how long should my sweating continue after exercising

whynot56
whynot56 Posts: 3 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I walk two miles on my elliptical every morning in about 32 minutes. I work up a sweat, but it takes more than an hour after I finish to stop sweating. Even lukewarm showers doesn't help. After I get done walking, I cool off, take a shower, fix breakfast and lunches, then sit down to eat, so it's not like I'm still going full speed. Is this normal or should I be worried about it?

Replies

  • affacat
    affacat Posts: 216 Member
    it doesn't seem particularly normal.

    i run 6 miles 5 days a week. i'd say it takes no more than 10 minutes to stop sweating, if that (hard to tell, since i'm already covered in sweat). i definitely am not still sweating by the time i'm done a shower.

    perhaps you're wildly out of shape and so your heart is still beating fast? measure your heart rate before, during, and then after at regular intervals. see how long it's taking for your heart to return to the pre-workout rate. if your heart rate is significantly higher than it should be for an extended period, see a doctor.

    note -- i'm not an expert, just letting you know how i'd proceed.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    some people are heavier sweaters than others. i wouldnt worry about it unless you're dehydrated
  • RobynLB83
    RobynLB83 Posts: 626 Member
    I noticed you're a 57 yr. old female. Hormonal?
  • whynot56
    whynot56 Posts: 3 Member
    I took my pulse before starting, when I got done exercising, after my shower, and before and after I finished my breakfast (about an hour later). My heart rate didn't come down until after I ate, but I didn't feel like it was pounding. Like you had mentioned, I found an article that said your heart rate should slow down as soon as you stop exercising. I'm going to monitor it for a week and write down everything, then probably go see a doctor. My dad had a lot of heart problems. Thank you for your suggestions.
  • RunnerElizabeth
    RunnerElizabeth Posts: 1,091 Member
    I want to say it's not all that strange. It's a body chemistry thing. I'm 35, in relatively decent shape (run 25 miles a week, strength 4 times), I eat a balanced diet, stay hydrated, and I'm a healthy weight. Even so, I'm a heavy sweater. I go out for my runs at lunch, take a shower (I've tried all water temps for this) come back to my desk and sweat for another hour until it finally stops and then I get the chills. I also get extremely red in the face. Running in cold temps minimizes these symptoms and if I have a good amount of time to cool down before my shower, that usually helps too. I don't have a racing heart or feel otherwise unnusual, my body just works on cooling itself down longer than others do.
  • affacat
    affacat Posts: 216 Member
    I took my pulse before starting, when I got done exercising, after my shower, and before and after I finished my breakfast (about an hour later). My heart rate didn't come down until after I ate, but I didn't feel like it was pounding. Like you had mentioned, I found an article that said your heart rate should slow down as soon as you stop exercising. I'm going to monitor it for a week and write down everything, then probably go see a doctor. My dad had a lot of heart problems. Thank you for your suggestions.

    i'm so glad you actually went ahead and did that. as you get in shape, you'll also find your fitness improving and that may help. but i think this is a smart way to go about it.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    You will keep sweating until your body doesn't need to sweat to cool off any longer.

    A lukewarm shower doesn't help you cool off. Take a cold one and you will stop sweating faster.

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