Sweat: Our Body’s Natural Cool Down
Written by Fiona Nikolla
Imagine yourself taking a run through your favorite park or scenic route. You told yourself you would accomplish a mile run without any breaks and resisted the temptation to rest on a lone park bench under the cool shade, to keep a consistent momentum. At the end of your long run, you feel very satisfied, as your heart manages to reach a hefty 142 beats per minute (bpm) and your forehead, underarms, and back of your knees are drenched in sweat. Now imagine yourself in a slightly different scenario. You are about to give a speech in front of four hundred of your closest peers and classmates for your running of class president. You are the next candidate to present your take as to why you should be elected, and all you hear is the thud of your heart against your rib cage. Familiar sweat starts to spot your forehead and palms as your heart rate reaches an approximate 138 bpm. Two very separate scenarios present two different instances of sweat penetrating your skin, as your body responds to the natural stressors in your surroundings. How and why sweat occurs is key in understanding the internal balance between mind and body.
As previously mentioned, sweat is often a natural response to any stressors or temperature changes in surrounding environments. Often when the body overheats, this causes our blood vessels to rapidly expand, causing blood flow to increase and heart rate to gradually surge. More so, this also causes extensive blood to travel through the coronary arteries, the main vessels that support the transport of blood to the heart muscle. This complete process is otherwise known as myocardial blood flow, as it is a result of increased heat exposure. As the heart rate starts to increase, this later informs the brain that the body requires supplemental cooling, to which sweat starts to escape through special ducts, known as pores, in the skin. Though sweat appears to be excess water being released, it also contains salt and other remaining excess minerals. Despite others not appreciating sweat because of its ability to stick to the skin and create odor over time, it is all a part of the body’s natural ability to regulate thermal body temperature. More so, athletes and other active individuals often encounter and are used to the presence of sweat as it shows the active regulation of their body and increased heart rate.
However, what happens when you encounter sweat in a situation that involves no physical activity? Sweat is often one of the main reactions to being stressed mentally, which often occurs when either an environment or thinkable situation makes someone uncomfortable. Unlike the sweat that occurs when enduring physical activity that works out crucial muscles, sweat through stress can negatively affect your heart and brain. When you are stressed, the same signals are being sent throughout your body causing your heart and brain to reenact the same way as when exercising. However, your heart does not need to work itself as it does during stress because your body is stationary and does not require any regulation of the body. In stressful situations, it is best to find ways that help maintain a regular heart rate to ensure that the heart’s muscles, such as the coronary arteries, are not overworked.
Sweat is a natural cooling factor that helps to regulate overall body temperature. When it occurs, it is crucial to understand if your body is regulating it for the correct, or otherwise, wrong reason. This will not only allow you to realize when your body is receiving the regular exercise that it may need, but it will also indicate when the body may be overworked and requires time to relax and rejuvenate itself. Sweat may be disgusting to some, but for others, it can be the true indication of their overall condition.
REFERENCES
Rapaport, Lisa. “Heat Exposure Can Strain the Heart, Especially for People with Heart Disease.” EverydayHealth.Com, 11 June 2024, www.everydayhealth.com/coronary-heart-disease/hot-days-can-raise-body-temperature-and-strain-the-heart/.
“Coronary Arteries.” Cleveland Clinic, 9 May 2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22973-coronary-arteries.
Valeii, Kathi. “What Causes Sweating?.” Very Well Health, 17 Jan. 2023, www.verywellhealth.com/sweat-6503173.
Written by Fiona Nikolla from MEDILOQUY