Why Do People Sweat Excessively?
To understand why people sweat excessively, we first need to look at the reasons why people sweat at all. The human body is a complex creation, with a number of functioning systems recruited to do different tasks on demand. As most of you will know, the average body temperature is around 37°C. When we are physically active, the body temperature rises. Alternatively, when we are exposed to cold conditions, the body temperature decreases.
To keep the delicate body temperature balance, which is needed to support normal life, the human body employs two vitally important systems. In the case where the body temperature rises, the brain is told to switch on the sweat glands. Sweat glands are located underneath the skin, all around the body. When activated, the sweat glands produce a sterile liquid which is released through the tiny pores in the skin.
This may seem completely pointless on first glance, however when you take a look on a microscopic level, this is an ingenious solution. As air brushes against the moist skin, a cooling effect is felt. This cooling effect prevents the body from overheating. We can see this as the body temperature continues to rise. The higher the body temperature goes, the more sweat which is produced.
Overactive Sweating
Now that we know how the sweat system of the body works, we are able to investigate why excessive sweating takes place in some individuals. Obviously, where there is an excess amount of sweat being produced on a regular basis, there is an issue with the underlying triggers which are causing the sweat glands to activate in the first place. Indeed, scientific research has found that this is the case.
The exact reason why people continue to sweat even as the body temperature is not abnormally high, is yet to be discovered. However, modern belief is that this has something to do with the connection between the sweat glands in the brain.
It would seem, that even though the body is operating within its normal temperature range, the brain believes that the body is too hot. Therefore, it continues to send signals to cool the body down. This results in excess sweat, and hence produces these symptoms experienced with excess sweating. It may be a number of years before scientists and medical professionals discover the real reason why the brain continues to send these signals.