"Sweat glands burst"… The reason why regular exercise increases sweating

Even people who don't sweat easily will feel refreshed after exercising or using the sauna to sweat once.

From then on, I sweat very easily even with just a little heat. Why is that?

Because the sweating function has improved.

The reason for sweating is to regulate body temperature. Professor Lee Ju-kang of the Rehabilitation Medicine Department at Gachon University Gil Medical Center explained, "When core temperature rises, our body uses the skin, which has the largest surface area, to cool down," adding, "It dilates blood vessels near the skin and releases sweat from the skin to efficiently dissipate heat and maintain bodily functions." The autonomic nervous system triggers sweating, and experiencing heavy sweating to lower high core temperatures can improve autonomic nervous system functions related to sweating, so that afterward, even a slight increase in core temperature causes sweating. This results in a lowered threshold temperature for sweating to begin. In fact, a joint study by Osaka International University and Kobe University in Japan found that individuals who regularly exercise start sweating faster than those who do not, based on the time it takes to begin sweating during activity.

Especially, people who have built a larger physique through regular exercise tend to sweat more because having more muscle mass increases basal metabolic rate, leading to greater heat dissipation and naturally more sweating.

However, if you suddenly sweat excessively without any reason such as exercise or sweating a lot, it could be a warning sign of an underlying health issue. Common examples include hyperhidrosis and cold sweats during menopause.

Meanwhile, sweating does not necessarily mean that exercise is effective. Sweat is just water, not a loss of fat or muscle.