Why do we sweat in the sauna?
Why do we sweat in the sauna? You probably know that people sweat in the sauna. But have you ever wondered why that is? Sure, you’ll say it’s because of the heat. But let’s dig a little deeper. We at Saunazeit will tell you why sweat forms in the first place. And above all, we’ll tell you how you can benefit from it. This is not to be underestimated. By the way: In the sauna, the body’s natural sweating process can be used specifically to stimulate and train the sweat glands.
Why do we sweat more in the sauna than in other places?
Nature has given your body an ingenious device: the sweat glands. They are responsible for natural body cooling. If the temperature rises to the point where your organism is threatened with overheating, it sets them in motion. The glands produce a fluid that is supposed to cool you down. In principle, sweat glands are located all over your body. However, Mother Nature has installed a few more of them in critical places: On your head, under your armpits (they are responsible for your heart) and on your feet.
By the way, it becomes critical for the organism from 86 °F (30 °C) outside temperature. But it can also be that you start sweating earlier. If you exercise moderately, your organism will even start to expel fluids from an outside temperature of 77 °F (25 °C).
When do I sweat more?
If you observe your body carefully, you have surely noticed that you sweat more in certain situations than in others. This has to do with the amount of heat. Because the decisive factor is not how warm it is around you. What matters is the so-called core body temperature. And it rises faster when you’re sitting in a Finnish sauna. If, on the other hand, you relax in the mild bio sauna, it takes a little longer. Only when it is high enough does sweat begin.
By the way, sweating is related to humidity. You do feel wet somehow, quite quickly. But this is water from the air that settles on your skin. Your organism only starts expelling fluid when it gets too hot inside.
Why do we sweat when we move or get excited?
That’s all well and good. But why do you sweat when you move? Well, this is where core body temperature comes into play again. Your organism works like a small power plant. If it has to work a lot, all organs run at full speed. This heats up the whole system. And because it is the core body temperature that is important, the organism starts its cooling system. This may be somewhat unpleasant, but it is vital.
By the way, the same mechanism also takes effect when you are excited or stressed. Then, too, your organs run at maximum capacity, most likely your heart and lungs. This may be an erroneous reaction. But the organism still has to protect itself from running hot.
Does the process even benefit me?
We can answer this question with a resounding yes. Besides cooling, sweating has three other important functions.
- You regulate your mineral balance. Throughout the day, you take in salt. This is also important for your organism. But as always, there is also too much. With your sweat, you can eliminate this excess salt. But this is not the only thing that the organism transports out. Also, a lot of other harmful substances are excreted. By the way, this is called purification. You also achieve a lowering of the blood fat values and an alleviation of digestive problems.
- Besides this detoxification, the body fluid is also good for strengthening the immune system. This is because this secretion contains certain immunoglobulins that fight harmful germs on the skin.
- The secretion of the sweat glands creates an acidic environment on the skin. And acidic is pretty good in this case. Because this inhibits the growth of harmful microbes.
Why doesn’t sweat stink as long as it’s fresh?
Now, we’ve explained to you in detail why sweating is good. But doesn’t sweat smell awful? We can reassure you. Not as long as it is fresh. Otherwise, it would stink terribly in the sauna. It only smells unpleasant when it is old. This concerns contemporaries who rarely wash. Under the armpits, however, the secretion can begin to smell bad for everyone else. This is because a lot of liquid accumulates here over the course of the day. A good deodorant is known to help against this.
So you see: sweating is healthy. A good reason to go to the sauna again. After all, you can get your immune system going. And such a visit is also wonderfully relaxing.
