Sweating is a natural, essential body process designed to help your body stay cool. But some may wonder whether it’s beneficial to encourage your body to sweat more for reasons beyond temperature control.
While abhorred by many, sweating actually has numerous health- and beauty-related benefits. Your skin is the largest organ of your body, and serves important roles just like any other bodily organ. For example, sweating helps your body:
Maintain proper temperature and keep you from overheating.
Expel toxins, which supports proper immune function and helps prevent diseases related to toxic overload.
Kill viruses and bacteria that cannot survive in temperatures above 37 degrees Celsius.
Clean the pores, which will help eliminate blackheads and acne.
As your body temperature rises, your body will automatically perspire to release salty liquid from your sweat glands to help cool you down.
This is controlled by your autonomic nervous system, which you cannot consciously control. However, certain emotions, such as anxiety, anger, embarrassment, or fear, can prompt you to sweat more.
Since exercise raises your body temperature, sweating associated with exercise is a sign that you’re exerting yourself and gaining the many benefits that exercise has to offer. However, sweating in and of itself may also be beneficial.
According to one systematic review published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health- Sweating has long been perceived to promote health, not only accompanying exercise but also with heat. Worldwide traditions and customs include Roman baths, Aboriginal sweat lodges, Scandinavian saunas (dry heat; relative humidity from 40% to 60%), and Turkish baths (with steam).