by Rebecca Mikulin

Created on: July 29, 2011   Last Updated: August 29, 2011

The health benefits of sweating are somewhat controversial, but no one can deny that sweating has a very important role in our overall health and well-being. Sweating comes most naturally in the summer heat, but it’s important to take a few precautions in order to prevent issues associated with excessive sweating. In addition, if you sweat excessively with very little cause, you could have a medical problem that needs to be evaluated by a qualified mental health professional.

Stay Cool

The first and most obvious benefit of sweating is that it cools your body to a safe temperature. This is, after all, what sweating is specifically designed to do. When your body temperature rises above an ideal level - either because of heat, exercise, or fever – it triggers sweating to keep it down. Without sweating, your body would be susceptible to all kinds of heat-related damage, including brain damage and thickening blood.

Flush Your Pores

Even if you’ve never had acne, you’ve probably noticed at least a few clogged pores (typically on the face) that look like tiny dark spots on your skin. These can be unattractive, and may become infected to form pimples or “zits.” Sweating helps open up the pores and wash out dirt, oils, and dead skin cells. A cool shower after sweating helps close those pores back down, leaving your face looking clear and healthy, and leaving pores so small you probably won’t be able to see them with the naked eye.

Toxin Removal

Here is where there is sometimes controversy within the medical professions – does sweating really flush toxins out of your body? Doubtless, there are many toxins which will not wash out with sweat, but there are some that decidedly do. For instance, if you consume alcohol, little or none is excreted through the urine. Your body rids itself of this toxin largely through respiration and sweating.

Lower Blood Pressure?

While changes in blood pressure generally aren’t associated with sweating, the School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, Wisconsin, suggests that sweating in a sauna can lower your blood pressure. This may also be true of other settings that induce sweating. It’s not clear exactly why there is a beneficial effect, but it may be due to decreased fluid volumes in the body, the amount of sodium that is excreted through sweat, and the relaxation that goes into this kind of sweating. If you have high blood pressure, discuss what types of exercise, exposure to heat, or other sweating-inducing factors will be safe for you before you try anything.

Sweating Cautions

Though sweating can be very beneficial to your body, it can also be detrimental if you don’t take the proper precautions to prevent dehydration, over-exertion, heat exhaustion, and other such potential complications. It is essential to drink appropriate amounts of water to replenish the fluids in your body, as well as consume electrolytes that are lost during sweating. Electrolytes can be replenished with fresh fruit, specially-formulated sports drinks, or other similar food and beverages. If you habitually induce heavy sweating through exercise, it may be beneficial to weigh yourself before and after exercise, and continue drinking water until you have returned to your pre-exercise weight.

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