Outdoor temperatures are falling, but I’m still sweating?

In most areas of the country, outdoor temperatures are falling. That makes perfect sense; fall and winter typically do produce cooler temperatures and less humidity. What doesn’t make sense is why your body temperature isn’t reacting the same way?

Believe it or not, when we first started Wicked Sheets, this was one of our most validating facts. Our sales always rose when the weather was cooler. As we started doing more and more customer interviews it became quite clear that when the weather is hot & humid, people naturally sweat more, and it doesn’t cause alarm, but, when outdoor temperatures drop, people realize something is up.

When the weather is cool and you’re still sweating, you start examining all the other reasons why this could be the case and you may even call your doctor. Much like my first appointment with my doctor when my sweating started seeming excessive, you find yourself sitting in the doctor’s office going through the checklist of conditions that are often associated with increased sweating.

Here was my series of sweat associated questions:

“Are you pregnant?” – No.

“Have you been suffering from any viruses lately or had a fever? – No.

“Are you menopausal or perimenopausal?” – Lord, I hope not yet (smh).

“Have you ever been diagnosed with cancer or any other autoimmune disorders?” – No.

“Are you currently taking any medications or non-prescription drugs?” – Occasionally take Midol or anxiety medications when I fly. But other than that, no.

Doctor looks at me and says, “I’d like to do some blood work just to rule out any abnormalities, but there’s this new thing called ‘idiopathic hyperhidrosis’ and I think we should consider testing for that once your blood work is cleared.”

If this has happened to you, then perfect – you’re in the right place. I have been right there with you and can empathize. And the good news is, if you’ve already met with our doctor and have been asked those questions, you’re ahead of the game. If you’re just in the beginning stages of “What the heck is going on with my body?”, not to worry. You’re in the right place!

In addition to any support that your physicians or therapists might be giving you, at Wicked Sheets we’re building a community. The Wicked Sheets community is committed to providing both education and tangible products that will help you sleep better tonight (even with outdoor temperatures low and you running hot!).

So for the layperson, my number one goal with this post is not just to empathize, but to share a few scientific reasons why your body is producing excessive sweat (you know, the sweat that led you here today). But before we start our science lesson, we must issue a disclaimer: Sweating is good. It’s a healthy, natural (and necessary) process that our body needs to cool itself and excrete excess chemicals. Our goal for all of our sleepers or the customers we interact with is not to eliminate your sweat, but to make it more bearable. More comfortable. To eliminate the discomforts associated with night sweats.

Got it? Ok. Let us begin.

The excretory system is the part of your body that performs the function of excretion, the bodily process of discharging wastes. This system is responsible for the elimination of wastes produced by homeostasis (when your body is attempting to balance all your fluids, hormones, and temperature) -- regardless of outdoor temperatures.

There are several parts of the body that are involved in this process and for purpose of our discussion today, most important are the sweat glands, but also the liver, the lungs and the kidney system.

When you sweat, the pores on your skin open and release the buildup inside them. According to dermatologist Dr. Dele-Michael in an article entitled, ‘The 5 Surprising Health Benefits of Sweating’, “Sweat purges the body of toxins that can clog pores.” Sweating is the way the body and the skin protects itself from overheating. Sweating also increases the blood circulation in the body.

Perspiration (or sweat beads, as we like to call them) is proof that our body has a built-in mechanism for keeping us cool. The sweat beads consist primarily of water, as well as concentrations of sodium, chloride, and potassium. Think of a Smart Water – it’s water combined with electrolytes. Without the nasty odor and yellowy color, Smart Water and your sweat have basically the same core components. Yum! Drink up.

That actually brings me to my last and final thought on the topic. If you’re sweating excessively, you might think a good idea would be to dehydrate yourself by drinking less water. Wrong. That is actually the exact opposite of what you should do. The more hydrated you are the more toxins you can release when you do sweat. Your sweat level may remain the same, but it will be cleaner as it exits your pores and it might even work better to cool you down faster when it’s not filled with all those chemicals. So really, drink up. And then let Wicked Sheets wick it away. Don't let falling outdoor temperatures keep you from figuring out the root of your sweating!

That’s the lesson for today, kids. We hope you learned something and you’re even more invested in your nighttime health – we sure are!

Until next time, sleep wicked! -Alli