Reasons You're Sweating for Hours After a Workout and How to Cool Off

A sweaty exercise session in your day is a healthy move, but what happens when you find yourself sweating for ‌hours‌ after a workout?

We spoke to Dean Somerset, CSCS, an exercise physiologist and kinesiologist, to understand why you might experience prolonged post-exercise perspiration, and offer ways to stop it.

Your body is designed to sweat during a workout. When you exercise, the work you're doing produces mechanical energy (muscle contractions) and heat, Somerset says.

Even after you've finished your workout, your body continues to produce heat and sweat. "It can take a while for your core temperature and metabolic rate to return to normal," Somerset says.

And it's worth noting: Some people sweat a lot more easily than others. This isn't a sign that your body is functioning more (or less) efficiently, but rather an indication that your heat production and regulation systems are at work, Somerset says.

1. Working Out at a High Intensity

Often, how quickly you stop sweating after a workout depends on how hard you pushed during the session. For example, a max-effort cardio session is a lot more sweat-inducing than casually lifting light weights, Somerset says.

2. Skipping the Cooldown

If you can't stop sweating after a workout, it could be a sign that you're not giving your body enough time to gradually lower its temperature.

3. Jumping Straight Into the Shower

If you're still sweating bullets after a workout, a shower will be more performative than beneficial, especially if the water is warm, Somerset says. That's because being in a hot, humid environment will limit evaporation and prolong the sweat response, he says.

4. Eating or Drinking Something Hot

If you gulp down a scalding hot coffee or nosh on spicy foods after your workout, you can bet on prolonged sweating, Somerset says.

5. Wearing the Wrong Workout Gear

If you choose clothes that don't breathe (or pile on multiple layers), you'll produce a plethora of perspiration, Somerset says.

6. Living Somewhere Humid

If you live in a tropical climate (or the summertime brings rain-forest levels of humidity), heat loss through evaporation (sweat) is a lot harder, Somerset says.

"Canada in the winter? Easy to stop sweating after you've crushed your session. Florida in the summer? It's going to be a lot harder to keep your shirt dry."

Here, Somerset shares simple strategies to scale back sweating after your workout.

1. Wear Cooler Clothes

Dress for success. Choose lightweight fabrics that advertise sweat-wicking properties. As a general rule, avoid 100 percent cotton in your workout clothes, because it can trap sweat and prevent quick evaporation.

2. Do a 5- to 10-Minute Post-Workout Cooldown

The goal is to lower your heart rate and slow your metabolic rate. Shoot for about a 50 percent reduction in heart rate (from your peak heart rate during activity) or continue your cooldown until your post-workout heart rate falls within 10 to 20 beats per minute of your resting heart rate, Somerset says.

3. Wait Before Showering and Use Cooler Water

Before hitting the shower, wait until your breathing and heart rate are close to normal resting levels, Somerset says. Again, a 5- to 10-minute cooldown should do the trick. Then shower with the coldest water you can tolerate without turning blue for another 5 to 10 minutes, he says.

4. Hydrate With Cold Water

"Most people don't drink enough, so getting more cold water is universally a good idea," Somerset says.

5. Stand in Front of a Fan or AC

"This can definitely help speed the evaporative effects of sweating and lead to reductions in how much heat you produce," Somerset says. Let the air flow hit your skin directly for best results.

6. Apply a Cold Compress

Place an ice pack on the back of your neck to slash your sweating. For maximum cooling, stand in front of a fan with an ice pack about a millimeter from your skin, Somerset says.

If you've tried everything and are still experiencing profuse perspiration long after a workout, your excessive sweating could signal an underlying health issue.

• Sweating during a workout is normal. Some people, however, continue to sweat long after exercise.
• You may experience excessive post-workout sweating if you go too hard or don’t wear breathable workout clothing.
• Take a cool shower and increase the amount of time you give your body to cool down to help stop the sweating.
• If you are still sweating excessively after workouts after taking measures to control it, or you’re sweating more than usual in your daily life, talk to your doctor about possible causes and solutions.