6 habits that make you sweat

Whether you have a few drops on your forehead or are bathing in sweat, the conclusion is the same: all humans sweat. The maximum perspiration of an adult can reach 2-4 liters per hour. That’s 10-14 liters per day, enough to fill a few bottles. The phenomenon of sweating is natural: heat is continuously produced by the human metabolism to maintain balance in the body through a series of chemical and physical reactions, including respiration, blood flow, and sweat which helps regulate your body temperature. But some habits play a bigger role than others when it comes to sweating excessively. Here they are.

Stress

When you're stressed, you might feel tingles running up your spine, quickly followed by beads of sweat dripping down your forehead. Stress triggers a rush of adrenaline, heart racing, muscle tension, and of course, activating sweat glands. Your body contains 2 to 4 million of them, the majority of which are eccrine glands that secrete an odorless fluid. Then come the apocrines. These are mainly activated by stress. The sweat from your apocrine glands tends to be thicker and contains protein and fat in it. The nutrients combined with the bacteria that live on your skin is what leads to that famous body odour. So stay calm. To reduce stress, consider, taking short breaks to stretch your legs for example, make the time to laugh (even alone) in front of videos with dubious humor, listen to a podcast, or take a moment to breathe.

Over-showering

There’s a scientific reason for showering less, and it’s not just a desire to protect the planet by saving water. Excessive cleansing disturbs the pH of your skin, activating your sweat glands more easily. A good deodorant and a gentle shower gel are the keys to preventing irritation and preventing body odours. Also, be sure to dry your skin completely after a shower/bath, as moist skin promotes the growth of bacteria and fungus.

Digestion

Some foods are sometimes thought to increase sweating, while others have the opposite effect. In any case, right after the Sunday meal, your digestive tract assimilates and processes the data of what you just put it through. Your body must actively work to break down food. Just like for a physical exercise, the work of digestion causes a rise in body temperature, and therefore, some unwanted sweating. We’re not saying you should stop eating, but don't be surprised if you have a lot of sweat after a big Sunday feast.

Spicy food

It’s no surprise that spicy food makes you sweat, blow your nose, and even make you cry. Capsaicin (one of the ingredients found in pepper) activates receptors in your skin and tricks your nervous system into thinking you're hot even though there's no temperature rise. It's so convincing that your internal thermostat gives signals to activate your sweat glands to cool you down.

While all spices can alter your body odour, it's mostly foods that contain sulfur, like eggs, red meat, broccoli, onions, and garlic that are the main culprits. 24 hours after eating at your favorite Italian restaurant, a pungent odor lingers on your breath and sweat. Sulfur makes a small routine trip through your blood vessels, seeps into your lungs, back up your throat, and out through your pores. You can brush your teeth for hours and nothing will change. That pesky smell coming from the incredible chemical process that takes place in you will still be there, so keep that in mind!

Abuse the coffee break

It's your 299th coffee break and you're sweating like never before. This time around, no need to blame the stress. Cast a suspicious look at your coffee machine instead (spoiler: it won't react). When your caffeine levels are sky high, this not only makes your heart pound at the sight of any annoyance, but your newly stimulated nervous system activates your sweat glands, and well, you know the rest. Also, note that everyone’s sensitivity to the effects of caffeine differs.

Alcohol

No coffee, no food, no stress, and now no alcohol too? Should we just live off yoga and fresh water? Of course, that would be pretty tough to do, but one thing is certain- after a night of partying, we often find ourselves sweating in bed without really understanding why. It's not inevitable, but alcohol dilates your blood vessels which leads to the same effects as spicy food does, aka that "false" feeling of heat. Alternate and drink water between drinks, and your body and mind will thank you, especially the next morning.

Sometimes you just can't beat nature, and no matter how hard you try, you end up looking like you just completed a triathalon without even moving from your chair. Are you looking for the solution? A spare shirt in the desk drawer, a good deodorant, and a little patience. That's it.