This summer I spent many hours in the Texas heat as an extra during filming of The Chosen season three. The crew pushed us to keep drinking Gatorade. In fact, they supplied wagons full of icy cold bottled water and Gatorade packets directly to us on the set. I never drank so much Gatorade in my life! But I kept drinking it because I did not want to ride to the medic tent in a golf cart because of heat exhaustion.
Later, I considered why I drank all that Gatorade, and why is sweating good for you?
Why do we sweat?
Often, we want to avoid working up a sweat. However, sweating is good for us because it regulates the body temperature. Our body overheats if we are not sweating. We must keep the organ systems in our body within a certain temperature range, called the core body temperature, 97.7 to 101.3° F.
If the core body temperature varies 10° above or below this range, we risk death. When exposed to heat and exertion, the body temperature rises. Then sweat glands on the skin produce tiny water droplets that evaporate and lower the body temperature.
God created this amazing and intricate process of regulating the body temperature. The hypothalamus in the brain monitors the body temperature through hundreds of specialized cells, called thermoreceptors, on the skin, mucous membranes, and some skeletal muscles. Data from these sensors returns to the brain as many as 240 impulses per second from each thermoreceptor. And the hypothalamus keeps track of all this data and controls the blood vessels, lungs, and skin to keep the body’s temperature within safe limits.1
Benefits of sweating
Other than regulating body temperature, sweating is good for you for many other reasons.
Detoxification
Sweating is good for you because it rids the body of toxins, including heavy metals. It also gets rid of BPA (bisphenol-A), a man-made chemical found in plastics.
Improves the skin
Sweating boosts skin cell turnover and removes bacteria from the skin surface.
Supports the immune system
Sweating is good for you because eliminating toxins strengthens the immune system.
Strengthens the heart
Sweating increases circulation and promotes cardiovascular health.
Exercise recovery
Sweating improves blood flow to skeletal muscles and speeds up muscle recovery.
How to sweat more
Are you ready to sweat some more? Here are some ways to do it.
- Exercise, especially outside.
- Eat spicy food.
- Drink a hot beverage.
- Stop wearing antiperspirant, which blocks the pores so you sweat less. Use a natural deodorant instead.
- Visit a sauna.
Final thoughts
After my experience in the sun and heat of Texas, I understand why we must drink enough water and replenish electrolytes when sweating to avoid heat exhaustion or life-threatening heat stroke.
Do you enjoy sauna bathing? Check out the post where I breakdown why sweating in a sauna is good for your longevity.
Reference
- Guliuzza, Randy J. Made in His Image: Examining the Complexities of the Human Body. Institute for Creation Research, 2009, p. 38-40.
