Stress-Induced Sweating in Adults: Symptoms and Coping

Veronica Silver
November 14, 2025
Authored by: Veronica Silver, MA
Edited by: Jemma Strain, B.S. Psychology
Get Started
866-833-1822

It’s common for us to start sweating in stressful or anxiety-provoking situations. Our palms get damp before meeting someone important, wet spots form under our armpits before a presentation, or the shirt sticks to our backs during a difficult conversation. Yes, we’ve all had excessive sweating during anxiety

It can be embarrassing and frustrating when we have these stress response physical symptoms. We’re stressed and start to sweat, which increases our anxiety, making us sweat even more. It’s an irritating cycle that feels like it’ll never end. 

If stress or anxiety is causing challenges with everyday functioning, a mental health professional can provide support and help you find relief. This page can also help you better understand the link between mental health and sweating by discussing:

  • What stress-induced sweating is and the physical signs of anxiety
  • The connection between stress, the nervous system, and sweating
  • The causes of these physical signs of anxiety
  • Treatment and coping strategies for stress and anxiety
  • Answers to commonly asked questions about stress-induced sweating
close of up of face of woman experiencing stress-induced sweating

What Is Stress-Induced Sweating?

Stress-induced sweating happens when our mental or emotional states cause our body’s cooling system to activate, even when we’re not feeling overheated. Unlike the sweat that cools us down after working out, stress sweat is a response to our emotions. 

Stress-induced sweat comes from different glands than the typical sweat that occurs when our bodies are overheated. When we sweat after working out, the eccrine glands release mostly water and salt to cool the skin. But the apocrine glands, located in areas like the underarms and scalp, respond specifically to emotional stress.1 When activated, they produce thicker sweat that bacteria can easily break down, which is why stress sweat often has a stronger odor than sweat from exercise.

How Stress and the Nervous System Trigger Sweating

When the brain senses a potential threat, whether it’s real or imagined, various parts of the brain work together to send a message to the sympathetic nervous system. This is the part of the central nervous system responsible for “fight-or-flight,” and is called the “hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis” (HPA).2 It involves:

  • The hypothalamus, which is responsible for managing hormones that affect temperature, mood, and hunger
  • The pituitary gland, also responsible for the secretion of hormones
  • The adrenal glands, which regulate hormones like adrenaline, blood pressure, and metabolism

When we’re stressed, this system sends a signal down the spinal cord to the sweat glands. Adrenaline and cortisol flood the body, increasing blood pressure and heart rate.3 As blood vessels constrict and muscles tense, sweat begins to form on our palms, underarms, forehead, or even the soles of our feet.

Signs of Stress-Induced Sweating

Sweating is one of the ways the autonomic nervous system responds to stress. For some people, this might show up as clammy palms. While for others, it might be a dampness that spreads under the arms or across the back. 

The most common signs of psychological sweating are:

  • Noticing beads of sweat forming during stressful conversations, public speaking, or social interactions, even if the temperature is cool
  • Sweat that often appears on the palms, forehead, underarms, and back
  • Sweating also being accompanied by other physical signs of anxiety, like a racing heart, trembling, tightness in the chest, and flushed skin
  • Experiencing a sense of panic or embarrassment when you realize you’re sweating, which can worsen the sweating
  • Avoiding social situations for fear of sweating in public

What makes these symptoms especially hard is how they reinforce each other. The more we worry about sweating, the more our nervous system interprets this worry as a sign of danger and prompts yet another wave of perspiration.

Nervous System Sweating Causes

Stress-induced sweating can happen for a variety of reasons, not just because of the stress. A combination of mental health, biological, and medical conditions can increase the likelihood of sweating when stressed out. Understanding these layers can help you see why your body responds the way it does, and why the solution isn’t as simple as “just calm down.”

Nervous system sweating causes can include factors such as the following:

Social Anxiety and Panic Attacks

There is a clear link between mental health and sweating. As discussed previously, the apocrine glands, responsible for sweating, are activated by emotions. Aside from stress causing us to sweat, other contributing mental health factors might be social anxiety and panic attacks. 

