Why Do I Sweat During Meditation? (4 Reasons)

When you start your meditating journey, you may sense your body and mind reacting in certain ways. One of them is sweat, and a question that some wonder is why we sweat during meditation. 

There are different perspectives to this, but in this article I will outline some of the reasons your body may be sweating while you are meditating. 

Everyone’s experience with meditation will be different, and while meditation is generally regarded as safe, there are some that may find some discomfort with the practice, and one of the responses to this discomfort could be sweat. 

But discomfort isn’t a bad thing, meditation isn’t about running away from discomfort, laying back and not ever having to deal with some discomfort. 

Meditation is a perfect habit to start finding comfort in this discomfort, because it’s only through substantial discomfort we can experience some growth. That being said, below are some reasons as to why you sweat while meditating. 

Cleansing

Meditation is a way to cleanse the mind and body. It’s been shown that prolonged meditation can change your life in a positive way, so long as you stay consistent with the practice. A mind that’s cleansed makes it more receptive to learning new things, and easier. 

Cleansing also brings peace of mind, but it’s primarily to improve focus. But what’s the correlation between cleansing and sweating with meditation? It’s believed that when you’re in the cleansing process, one of the responses is sweat.

In that sense, it’s a good thing that you’re clearing the negativity. Cleansing the mind is the goal for many, and those who live a fast-paced life may benefit additionally to cleansing. 

We’re so used to what we’re gonna do next or what we didn’t do that we miss the opportunity that’s right in front of our eyes, which is now, to take action towards something. That’s where the cleansing comes in handy, even if it’s just to give the mind a small break. 

If Your Mind Isn’t Prepared

Meditation interrupts our conditioning and programming, and there’s a chance for the flight or fight response to kick in. But sweating is also common in a situation where we’re in the unknown. 

Meditation for some, is diving into the unknown, even if millions do it everyday. There isn’t a right time to get into meditation, but the sooner you start, the better. 

When we’re exposed to something we don’t know, there’s always gonna be a reaction to that, for some it may be negative, to some, it may be positive. That’s not to say that sweating during meditation is bad. 

It’s just a response to the unknown, the sudden paradigm shift of the mind doing something it’s never done before, allowing itself to rest for a bit, so it can replenish itself and ultimately come back stronger. 

I did mention conditioning and programming. Some people use meditation as a way to reprogram their subconscious mind, which in turn, makes it easier to achieve a certain objective. 

If our internal programming speaks against what we want to do, it’s harder to end up doing that thing, because the subconscious mind is more powerful than the subconscious mind. So, in that sense, meditation allows you to break free of programming that doesn’t benefit you, and substitute it with one that favors you. Even if the response in that case is sweat. 

Trying Too Hard

Some individuals may be trying too hard to meditate, when rather than being something you do, it’s a state of being. Some have entered meditation with the idea that it’s hard to do, or that it only can be done in a certain way. 

And while there are different types of meditation, unwinding the mind isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Especially if you try to force your mind to stay in the present moment. But in reality, it’s when you let go that you’re able to get that control back. 

Almost as if what you are resisting at the time, is persisting. What you can do instead is: allow yourself to have those thoughts, even if they aren’t pleasant. Sometimes, during meditation, we can be met with thoughts that aren’t pleasant, because we give our mind the freedom to wander so much. 

We want these thoughts away from us as we feel like they harm us, and in some cases, these thoughts can be confrontational, and it’s the strong displeasure to face a potential ugly side that deters some from continuing their meditation practice. 

The act of confronting a side of ourselves and while going through heavy instances of discomfort is what’s known as shadow work. This is one of the most frightening acts to do for many, and many will never reach that stage.

But you can rest assured knowing that not every thought you have is yours. You’re merely allowing your thoughts to flow freely, without judgment. That’s right, one of the core teachings of meditation is letting go of judgment. 

When we start attributing labels to different things, we are not as in tune with the spiritual side of meditation which is supposed to give all those benefits like improved focus, mood and overall quality of life. 

Trying too hard can make you sweat, and in such a case, sweat can be bad. Depending on what’s producing the sweat while meditation, it can be a good or a bad thing. If you’ve been through what I’ve mentioned, let go instead and you’ll have an easier time meditating. 

If You Find Your Mind Wandering

When it comes to trying hard, one of the things many try to do is choose the thoughts they want to have while meditating and try to make it so they exclusively have those thoughts and no other thoughts. This can lead to sweating, and goes back to the idea that you should let go. 

But is there something else, besides letting go that you can do that would still benefit you and feel like you are experiencing the benefits that come with meditation? Yes, and the fact that your mind is wandering to another place can be used to your advantage. Remember how meditation is supposed to improve focus? 

Well, focus can be a bit of a muscle, so, if while meditation, your mind wanders of to a place you don’t want it to be, instead if you aide that thought and imagine that thought on the present, and just focus on that, you would still be meditating and using something that you initially thought would jeopardize the experience in your favor. 

Sweating Comes as a Result of Your Mind and Body Coming Together

When we meditate, the mind and body comes together. The reactions to this will range from depending on the person, as some will feel more energized whereas others will feel like their energy is depleting. When the mind and body are at sync, that’s when we feel the most at peace.

Is Sweating a Cause For Concern During Meditation?

Generally speaking, if you’re sweating during meditation, it’s no cause for concern. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be. In that case, it would be up to a general practitioner to determine the reason. 

But for most, sweating during meditation is completely normal. Not everyone sweats during meditation, but certain thoughts can trigger sweating. 

If you are sweating while meditating, it often means you’re doing something right, and just one of the many signals that something is actually happening. 

Whether it be on the mind or body. One of the major pluses of meditation is how it can toughen you up mentally. But it’s doing so, without going through pain, mostly just pleasant experiences, even if there can be some instances where you should be willing to face some discomfort. 

If you find meditation uncomfortable at first, but still want to push through to form the habit, your body and mind will thank you for it. 

There are other reasons for sweating during meditation that I haven’t focused on here, that can include the position you lay in, since, depending on what position you’re in and depending what meditation you do, you’ll feel different. 

Not all meditations are created equal, some will make you feel more relieved than others, and at the end of the day, it comes down to finding what works for you. But no matter which meditation you do, you shouldn’t interpret sweat as a negative thing, but rather as something that helps you process. Simply put, a byproduct of meditation. No matter if you’re a beginner or have a few years under your belt meditating, anyone can sweat during meditation.