The cliche the more you sweat, the better your workout. In fact, many of us do feel like if we are not sweaty, we are not doing it right. But it turns out we have been wrong. How much you sweat does not necessarily come on the intensity of your workout or how many calories you burn.
Sweating is the cooling process your body goes through to help you maintain steady body temperature, but it’s ain’t workout indicator. We have this belief that sweating equals calories burned and that’s actually not accurate.
Don’t be confused by the loss of a few pounds after a high sweat workout. This is simply water weight that you gain back when you rehydrate yourself and doesn’t necessarily mean you have burned lots of calories. On the flip side don’t assume that a low sweat workout means you are not working hard enough or burning enough calories. Everybody is different and sweats differently and how much or how little you sweat doesn’t equate to the number of calories you burn.
Sweat or perspiration is primarily water with tiny amounts of chemicals like urea, ammonia, salts, sugar.
When your internal temperature rises your sweat gland releases water to the surface of your skin. As the sweat evaporates, it cools your skin and the blood beneath your skin. Sweat often accompanies physical exertion. But luckily sweating its outcomes with a range of benefits.
Benefits Of Sweating
1. Detoxification
According to research, many toxins leave the body through sweat. These toxins include alcohol, salts, and even cholesterol. Heavy metals were found in the urine and sweat with a higher concentration in the sweat.
2. Clears Your Skin
Sweating helps to open up the pores and get rid of grime, dirt, and other debris. Of it’s left to accumulate, it encourages bacteria to build up in your pores and ultimately result in a breakout. The same peptides found in sweat that can boost immunity can also fight off bacteria on your skin.
3. Boosts Immunity
Sweating has long been recommended for speeding the recovery of cold or flu. According to research, peptides produced by sweat glands act as antibiotics to fight off infection. Germs and viruses will find it difficult to develop a resistance to this natural antibiotic, and therefore, could act as a long term replacement for antibiotics.
4. Releases Endorphins
It’s well said that exercising can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Our body produces its uplifting chemicals called endorphins. What people may not realize is that it is possible to raise these happy-hormone levels in the brain through sweating induced by exercise. It is considered natural painkillers as they activate opioid receptors in the brain that help minimize discomfort. The effects of endorphins are so powerful that they can even be more effective in fighting depression than an antidepressant.
5. Reducing The Risk Of Kidney Stones
Sweating helps to support healthy kidney function as well by eliminating some of the salt and calcium in your bloodstream. In turn, it reduces the amount of salt and calcium in your urine, which can lead to kidney stones. At the same time, the more you sweat, the less you urinate, which can cause stone causing minerals to settle in the kidneys and urinary tract. While it’s important to sweat to reduce the risk of kidney stones, it’s also important to drink plenty of water to avoid the opposite effect.
6. Muscle Recovery
Although a sweat session won’t aid in building muscle, it can aid in muscle recovery. Sweating boosts proper circulation and helps flush out lactic acid. This can alleviate soreness and speed up the recovery process.
