Is sweating a good thing?

Sweating often gets bad press. And much of it is well deserved. Yes, it can cause embarrassing body odour and leave annoying stains on your favourite clothes. It’s not all bad, though.

Which is great news, given that the average person produces about a litre of sweat a day[1] without even trying. Add in a few workouts and that figure can creep up to 10 litres of sweat a day. From just one person.

Sounds a lot, doesn’t it? But we’re here to say, it’s no bad thing – so don’t sweat it.

A women stretching with the sure tick over the top of her

LET’S BREAK DOWN THE BENEFITS OF BUILDING UP A SWEAT

Sweat is your body’s built-in air con system

Made up of mainly fluid and salt, sweat is released by your body, primarily to cool it, after physical activity.

You can sweat your way to a healthier you

Keeping active boosts your body’s production of good cholesterol and improves blood flow. This, in turn, can help reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and other health problems[2].

Get positively good vibes from working up a sweat

While you’re working out, your body releases chemicals called endorphins[3]. They trigger positive feelings in the body, making you feel happier and more energised. They’ve also been known to help with stress and anxiety.

Sweating gives your skin glowing results

Being active can be great for your skin, too. It boosts your circulation and delivers more nutrients to your skin via increased blood flow[4]. It can also stimulate the body’s production of collagen over time, helping your skin to appear plumper and healthier[5].

Raise your metabolism while you relax in the sauna

Yes, ‘sweat baths’ like saunas and steam rooms are believed to have benefits, too. They can increase your pulse and metabolism, improve circulation and make your blood vessels more flexible[6]. So, grab that towel and get your sweat on.

Keeping active boosts your body’s production of good cholesterol and improves blood flow.

CAN YOU HAVE TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING?

Working up a sweat can be good. But if you feel you’re sweating too much during or after exercise, you may want to try an antiperspirant from the Sure® rangOpens in a new windowwith Body Heat Activated™. It’s made with our patented encapsulated fragrance technology and activated by temperature, keeping you dry with bursts of freshness as your body heat rises.

A man standing in a park, drying his neck with a towel after a run

Women stretching her leg on a public footpath through the woods

^[1]^{http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/how-much-sweating-is-too-muchOpens in a new window}

^[2]^{http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389Opens in a new window}

^[3]^{http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-depressionOpens in a new window}

^[4]^{http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/features/exerciseOpens in a new window}

^[5]^{http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7793.1999.00299.x/pdfOpens in a new window}

^[6]^{http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/benefits-saunaOpens in a new window}