You Have Never Known These 12 Things About Sweat

Businessman Smelling His Armpits

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Some people sweat out of nervousness and others sweat at the slightest sign of heat. While many people are embarrassed about sweating too much it is just as bad for those who don’t sweat at all. What is the real truth behind sweating?

Sweating is actually a good thing. When your body sweats, it lets a liquid that is salty release itself from the sweat glands. The purpose of sweating is to cool down the body from an overheated position. There are quite a few places to find sweat glands but whether it is 2 million, or up to 4 million, these sweat glands are distributed throughout the body. Even babies have sweat glands. Here are more interesting facts you need to know before the next time you break a sweat.

 

12 Interesting Things About Sweat

  1. Women sweat twice as less as men do, but men and women sweat less as they get older.
  2. Sweat is made up almost completely of water. The 99 percent of water is released on the skin and is meant to cool off the body and then evaporate.
  3. Just one little touch can set off a “sweat reflex.”
  4. You haven’t imagined it – sweat from someone who is ill smells much different than the sweat of someone who is healthy.
  5. Humans have two different kinds of sweat glands: eccrine and apocrine. The eccrine sweat glands can be found all over our bodies and the apocrine sweat glands are located in our genital area and our armpits.
  6. Your feet are home to more than 250,000 glands which release around a half pint of sweat every single day.
  7. As much as you may not like to sweat, just be happy that your sweat glands are doing their job and are working to cool you down. If you have trouble sweating, you could run the risk of suffering from heat exhaustion.
  8. If you are trying to lower your risk of sweating just from nervousness, make sure you are using an antiperspirant instead of a deodorant. Also, your body could become accustomed to your favorite antiperspirant so make sure to try a new one every so often to keep from breaking out in a sweat when you least expect it.
  9. One way that people are tested to see if they have cystic fibrosis is by undergoing a sweat test. People who have this condition will exhibit a higher concentration of chloride and sodium in their sweat if they test positive.
  10. If you seem to be sweating more than you need to in order to cool down, you may have overactive sweat glands called hyperhidrosis. This could possibly affect the sweat glands you have in your hands, face, feet, and underarms.
  11. If you have been sweating heavily and have begun to experience additional symptoms you may be suffering from heat stroke. See a doctor or get medical attention if you feel lightheaded, are nauseous, have the chills, you have pains in your chest, or your temperature is 104 degrees F or more.
  12. There is no set amount that people may sweat because there are too many factors across the board that vary. Men sweat more, you will sweat more if you drink more water, and it depends on what exactly makes you sweat, either exercise or nervousness.

 

KEEP READING: 15 of the Best Ways to Stop Night Sweats and Hot Flashes (#2 is Amazing!)

 

10 Easy Ways To Stay Cool This Summer

    1. Keep cold water close by at all times. Don’t drink soda. It just makes you thirstier. Stock up on ice water in containers in your refrigerator so you are always able to grab a bottle before you go out.
    2. Only use cotton sheets on your bed. Cotton is a breathable fabric so it will not be thin and absorb the heat in your house.
    3. Keep any spare sheets for your bed in the fridge. The next time you change your sheets you will have a cool night’s sleep.
    4. Wear a nice wide-brimmed hat on when you go outside to keep any direct sun off your face.
    5. If you don’t have access to a pool take a cool shower when you feel too hot. Once you bring your body temperature down, you will feel much better.
    6. If you have ceiling fans in your home sit right underneath one. You will be surprised at how cool you will feel after a short time even if the rest of the house is extremely warm.
    7. Invest in a cooling towel. This product consists of a towel that is already cool when you open up the package. You can wrap the 100% cotton material around your neck and get cooled down in a hurry.
    8. You can pick up one of those small plastic fans that have a misting feature on them at any of the local dollar stores. Just fill it with water and when you hit the specific button, the mist will spray lightly over your face giving you instant relief.
    9. You can find a chilling gel at the drugstore to bring your temperature down in a hurry. These products were created for women going through menopause who were suffering from hot flashes. The gel will feel cool when you apply it to your wrists and the back of your neck.
    10. Invest in a small portable fan that you can bring into your office or move around your house. If it runs on batteries, can be brought to the beach to keep you cool under a covered cabana.

 

References:

www.kidshealth.org

www.hopkinsmedicine.org

www.piedmont.org

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