Why do I sweat so much when I run?
When you run, you sweat; that’s the reality for everyone from first-time amateurs to world-class professionals.
While this is an entirely natural process, it can be a bit of a pain in certain cases, so here is a look at why it happens and how excessive sweating can be tackled.
Image Source: Pixabay
Cool running
The primary purpose of sweat is to help the body keep a consistent temperature, allowing your organs to function properly and maintaining the systems you need to stay upright.
When you exercise, you burn energy in your cells, which generates heat and raises your internal temperature. Sweating creates a layer of liquid on your skin which dries in the air and cools it, in turn cooling the blood which flows through your extremities, releasing the heat built up within your muscles and core.
The reason that you sweat so much while running is that so long as you are exerting yourself, the cooling properties of sweat will be necessary.
Complications & solutions
The amount of sweat produced by the body differs from person to person, and while some will be lucky enough to only perspire a moderate amount, others will feel like it is pouring out of them while they run.
Wearing sweatbands on your forehead and wrists can help with this, especially if you are sick of it getting into your eyes and marring your vision.
Likewise, a prescription treatment for clinically excessive sweating, known as hyperhidrosis, is available to those who are especially susceptible to over-producing perspiration when exercising. For example, Drysol is a popular option, however, there are also a number of Drysol alternatives, particularly if you’re looking for an over the counter treatment.
It all comes down to working out which type of sweat is useful, and which is not conducive to a rewarding running experience. Under-arm sweat, for example, may have minimal cooling benefits, and so perhaps be something you decide to combat by wearing a stronger antiperspirant ahead of a longer run.
Other options
While your body alone may be to blame for the amount of sweat your secret when running, there are other factors at play. The ambient outdoor temperature, for example, will have a major impact on this, hence the reason that running in the colder months of the year will be a less sweaty ordeal than in the height of summer.
Likewise, if you sweat a lot as you run, you may consider wearing fewer layers of clothing or switching to fabrics which have moisture-wicking technology. This is sensible because it will draw the sweat away from your skin and allow it to evaporate, rather than allowing it to sit in place and potentially increase the amount of chafing which occurs.
Ultimately it may come down to accepting the fact that sweating and running go hand in hand, and that by continuing to participate in the pastime that you love, you will learn to enjoy it unselfconsciously. Just remember that everyone else around you in a big run is sweating buckets as well, so embrace the fact rather than trying to shy away from it.
