One scenario produces hot sweat, the other cold sweat. So what’s the difference?

What is hot sweat?

This type of sweat is also called thermoregulatory sweat. It’s the body’s natural response to increased core body temperature, which most often comes from physical exertion. As sweat evaporates from the skin, it cools down the body to help prevent overheating.

Sweat from eccrine glands is mostly water and salt.

What is cold sweat?

These activate the amygdala, the brain region that helps you feel and respond to emotions. The amygdala then activates the hypothalamus.

Cold sweat is a preferred meal for bacteria, creating more of an odour. Source: Getty / Pony Wang

The hypothalamus performs multiple functions simultaneously. It sends signals down the spinal cord and into peripheral nerves to stimulate eccrine glands in the skin.

As cold sweat triggers eccrine and apocrine glands, you can sweat all over your body.

Which type smells more?

So yes, fear and stress really do have a distinctive smell that should warn others to stay away.

In a nutshell