How to Manage Stress Sweat

Stress sweat is actually produced by different glands and is thicker and more difficult to deal with than regular sweat. In addition, stress sweat can occur quickly and suddenly. Fortunately, you can manage your stress sweat. Use a stronger antiperspirant, trim your underarm hair to keep allow the antiperspirant to soak into your skin better, and shower daily to keep bacteria from building up. You can also manage your stress sweat by reducing your overall stress and preparing for stressful situations. However, sometimes stress sweat just happens, but wearing clothes made out of natural fibers, keeping a spare change of clothes handy, and having tissues on hand can help you deal with it.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Practicing Good Hygiene

1. Use a strong antiperspirant to reduce the amount you sweat. Switching to a stronger antiperspirant can help you manage stress sweat by limiting the amount you secrete from your sweat glands. Start using an antiperspirant that is advertised as extra strength or as having a stronger formula.^[1]
   
   • You can find strong antiperspirant at pharmacies, department stores, and online.
   • Try using an antiperspirant formulated for people who suffer from extreme sweating, like Certain Dri.
   • Talk to your doctor about prescription-strength antiperspirant.
2. Apply antiperspirant before you go to bed so it soaks into your skin. You can give your antiperspirant time to form a superficial protective layer by putting it on before you go to sleep. That way and you’re covered before you start to sweat in the morning, and you can apply more antiperspirant to add even more protection.^[2]
   
   • You can apply antiperspirant to your groin as well if you sweat a lot there.
3. Put on deodorant to cover the smell of your stress sweat. Antiperspirant is great for reducing the amount that you sweat, but you need to wear deodorant if you want to cover up the odor. Choose a deodorant with a smell that you like and apply it after you put on your antiperspirant.^[3]
   
   • Don’t use a antiperspirant that is also a deodorant unless the antiperspirant is extra strength or formulated for excessive sweating.
4. Keep your armpit hair trimmed or shaved. Shaving or cutting your armpit hair won’t reduce the amount that you stress sweat, but it will help antiperspirant reach the pores on your skin. It will also help keep them cool, which will reduce the total amount that you sweat. Use trimming scissors to cut your hairs or a razor to shave them.^[4]
   
   • Trim or shave your pubic hair as well to help limit the stress sweat produced there.
   • Consider waxing your armpits or groin if your stress sweat is a lingering problem.
   • Use shaving cream to reduce skin irritation if you plan to shave.
5. Take a shower every day to reduce the smell of your stress sweat. Because stress sweat is thicker than normal sweat, it takes longer to evaporate. That means it has more time to combine with the bacteria on your skin, which is what makes it smelly. You can reduce the bacteria and manage the smell of your stress sweat by showering every day.^[5]
   
   • Even if you apply antiperspirant at night before you fall asleep, take a shower. You can always put on more antiperspirant!

[Edit]Reducing Your Stress

1. Plan ahead and prepare for stressful events. If you know that you have a deadline for a big project or you have an important meeting coming up, be as prepared for it as you can and don’t wait until the last minute. If you’re ready for what stresses you out, you’ll be less anxious and worried about it, which will reduce your stress sweat.^[6]
   
   • Prioritize your tasks and knock out the most important ones first. Even if you can’t do everything, you can focus on the most important things!
2. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day to lower your stress levels. It may seem counterintuitive to work out to help manage your stress sweat, but regular exercise will reduce your stress, anxiety, and make you feel better in general. Additionally, regularly sweating it out in the gym will improve your body’s ability to handle stressful situations. If you can make it through the end of a hard workout, you can make it through anything!^[7]
   
   • Join a boxing gym to get fit and take your stress out on the punching bag.
   • Do HIIT cardio training for an intense workout.
   • Jog in the morning to get a jump start on your stressful day.
3. Take deep breaths when you notice that you’re getting stressed. Whenever you feel yourself starting to get anxious or stressed out, you may start to stress sweat soon afterward. But you can catch and manage your stress sweat by using breathing exercises to minimize your stress. Take in a full, deep breath and hold it for a 4 count, then release it all.^[8]
   
