Sweating (also called perspiration or diaphoresis) is the body’s natural process of producing and secreting a watery fluid from sweat glands onto the skin surface to regulate temperature through evaporative cooling, primarily in response to heat, physical exertion, emotional stress, anxiety, pain, fever, or certain foods/spices. It is controlled by the autonomic nervous system, with eccrine glands (most numerous, distributed over the entire body, especially palms, soles, forehead, and armpits) producing clear, odorless sweat for thermoregulation, and apocrine glands (mainly in armpits and groin) producing thicker sweat that can develop odor when broken down by skin bacteria. Normal sweating varies widely by individual, environment, and activity level, but excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) can occur without typical triggers, affecting specific areas (focal, like palms, soles, underarms) or the whole body (generalized), sometimes linked to medical conditions (e.g., hyperthyroidism, menopause, infections, diabetes, medications, or neurological issues), while reduced sweating (anhidrosis or hypohidrosis) impairs cooling and can lead to overheating.