Why Some People Sweat Less When They Work Out
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Is the person on the yoga mat next to you sweating buckets even though it seems like you aren’t sweating at all?
How much you sweat during any physical activity depends on a lot of factors, says Lindsey Bordone, MD, a dermatologist at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. That includes heat and humidity, how hard you’re pushing yourself, and whether you’ve been drinking enough water.
Whether you think you sweat too much or not a lot at all, sweating is normal — and an absolutely crucial bodily function.
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“One of the main functions of sweating is to aid the body in maintaining homeostasis, or balance, in the body,” says Grayson Wickham, DPT, CSCS, a New York City–based physical therapist and the founder of Movement Vault, a mobility and movement company. If your body temperature gets too high, it can be harmful to your cells. Sweating helps the body avoid reaching that point, he says, by producing moisture on the surface of the skin. Evaporation of that moisture cools the skin.
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There Are Very Healthy Reasons You May Not Sweat as Much as Someone Else
Again, how much you sweat depends on a lot of factors — and it’s worth noting that there’s a pretty wide range of what’s considered normal and healthy when it comes to sweating.
From the get-go, genetics determine how much (or little) you sweat to some degree, Dr. Wickham says. Beyond that, things like feeling anxious, an underlying health condition (like type 2 diabetes and certain thyroid conditions), and some medications, among others, can increase sweat production.
Hydration is a big factor, too. “Someone who is well hydrated will sweat more than someone who is less hydrated,” Wickham says. Same goes for people with higher fitness levels, he adds. The more conditioned your body is to exercise, the sooner it may ramp up sweat production to keep you cool while you train.
The bottom line: In most cases, it’s totally normal to be drier (or drippier) than your hot yoga buddy on any given day.
But in some cases, sweating too much or too little may indicate that you have an undiagnosed medical problem. Hyperhidrosis is a chronic medical condition characterized by excessive sweating that is frequent, difficult to control, and not necessarily triggered by heat or exercise. On the flip side, hypohidrosis, also called anhidrosis, is a chronic medical condition characterized by not sweating enough.
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Hypohidrosis (Anhidrosis): When You Don’t Sweat Enough
According to the Mayo Clinic, hypohidrosis occurs when your sweat glands don’t function properly and, as a result, block your ability to sweat.
Though dehydration can cause short-term hypohidrosis, some people deal with a chronic lack of sweating that they were either born with or developed later in life. Cases of hypohidrosis that are purely genetic (people born with the condition) are incredibly rare. More often, people have hypohidrosis because of conditions or injuries that affect the nerves or skin, such as diabetes or psoriasis, according to MedlinePlus.
Certain medications — including antipsychotics — can also affect sweat gland function and contribute to hypohidrosis, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The scientific community has limited data on the true prevalence of hypohidrosis because doctors suspect that many mild cases go undiagnosed, according to the International Hyperhidrosis Society. One research article noted that cases are very rare, and the authors suspected that many cases go unreported.
Severe cases of hypohidrosis are typically diagnosed quickly in infancy or childhood, but less severe cases often aren’t diagnosed until later in life — if at all.
Why Sweating Too Little Can Be a Problem
Not sweating enough can bring on some potentially serious health risks.
If hypohidrosis affects a large portion of your body and prevents proper cooling, then vigorous exercise, hard physical work, or hot weather can cause heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or even heatstroke. The condition can lead to more serious complications in children because their bodies’ core temperatures rise more quickly than adults’ body temperatures do — and children release body heat less effectively, according to research.
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“The condition is dangerous because [people with hypohidrosis] can overheat internally, which can lead to death in severe cases,” says Dr. Bordone, adding that even in milder circumstances, this group would likely have challenges tolerating exercise or high temperatures.
In addition to their lack of sweat, people with hypohidrosis may notice that they feel dizzy, weak, or excessively hot incredibly easily. They may also experience flushing of the skin and muscle cramps.
How to Tell if Your Lack of Sweat Is a Problem
If you don’t seem to sweat as much as others around you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have hypohidrosis.
“Some people do not sweat a lot at baseline while some people do,” says Bordone. “Different people have different numbers of sweat glands and a different genetic makeup.” As long as your sweat (or lack thereof) does not interfere with your daily routine (exercise included), it’s likely not a medical concern.
However, if you experience any of the symptoms of hypohidrosis (such as flushing of the skin and being easily fatigued), you avoid heat or strenuous exercise because of concerns about your lack of sweat, or you have had multiple heat strokes, check in with your doctor, Bordone recommends.
Also see your doctor if there’s a notable decrease in how much you usually sweat. Hypohidrosis can indicate health conditions such as hypothyroid disease, so it’s important to get checked out, Bordone adds.
In some serious cases of hypohidrosis (particularly among children), doctors may recommend cooling vests so people can participate in various activities more safely, says Bordone. In other cases, they may prescribe medication that causes sweating, notes MedlinePlus.
Although specific treatments for hypohidrosis depend on the reason for your lack of sweat, your healthcare provider will generally work with you to manage your lifestyle and prepare for situations in which heat might put your health at risk.
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