Sweating is a natural human process — like breathing and sleeping. Sweating helps flush out toxins, gives your skin a healthy glow, and can even supercharge your weight-loss efforts.
When it comes to our wellness, there is a science behind sweat. Below you will find 4 main health benefits that come from breaking a sweat:
1) Natural Detoxication
When it comes to detoxification in the body, the kidneys and liver do most of the heavy lifting but sweating acts as a natural detox pathway, too. Heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and mercury as well as chemicals like BPA from plastic can be expelled from the body via the sweat glands. One study from 2016 found that people who exercised regularly (and, consequently, sweat more) had lower levels of heavy metals in their blood. Another study found that sweating “appears to be a clinically useful tool to facilitate the release of BPA through the skin in order to eliminate this toxicant from the human body.
2) Improve Heart Health
Dry saunas — which range in temperature from 150°F to 195°F — can make you lose up to half a liter of sweat per session. A 20-year study found that Finnish men who visited the sauna four times per week had significantly lower rates of heart disease and were less likely to die of cardiovascular-related causes.
3) Promote Weight Loss
Water weight lost during a heavy workout will lower the number on the scale but isn’t permanent weight loss; intense exercise makes your body work harder to regulate your temperature, which uses energy and burns calories. But just because you aren’t sweating during a workout, doesn’t mean it wasn’t effective – some people simply sweat less than others.
4) Leaves Skin Glowing
When we sweat, our pores open and allow for the opportunity to get rid of all the dirt, oil, bacteria, makeup, and debris in them. Sweating’s also thought to improve the tone, clarify an texture of skin. However, after a heavy sweat session, be sure to shower and wash your face to avoid having bacteria settle back into your pores.
CC: IIN, Institute of Integrative Nutrition.