Managing stress and emotions

Stress-related perspiration

Stress is one of the factors that can trigger perspiration. It’s an immediate body reaction to emotional stimuli such as anxiety, pleasure, anticipation and fear. Sweating can occur over the entire body, but is most common on the face, palms of the hands, soles of the feet and axillary region (armpits).

The most striking characteristics of stress-related perspiration are its rapid onset (compared to a heat-induced sweating episode) and a strong body odor.
Unlike the perspiration that serves to regulate body temperature, emotional sweating can be triggered regardless of the ambient temperature and in stressful situations.

Excessive perspiration, also known as hyperhidrosis, can have a serious impact on quality of life and on the daily lives of sufferers.

Excessive perspiration, also known as hyperhidrosis, can have a serious impact on quality of life and on the daily lives of sufferers.

Perspiration: a physiological phenomenon

Perspiration is a natural phenomenon required by our body to function properly. Sweat serves to regulate our body temperature. It’s a kind of cooling mechanism. Sweating is triggered during a physical activity, if we have a fever and if it’s hot, in order to maintain our body at a temperature of 37 °C.

Stress: a vicious circle

When you suffer from excessive perspiration, stress becomes a truly vicious circle, because it maintains the sweating phenomenon.
This is why it’s important to discuss it with your pharmacist or doctor, not only to introduce a treatment to prevent excessive perspiration but also to explore different ways of managing stress and emotions. Several methods exist, including sophrology and meditation, or support from a health professional. Everyone must of course find the most suitable solution for them.
Managing stress and emotions will help to reduce the oversweating phenomenon.

(2) Stolman LP. Treatment of hyperhidrosis. Dermatol Clin 1998;16:863-9