New Ways to Cool Down When You're Sweating Buckets

Your body is remarkably effective at regulating its temperature by releasing heat and producing sweat, which then evaporates off the skin to make you feel cooler (unfortunately, hearing that it's normal to perspire at 1.5 liters an hour —3.5 liters per hour for those acclimatized to the tropics—provides little comfort when you've got drops rolling down your back). Clothing inhibits this natural process, reducing the amount of heat leaving the body and preventing sweat from evaporating, says George Havenith, PhD, a professor of environmental physiology and ergonomics at Loughborough University in the U.K. Exposing as much skin as possible isn't always practical, given the skin's vulnerability to UV rays, so your next best option is to wear loose, flowing clothing—linen is a good choice. "Even when there's no breeze, the movement of the fabric when you walk or swing your arms will create a bellows effect to pump out hot air and bring fresh air to the skin's surface," Havenith says.