8 Reasons Why It's Good To Sweat

For decades, we’ve tried to stem perspiration, but research says it’s healthy

- Faye M Smith

While rising temperatures outside may make life seem better, if you’re prone to sweating it could leave you feeling panicked. But sweating is a mechanism that has a healthy purpose. ‘Sweat is produced by special glands in the skin as a normal response to increased temperatures,’ says consultant dermatologist Dr Kristina Semkova at the Cadogan Clinic. ‘It’s one of the most effective ways to cool down quickly and to keep a healthy temperature. Sweating is also a way to detoxify, as many substances are excreted through sweat. For your body, sweating is a healthy thing, a form of therapy.’ Here are eight enlightening facts about sweating.

1 Science says sweating is good

We each have up to four million sweat glands, producing up to 14 litres of sweat a day, most of which evaporates unnoticed by us. There are big benefits to sweating. One Finnish study in 2016 found that men who took part in passive sauna sweating sessions had a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. A year later, research found that using a sauna four to seven times a week could reduce the risk of hypertension. Similar studies have also found a link between saunas and better lung function and blood pressure-levels.

2 Not all sweat smells bad