In general, when you exercise, it is normal to sweat. In addition, it is often understood that the presence of sweat is a sign that you have worked and that the physical effort that was due has been made. However, this does not always have to be the case, as exercise and sweat do not always go hand in hand. If this has ever happened to you, surely you have wondered why when I exercise I don't sweat? But don't worry, because it is more common than you tend to think. In fact, there are people who never sweat when they exercise.
Sweat little (or not at all) when exercising
When you do physical exercise and don't sweat, there are several causes or reasons that explain this situation. And it is that there are several factors that influence the practice of sports and that determine the level of sweating:
- Physical state : since you do sports do you sweat more? This has a very simple explanation. A fit person who regularly exercises tends to sweat more than someone who exercises infrequently or is a first-time workout. This is because, with physical activity, the body temperature rises and therefore the glands begin to secrete sweat, which causes moisture to evaporate from the skin so that it can cool down. But, in better physical shape and greater activity, the body has a much more efficient system for regulating the body's own heat, which makes it cool down sooner and, therefore, you can train with more intensity.
- Sex : Being a man or a woman influences when it comes to sweating. In fact, it is proven that men tend to sweat more than women.
- Age : Like gender, age is another factor that influences sweat and sport. Young people sweat more than older people, which increases during exercise.
- Weight – People who are heavier or overweight tend to sweat more because their thicker body generates more heat.
- Temperature and humidity : the conditions in which physical exercise is practiced also influence the level of sweating of people. With higher temperatures and more humidity, you sweat a lot more.
I am very hot and do not sweat: anhidrosis or absence of sweat
Haven't you been sweating lately? Regardless of the generic causes that we have discussed above, there are people who do not sweat when exercising. This has a medical name. It is anhidrosis, which is defined as an abnormal disorder or lack of sweating in response to heat , which can lead to health problems because the body overheats. This could trigger a heat stroke, being possible to die.
This disorder has its origin in various causes, most of them being related to some diseases:
- Sympathetic nervous system : which is responsible for controlling sweating, but it can fail to function, favoring anhidrosis.
- Neurological diseases : such as Guillain-Barre syndrome or GBS, which occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the nervous system, although nerve damage can also be caused by diabetes or alcoholism.
- Congenital diseases : such as dysplasias that affect the development of the sweat glands.
- Hereditary pathologies that affect metabolism : as is the case of Fabry disease, which is a genetic disorder caused by a mutation in a gene.
- Skin damage : such as those caused by burns or radiotherapy or other diseases such as psoriasis that clog the skin pores.
When the lack of sweating is caused by one of these problems, there is no choice but to follow the medical treatment prescribed by the specialist, in addition to following care on a daily basis to prevent the body temperature from rising excessively and producing a unwanted heat stroke.
Sweat in sport and hydration
Hydration, or rather dehydration, also influences the level of sweating when exercising. And there is a direct relationship between the two. In fact, the less water is present in the body, the less it sweats.
Dehydration can be of several types:
- Mild
- moderate
- Serious
The latter is especially important because it can endanger life . And it is that, when you exercise (regardless of whether you sweat or not), it is key to drink water and replenish the level of liquids that you are losing.
As a guide, it is calculated that a person who exercises for an hour should drink at least a liter of water to recover.
With these explanations, we hope to have answered your question: why don't I sweat when I exercise? Always remember to consult a doctor if it happens to you so that he can determine whether or not it is a consequence of an illness and indicate the most appropriate treatment or guidelines for your case.