Sweating is quite a common symptom of social anxiety. According to research, excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) happens in 24.8-32.3% of people with social anxiety.3 In social anxiety sweating, the fear of judgment or scrutiny is what triggers the sweating long before any social interaction begins.4

Similarly, sweating during panic attacks is common because panic floods the body with adrenaline, raising heart rate and body temperature within seconds. Essentially, sweating is a frequently reported symptom of anxiety disorders.5

Hormones and Biology

Some people may, on a molecular level, be more sensitive to stress.6 The sympathetic nervous system (the one that controls sweating) may activate more quickly or stay active longer than it should. 

Hormonal changes, like those related to thyroid function, menopause, or certain medications, can also increase sweating episodes.7 It’s the body’s way of trying to regulate balance, even when that balance feels out of reach.

Hyperhidrosis

It’s also worth noting that hyperhidrosis, a condition characterized by excessive sweating, can overlap with stress-induced sweating.8 The key difference is that hyperhidrosis occurs even when you’re relaxed or cool, while stress-induced sweating happens mostly in response to anxiety, emotion, or tension. But stress-induced sweating and hyperhidrosis can interact and intensify symptoms.

Evidence-Based Treatment For Excessive Sweating From Anxiety

Finding relief from stress-induced sweating often means addressing the underlying stress or anxiety causing the symptom. It’s about learning your body’s responses and teaching the mind and body to communicate in calmer ways. 

The evidence-based treatment for stress and anxiety includes:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is one of the most effective treatment approaches for addressing anxiety.9 The goal of CBT is to identify negative ways of thinking, challenge those thoughts, and create more positive or realistic thought patterns. 

By learning to identify thoughts that fuel anxiety (like Everyone will see that I’m sweating or They’ll think something’s wrong with me) and challenging those beliefs, you can create more balanced ways of viewing the anxiety-producing situations.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

MBSR is a form of meditation that uses mindfulness to notice stress and anxiety before they start to spiral. Mindfulness practices, like deep breathing, grounding exercises, or guided meditation, teach us how to view our thoughts without judgment. 

By doing this, we decrease the emotional hold these thoughts have. These practices can also lower cortisol levels and bring the nervous system back toward calm, so we’re less likely to sweat.11

Biofeedback

Biofeedback is a mind-body approach that teaches us how to control our automatic physical responses, like heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and perspiration.12 Using real-time data, this approach helps us learn how our bodies respond to stress. With practice, we can learn to slow our pulse, relax tense muscles, and reduce sweating by training our bodies to stay in a calmer state.

Coping With Anxiety Symptoms

Therapy is a great way to address the underlying causes of stress and anxiety. But it’s also important to have day-to-day strategies you can use to relax and reduce instances of sweating. 

For instance, you could try techniques like:

Grounding in the Present

When you notice your anxiety starting to make you sweat, try grounding yourself in the present moment instead of fighting it. You can do this by focusing on your breathing (inhale slowly and deeply through the nose and out through the mouth) or by feeling your feet on the floor. Slow, steady breathing tells the nervous system that it’s safe to settle down. 

Reframing the Experience

Reframe what the sweating means and how it makes you feel. Reminding yourself that sweating is just your body’s way of protecting you can interrupt the shame spiral that often follows. For example, try replacing I’m so embarrassed with My body is reacting to stress, and that’s okay. Simple reframes like this can reduce anticipatory anxiety, which is one of the biggest triggers for repeat episodes.

Mission Connection: Support for Stress-Related Conditions

When stress shows up through sweating, it’s easy to feel self-conscious or out of control. At Mission Connection, we specialize in helping adults restore balance between the mind, body, and nervous system. Using evidence-based approaches, like CBT, mindfulness, and somatic therapy, we can help you learn to calm the physiological stress response and build confidence in daily life.

If stress-induced sweating has begun to affect your confidence or daily comfort, Mission Connection can help you regain balance, control, and peace of mind. Contact us today to begin your path toward calm and confidence.

man smiling in boardroom giving presentation after treatment for stress-induced sweating

FAQs About Hyperhidrosis Stress Symptoms

While the goal of this page was to help you understand the excessive sweating anxiety can cause, you may still have some burning questions. For this reason, we’ve provided the following answers to FAQs on the topic.