   • Take several deep breaths to relax your mind.
   • Deep breathing will also improve your focus, which can help keep you from feeling overwhelmed.
4. Listen to music that calms you down and helps you focus. You can start stress sweating if you get anxious and feel overwhelmed with a task or situation. Listening to music that you enjoy can help you focus in on what it is you need to do and make it feel more manageable.^[9]
   
   • Put on some good music while you’re driving into work if you feel stressed.
   • Play calming music in the background while you work on a project or assignment.
5. Chew gum when you’re stressed out. Chewing on a piece of gum can help reduce anxiety and lower your cortisol levels, which means you’ll have less stress sweat. It also gives you something to do when you’re feeling overwhelmed, which can help you focus on the task at hand.^[10]
   
   • Use a strong, minty gum to stimulate your sense of taste and smell.
   • Choose sugar-free gum for fewer calories and to help clean your teeth.
6. Talk to somebody about the stress that you’re feeling. You can manage your stress, and the sweat that can accompany, it by reaching out for help. If you’re struggling with a project or assignment, reach out to one of your peers for help or just to talk to them about what you’re struggling with. If you’re worried about something, talk to a friend or relative about what’s bothering you.^[11]
   
   • Consider finding a psychiatrist who can help you treat chronic anxiety and stress.

[Edit]Using Strategies to Control Stress Sweat

1. Wear clothes with natural fibers to help your skin breathe. Even though stress sweat isn’t caused by temperature, you can wear breathable clothing to help it evaporate faster and look less noticeable. Wear lightweight clothes made out of natural fibers like cotton.^[12]
   
   • Choose dark colored clothes to help conceal sweat stains.
2. Keep an extra change of clothes with you. An easy way to manage a sudden outbreak of stress sweat is to change out your clothes if they get stained. Stress sweat occurs only at the armpits and groin, so an extra shirt and underwear may be sufficient to replace your sweat-stained clothes.^[13]
   
   • Being worried about sweat staining your clothes can actually increase your stress and cause you to sweat more. Just knowing that you have a change of clothes if you need it can help reduce your anxiety.
3. Apply sweat pads to your armpits and groin. If you know that you’re likely to have some stress sweat, guard against it by putting on some underarm pads. Also known as dress shields or garment guards, sweat pads are made out of absorbent material and have a sticky adhesive to keep them held in place. You can also add them to your underwear to keep stress sweat from building up there.^[14]
   
   • If you can’t find any sweat pads, you can use a pantyliner for the same purpose.
4. Have some tissues with you at all times to dab your stress sweat. If you feel a bout of stress sweat coming on, a few tissues can come in handy. Pull them out whenever you need them and dab your armpits to mop up the sweat before it has a chance to build up.^[15]
   
   • Keep tissues in your wallet or purse.
   • Excuse yourself to the restroom and use paper towels or tissues to clean up your sweat.

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://www.sweathelp.org/sweat-help-home/press-releases/391-6-ways-to-control-stress-sweat.html
2. ↑ https://www.sweathelp.org/sweat-help-home/press-releases/391-6-ways-to-control-stress-sweat.html
3. ↑ https://www.sweathelp.org/sweat-help-home/press-releases/391-6-ways-to-control-stress-sweat.html
4. ↑ https://www.wellandgood.com/good-advice/how-to-stop-stress-sweat/slide/3/
5. ↑ https://www.getthegloss.com/article/why-you-re-sweating-so-much-and-how-to-solve-it
6. ↑ https://healthfinder.gov/healthtopics/population/men/mental-health-and-relationships/manage-stress
7. ↑ https://healthfinder.gov/healthtopics/population/men/mental-health-and-relationships/manage-stress
8. ↑ https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-relief-breathing-techniques#1
9. ↑ https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-power-of-music-to-reduce-stress/
10. ↑ https://greatist.com/happiness/does-chewing-gum-reduce-anxiety#1
11. ↑ https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/manage-stress
12. ↑ https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/dont-sweat-it#1
13. ↑ https://www.self.com/story/sweaty-people-hacks
14. ↑ https://www.self.com/story/sweaty-people-hacks
15. ↑ https://www.self.com/story/sweaty-people-hacks