Seven Reasons You Might Be Sweating a Lot
- Sweating is a natural body process that is important for controlling internal body temperature.
- The sweat is usually focused on the face, the palms, soles of the feet, and in the armpits.
- Sweating in certain amounts is essential for body function, however excessive sweating, regardless of the environment, means that you may have hyperhidrosis.
- Hyperhidrosis is a disorder that makes sweat glands more active, resulting in excessive sweating.
- Here are seven reasons why it might be affecting you:
Runs in the Family
- Primary focal hyperhidrosis causes sweating to occur on the face, underarms, feet, head, and hands.
- It starts during childhood and tends to affect a person throughout their life.
- Although there may be several causes for it, 30 to 50% of all people with the condition often have a family history of hyperhidrosis.
Medication
- Excessive sweating can also be a result of some medication that you might be taking.
- It can be a side effect of some over-the-counter or prescription drug.
- However, excessive sweating is a rare side effect of most drugs.
- The drugs that cause it most of the time are antidepressants such as protriptyline, desipramine (Norpramin), and nortriptyline (Pamelor).
- Taking zinc as a mineral supplement may also cause excessive sweating.
Pregnancy
- The glow that we see on women while they are pregnant is probably due to the fact they sweat more during that period.
- Pregnancy causes several changes in blood and hormonal flow and also increases their metabolism.
- These reasons can result in excessive sweating, something women have to deal with throughout pregnancy.
Thyroid Problems
- Metabolism may also increase from hyperthyroidism – the overactivity of the thyroid gland.
- The thyroid gland produces several metabolic hormones, and their increased production can cause the internal temperature to increase.
- You might also lose weight rather quickly, get jitters, and even feel a lump in your throat along with the increased sweating.
- Hyperthyroidism is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention.
Diabetes
- Our nervous system triggers the sweat glands when the body falls low on blood sugar.
- Because of this, sweating is often the sign for diabetics that their blood glucose is dipping, and they need to eat something quick.
- Beyond that, diabetics may also suffer from night sweats due to the blood sugar depreciating during the night.
- Diabetes may also cause damage to the nervous system, which can result in irregular signals to the sweat glands.
Anxiety
- Excessive sweating is a common sign of anxiety.
- The stress hormones immediately shoot up and the body’s first line of defense against them is perspiration.
- People tend to sweat more when they are nervous, and the sweating continues as long as they feel anxious.
Perimenopause
- Perimenopause is the stage right before menopause when the female body stops going through its menstrual cycles.
- Hormone levels vary wildly during perimenopause, and the body reacts to them by perspiring more.
- Changes in estrogen levels have a direct influence on the body’s temperature, an increase in which can cause excessive sweating.