Dancing About Science - Chapter 5 - Why Do We Sweat?

For as long as I can remember, movement has caused my body to sweat. And I mean sweat - profusely. There have been times where I looked like I just got out of the shower, even though I was in desperate need of a soak. But why do we sweat and more interestingly, why do some of us sweat more than others?

The Biology of Sweat

Sweating is very normal and serves a number of health functions. When we exercise, our body temperature increases. In order to avoid overheating, sweat glands secrete the salty substance, and once evaporated, the body cools down. Moreover, sweat provides an extra layer of both body moisture and immunity, with amino acids and antimicrobials protecting your body from damage.

Hormones Change Everything

While I don't recall a time when I didn't dance and sweat, apparently puberty is a catalyst for more than weird hair growth and other reproductive transformations. Your sweat glands become more active as well. Specifically, your apocrine glands, the glands found in your armpits and groin, are stimulated by the increase in sex hormones. Additionally, glands all over your skin called sebaceous glands similarly become more active, causing more perspiration and potentially leading to acne.

Every Body Is Different

Sure, environment and temperature make a difference in terms of how much you sweat. If you're deep into a hot yoga session, you're likely going to sweat more than if you were in a room temperature studio. However, a number of other factors contribute to how much you sweat. Age and hormones, as mentioned, play key roles. So does your body size, muscle mass, and fitness level. Larger bodies require more sweat to cool down. Folks with more muscle mass also sweat more, as muscle produces more heat than fat. And being more fit also tends to cause greater sweating, especially in comparison to a less fit person doing the same exercise.

Sweating is Key to Dancer Endurance

With all of this in mind, it seems logical that a dancer, who needs to sustain a certain activity level for at least 1-hour (if not more if you're a true professional level artist), would sweat a lot to maintain a cool body temperature. Moreover, being a female dancer (hello estrogen) likely contributes to why I need to line my car with a towel after practice!