1. How Do You Stop Anxiety Sweating?

To stop anxiety sweating, try using relaxation techniques like deep breathing and grounding techniques like focusing on your physical surroundings. These can disrupt the anxiety and help bring you to a calmer state. You could also try cooling your body with cold water, a portable fan, or by simply stepping out for fresh air. It may also be helpful to address stress with therapies like CBT so you can implement long-term strategies to manage anxiety.

2. What Medications Are Used to Stop Stress Sweating?

Medications to help with anxiety-induced sweating include beta blockers, which can reduce physical symptoms like heart rate and blood pressure. These help calm the nervous system so your body can regulate its own temperature.13 More general anxiety medications like SSRIs can reduce overall feelings of anxiety, thereby decreasing sweating. 

3. When Should I See a Doctor About Anxiety Sweating?

You should talk to a doctor about anxiety sweating if it consistently interferes with your comfort or confidence, or disrupts your daily life. You should also consult a doctor if you’re experiencing symptoms like dizziness, nausea, or chest pain with sweating. A professional can help determine whether it’s anxiety, trauma, or another condition that’s influencing your body’s reactions.

4. How Does Mission Connection Support People With Stress-Induced Sweating?

Mission Connection focuses on the whole picture of your health. We help you address your anxiety, identify thoughts and feelings that might contribute to stress-induced sweating, and learn strategies that support your physical comfort. We also aim to help you rebuild confidence in situations that once felt overwhelming.

References

  1. Harker, M. (2013). Psychological Sweating: A systematic review focused on aetiology and cutaneous response. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 26(2), 92–100. https://doi.org/10.1159/000346930
  2. Herman, J. P., McKlveen, J. M., Ghosal, S., Kopp, B., Wulsin, A., Makinson, R., Scheimann, J., & Myers, B. (2016). Regulation of the Hypothalamic‐Pituitary‐Adrenocortical stress response. Comprehensive Physiology, 6(2), 603–621. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c150015
  3. American Heart Association. (n.d.). Elevated stress hormones linked to higher risk of high blood pressure and heart events. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/elevated-stress-hormones-linked-to-higher-risk-of-high-blood-pressure-and-heart-events
  4. Davidson, J. R., Foa, E. B., Connor, K. M., & Churchill, L. (2002). Hyperhidrosis in social anxiety disorder. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 26(7–8), 1327–1331. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0278-5846(02)00297-x
  5. Fischer, S., Haas, F., & Strahler, J. (2021). A systematic review of thermosensation and thermoregulation in anxiety disorders. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.784943
  6. Penney, J., Taylor, T., MacLusky, N., & Lu, R. (2018). LUMAN/CREB3 Plays a Dual Role in Stress Responses as a Cofactor of the Glucocorticoid Receptor and a Regulator of Secretion. Frontiers in molecular neuroscience, 11, 352. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2018.00352
  7. Krützfeldt, J. (2023). Hormonal Causes for Excessive Sweating. Praxis, 112(7–8), 398–402. https://doi.org/10.1024/1661-8157/a004025
  8. Wohlrab, J., Bechara, F. G., Schick, C., & Naumann, M. (2023). Hyperhidrosis: a central nervous dysfunction of sweat secretion. Dermatology and Therapy, 13(2), 453–463. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-022-00885-w
  9. Bhattacharya, S., Goicoechea, C., Heshmati, S., Carpenter, J. K., & Hofmann, S. G. (2022). Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral therapy for Anxiety-Related Disorders: A Meta-Analysis of Recent Literature. Current Psychiatry Reports, 25(1), 19–30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-022-01402-8
  10. Mindfulness Center, Brown University School of Public Health. (n.d.). What is “MBSR: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction”? https://mindfulness.sph.brown.edu/faqs/what-mbsr-mindfulness-based-stress-reduction
  11. Turakitwanakan, W., Mekseepralard, C., & Busarakumtragul, P. (2013). Effects of mindfulness meditation on serum cortisol of medical students. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand, 96.  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23724462/
  12. Harvard Health. (2023, June 24). Biofeedback. https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/biofeedback-a-to-z
  13. Kelly, D. (1985). Beta‐blockers in anxiety. Stress Medicine, 1(2), 143–152. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.246001021