The Science Of Sweat

If you’re dehydrated, you will sweat less compared to someone who is hydrated, as the body reserves water levels inside.

- Juily Wagle

Though sweating may seem like a nuisance to many, it is a mechanism by which the brain helps regulate body temperature. Sweating maintains our body temperature homeostasis (equilibrium) with relation to stimuli like exercising or high external temperatures that tend to heat up the body.

Why We sweat

When our body temperature goes higher than its natural state of about 98.6ºF (37ºC) due to exercising, fever or hot external environmental temperature, we start sweating and a salty liquid is released through the pores on our skin, which cools our body down.

Our body temperature is controlled by the hypothalamus in our brain. So once it gives the signal, sweat, which is thin water mixed with chemicals like ammonia, some salt and sugar, oozes out from 2.5 million sweat glands (through the eccrine sweat glands) and evaporates on the surface of our skin, effectively cooling it down and hence cooling our body. Our autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls our sweating function and this is why we cannot voluntarily control our sweat levels.

Types of sweat Glands

Eccrine sweat Glands - These sweat glands are located all over the body and produce an odourless sweat, which is lightweight.

Apocrine sweat Glands - These are the sweat glands that are concentrated in the hair follicles in the groin, armpits and scalp. The apocrine sweat glands release a sweat that has more fat. Also, though it is odourless when released, it later gets a distinct odour as the bacteria on our skin reacts with it.

Causes