(SOUTHERN COLORADO) – It’s no secret that summer is knocking at our door. With temperatures rising into the mid to upper-90s here in Southern Colorado, we’re going to be sweating.

But sweating isn’t just your body’s way of saying “it’s hot.” It’s actually a cooling process that is engineered by the atmosphere and triggered by your body.

So, how does sweating work, and why do we sweat?

When your body temperature starts rising above 98.6°F, whether it’s because it’s hot outside or you’re active outdoors, your body begins to release sweat onto your skin. That sweat then evaporates, and since evaporation is a cooling process, it helps lower your body temperature.

In muggy, higher humidity-filled climates, this process doesn’t work as efficiently. Evaporation slows down, making it harder to cool off and leaving a person feeling very sticky. Fortunately, in Southern Colorado, we typically don’t have that problem. Our low humidity and high-altitude environment allows sweat to evaporate more quickly.

However, don’t be fooled. Even in low-humidity and high-altitude areas, your body is working just as hard to keep you cool; you just may not see it.

In fact, in dry air, your body’s cooling system may be even more efficient, but it also means you’re losing moisture more quickly. That’s why it’s especially important to stay hydrated as you sweat this summer and into the active summer months.