WHAT
We all are pretty aware of what sweat is. The beads of sweat forming when its hot, during a workout, and sometimes when we are put under emotional stress and anxiety. Sweat is thermoregulation of the body. When we have a temperature increase, our bodies turn on the heat loss mechanisms by increasing circulation, and activating your sweat glands.
Sweating for therapeutic health purposes goes way back in history with roman & turkish baths, sweat lodges, and Scandinavian saunas. For centuries, sweating was thought of as a was to detoxify your body.
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
We are exposed to chemicals daily through water, food, and the air. Some of these elements are useful for our bodies but elements such as arsenic, cadium, lead, mercury, and BPA are toxic to our bodies and can cause hormone imbalances.
When you sweat, your body is able to detox some of these toxins out of your body.
Due to the detoxifying benefits, sweating has been shown to increase blood flow through your body and improve blood vessel health. One long term study showed that people who regularly sweat, the specific study was through the use of saunas, had lower rate of heart disease and blood pressure issues. It can also help alleviate joint pain.
Sweating can also be an easy way to get some of the benefits of exercising.
It shouldn't replace exercising, but it is a great add-on to daily movement and if you are unable to exercise, saunas can be of great benefit to you. I didn’t realize how beneficial sweating was to my overall health until I broke my foot last year causing my workouts to be very limited & no hot yoga (which is a near daily essential in my life). After just over a week I could feel the difference in my body and started taking hot baths to allow my body to sweat it out.
Getting into a hot bath or a sauna is something that most people can do relatively cheaply. Most gyms have a sauna you can use with your membership. You can also try out hot yoga to achieve these benefits and more.
Another positive aspect of sweating is the mental impact. When your body heat increases and you sweat heavily, in order to stay mentally calm, you have no choice but to focus on your breath. As you heat up, it becomes harder and harder to think about all the things in life causing you stress and anxiety. You begin to only notice and focus on the present moment. This is a mental challenge and can force you into a meditative state. As you focus on your breath, you are taking in more oxygen which calms your nervous system and benefits your brain functioning.
Sweat to detoxify, improve blood flow, blood pressure, and lower the risk of heart disease, while achieving mental benefits.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT
So many ways to sweat it out daily!
You can easily run a hot bath, add some salts (epsom salt), and relax for 15-20 mins.
You can go in a sauna at your local gym.
You can join in at a hot yoga studio.
If you wanna get really fancy you can find a local spa that has an infrared sauna.
Start small, see if you can stay in a sauna for 5 mins, then 10 mins, after a while, you will be able to stay in for longer. The recommendation is to not stay longer than 20 mins in a sauna. Be mindful of how you are feeling and if you ever stop sweating, remove yourself immediately as that is a sign of severe dehydration.
After your daily sweat make sure to hydrate by drinking 30 oz at a minimum.
*Please do consult with you doctor if you have any health risks*
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