Why do I Sweat More After I Stop Exercising?

It's normal to sweat more after you finish exercising than you do while you exercise. Your body temperature varies throughout the day, going from around 97 degrees in the early morning to about 99 degrees in the early evening. Exercise raises body temperature considerably. When you exercise, more than 70 percent of the energy that powers your muscles is lost as heat. Less than 30 percent drives your muscles. Athletic competition can drive temperatures as high as 105 degrees without harming the athletes.

To keep your body temperature from rising too high, your heart pumps large amounts of heat in the blood from your hot muscles to your skin and you sweat. The sweat evaporates and cools your body. The amount of sweat that your body produces depends on the temperature of the blood that flows through your brain. When the temperature of the blood rises, you sweat more. During exercise, your heart beats rapidly to pump blood to bring oxygen to your muscles and to pump the hot blood from the muscles to the skin where the heat can be dissipated. When you stop exercising, your heart slows down also, pumping less blood to the skin. The heat accumulates in your muscles, causing blood temperature to rise higher, so you sweat more right after you finish exercising than during exercise.

Gabe Mirkin, M.D. - EzineArticles Expert Author

Gabe Mirkin, M.D. http://www.DrMirkin.com

MORE on sweating and body odor

To receive my free weekly eZine on fitness and health, send a blank email to subscribe@drmirkin.com