How Sweat Helps Your Body Cool Down

When you are hot, your body makes sweat—water that comes out of your body. But making sweat is not the same as getting cooler.

Your body gets cooler when sweat changes from water you can see to water in the air. As it changes, it takes heat away from your body. Sweat that falls to the ground does not help in the same way.

The air around you is important. When there is little water in the air, sweat can go into the air more easily. When there is a lot of water in the air, this takes longer. You can be very wet and still feel hot. Moving air can help take the water away from your body.

People do not all make the same amount of sweat. Some sweat also goes into the air before you see it. So a wet shirt does not always mean your body is getting cooler.