Why Do We Sweat? The Science of Sweat & Sweat Glands

You might be wondering, why do I sweat so much? We are going to dive into the science of sweating, starting with what is sweat, why do we sweat,where do we sweat from, what are the functions of sweat glands and sweating in all stages of life.

Wild is packed with all the best natural ingredients to keep you smelling fresh and your underarms dry. However, at Wild, we know sweating is a natural and normal function and so we don't want to stop it. We’re going to dive into the science of sweat and to start, let's understand why you smell when you sweat and why sweat is normal.

What is sweat and what does it do?

Although no one particularly enjoys it, sweating is a completely normal bodily function to allow the body to regulate its temperature after physical activity or hot surroundings,and most everyday causes of sweating are simply your body trying to cool down. In fact, the average person sweats between 0.5 to 2 litres of sweat per hour when during exercise. But not just that, people may lose a minimum of 3 litres of sweat per day, just by simply doing nothing! It is your autonomic nervous system that prompts your eccrine glands to release sweat when it is experiencing an increase in temperature, whether that’s from exercise or being in a hot environment. The sweat from eccrine glands is odourless with the sole purpose of allowing heat loss through evaporation – not making your body stink! It is instead the bacteria produced by sweat that allows for a lovely atmosphere for bacteria to grow.

What are the functions of sweat glands and how do they work?

First off, there are two different types of sweat glands in our bodies that create different types of sweat.

The Eccrine Sweat Gland

These eccrine sweat glands are found all over the body, mostly in the soles of your feet, the forehead, the palms and cheeks, and they are one of the main causes of sweating when your temperature rises. The sweat produced is a watery fluid and produced for the function of evaporative cooling to control body temperature, which explains why we sweat during exercise and on very warm days if you ever feel you are more sensitive to heat. This sweat is odourless and is for no other purpose.

The Apocrine Sweat Gland

These apocrine sweat glands are found in the armpits and groin regions and develop during puberty, which is why groin sweat and the occasional groin sweat rash can show up if the area gets hot, tight or irritated.This sweat differs to the sweat made from eccrine sweat glands in that it secretes a thick, waxy sweat, a greyish oily substance containing lipids & proteins that fosters the right environment for smelly bacteria to grow and create a strong, unpleasant smell - hence the creation of the big ‘B’ - body odour. So, it's not really the sweat that smells, it's the action of bacteria on apocrine sweat that becomes prevalent after puberty.

We love things that are natural at Wild, and nothing is more natural than a bit of sweat! But let’s look at the different types of sweat in this Sweat Guide 101:

Can stress cause sweating?

Sweat glands are activated by your body’s nervous system and hence when you are experiencing certain emotions, hormones, and other stressors, your body is more likely to sweat. In addition, when your body is experiencing stress, its temperature will rise and therefore prompting your sweat glands to kick in. It is the apocrine sweat glands that are more prominent in the process of ‘stress sweating’, hence why you might notice yourself being a bit pongy after being under a stressful situation or feeling particularly hormonal. Your underarms in fact secrete around 30 times more sweat when your body is under stress. So if you have ever asked can stress cause sweating, the answer is yes.

Sweating in Teens and Children

Because the body generally doesn’t develop apocrine sweat glands until puberty, children do not produce the type of sweat that creates BO hence why they don’t go smelly after exercise. In addition, the sweat glands in children are closer together in comparison to an adult, therefore their sweat is more likely to evaporate quicker and hence making them more efficient sweaters.

The question we all ask ourselves - why do teenagers stink? This all boils down to entering the world of puberty. Not only is this when the body starts to develop apocrine sweat glands in the groin and armpits to create a lovely environment for bacteria and thus BO, but unfortunately for teenagers, the body’s sweat glands also become much more active during puberty which contributes to an increased amount of sweating. It is very normal for teenagers to sweat a lot and as a result produce more BO, hence why teenagers’ bedrooms are usually ones to avoid at all costs.

Menopause and Night Sweating

An increase in sweat is an extremely common thing to experience when your body is going through menopause, especially night sweat menopause and perimenopause night sweats that can leave you sweating at night and throwing off the covers. In fact, around 75-85% of woman experience increased sweating and hot flushes when going through menopause or perimenopause. This is because hormonal changes can alter the part of your brain that regulates your body temperature to make it more sensitive to temperature changes. It is likely that women going through menopause will sweat when experiencing a hot flush which are the moments where the body’s hormones are affecting its ability to regulate temperature and hence women experience moments of very high temperatures, activating the body’s sweat glands.