes. So if you want to reap
the benefits that come with sweating, hit up the gym and clear up that skin. Just make
sure to wash away all that grime and sweat afterwards.
Protects Your Heart - If you’ve never used a sauna before, maybe it’s time to start.
Research shows that saunas can improve blood circulation which is great for the heart.
Saunas are a great way to work out those sweat glands and help you to relax, which is great
for your body and your mind.
Makes You Happier - This one kind of depends on the scenario. If you’re wearing your
favourite shirt to an intense job interview and you start sweating through the fabric...that
might not make you feel amazing. We’re talking about those moments post exercise, when you’re
really making your body sweat. Working out can help your body release endorphins which
are there to make you feel good. So if you’ve been feeling a little down in the dumps lately,
maybe try adding more exercise into your routine. This will help benefit your mood and make
you a healthier, happier person.
Keeps Kidney Stones Away - If you’ve ever had a kidney stone, you can attest to how
painful they can be! Ouch! Everyone should want to avoid these troublesome, painful condition.
They can happen to anyone but usually are the result of a poor diet, or not drinking
enough water to “flush” out your kidneys. The University of Washington says that people
who sweat more often tend to help their body get rid of excess salt and calcium that can
form in the kidneys can cause those painful little stones. People who perspire frequently
also tend to drink more fluids including water, which is another great way to prevent kidney
stones from happening.
Pheromones Anyone? Who knew women were so attracted to sweat! Pheromones are something
our bodies secret and while you may not be able to actually smell them...they’re there
and they certainly do have an effect! Pheromones are released many ways but the most obvious
is through perspiration. One study showed that when sweat was introduced on a male,
it increased the attraction from women. Plus it can boost a woman's mood and focus as well.
Remember these are pheromones….not body odor. Don’t ditch the deodorant just yet.
Remember, even though sweating might not be welcome in every scenario, it’s a completely
natural, and healthy function that all humans have. Exercise promotes sweat and with these
benefits we just listed, maybe that will inspire you to incorporate some more exercise into
your daily life. Keeping those sweat glands active will give you a number of different
health benefits and keep you feeling great.
And that’s the video! What did you think of all that sweat talk? Do you do everything
to try and avoid sweating, or are you someone who loves to get their sweat on? Do you have
a favourite way to work out and start sweating? Were you surprised by any of the great benefits
sweating can have? Let us know in the comments section below how you’re going to add more
sweating opportunities to your daily routine!