Dealing with excessive sweating while teaching
July 13, 2018 11:56 PM Subscribe
I'm junior faculty at a university and have really enjoyed teaching the past year. However, I have learned from the experience that I tend to sweat while teaching. An awkward, obviously excessive amount. Flop sweat is probably the right word... I'd like to manage this issue in the future, and am hoping for practical ways to make the sweating less obvious.
While teaching, I tend to be relatively active, crossing the length of the room multiple times and covering multiple chalkboards multiple times. I make it clear students should interrupt with questions, and I'm happy that they often do so. However, these questions can cause momentary anxiety/stage fright (my answers usually end up fine though). The combination of these often leads to excessive sweating, such that I leave the classroom with splotches on my shirt (front, back, and underarm). I'd like to remain as active and be as open to questions in the future, without being quite so obviously sweaty. Equally good solutions reduce the sweatiness, or reduce the obviousness!
As it may affect the suggestions, I'm male and 40. Thanks!
While teaching, I tend to be relatively active, crossing the length of the room multiple times and covering multiple chalkboards multiple times. I make it clear students should interrupt with questions, and I'm happy that they often do so. However, these questions can cause momentary anxiety/stage fright (my answers usually end up fine though). The combination of these often leads to excessive sweating, such that I leave the classroom with splotches on my shirt (front, back, and underarm). I'd like to remain as active and be as open to questions in the future, without being quite so obviously sweaty. Equally good solutions reduce the sweatiness, or reduce the obviousness!
As it may affect the suggestions, I'm male and 40. Thanks!
If you need to mop your face, carry cotton handkerchiefs. That way you don't have to worry about bits of paper tissue sticking to your face (ask me how I know).
posted by kitten magic at 1:46 AM on July 14, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by kitten magic at 1:46 AM on July 14, 2018 [6 favorites]
An undershirt that absorbs underarm sweat will make a huge difference. Like Thompson. They feel super weird until you get used to them.
posted by bcwinters at 4:30 AM on July 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by bcwinters at 4:30 AM on July 14, 2018 [4 favorites]
Lecturing makes me hot, so even if it's winter and I'm wearing a sweater in my office, I'll take it off before lecturing. Do you think it would help to dress for "warmer weather" for your lectures?
posted by heatherlogan at 6:58 AM on July 14, 2018
posted by heatherlogan at 6:58 AM on July 14, 2018
It's harder to see sweat splotches on dark clothing, for what that's worth.
posted by dondiego87 at 8:38 AM on July 14, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by dondiego87 at 8:38 AM on July 14, 2018 [1 favorite]
People get botox in their armpits to prevent sweating!
posted by stowaway at 9:00 AM on July 14, 2018
posted by stowaway at 9:00 AM on July 14, 2018
In addition to working on the sweatiness, I might also work to address the anxiety / stage fright / performance anxiety as part of the core issue.
Here are things that I've done that have helped me:
Beta blockers for when my performance anxiety was at its worst. Had to do a lot of public speaking, and I only had to take them a few times for it to help the bodily responses of anxiety going forward. My body no longer necessarily associates public speaking with anxiety. Talk to your doctor if this may be of interest.
Meditating / deep breaths / alternate nostril breathing / long bath / stretching / hard workout / lifting weights / cold shower / combo of the previous before public speaking
Positive visualizations - Get in a meditative / relaxed state, then visualize your students asking you difficult questions (doesn't have to be specific questions). Visualize yourself responding with happiness - what a wonderful question! Picture yourself answering enthusiastically, then smoothly moving on to your next thought.
posted by Uncle Glendinning at 9:59 AM on July 14, 2018
Here are things that I've done that have helped me:
Beta blockers for when my performance anxiety was at its worst. Had to do a lot of public speaking, and I only had to take them a few times for it to help the bodily responses of anxiety going forward. My body no longer necessarily associates public speaking with anxiety. Talk to your doctor if this may be of interest.
Meditating / deep breaths / alternate nostril breathing / long bath / stretching / hard workout / lifting weights / cold shower / combo of the previous before public speaking
Positive visualizations - Get in a meditative / relaxed state, then visualize your students asking you difficult questions (doesn't have to be specific questions). Visualize yourself responding with happiness - what a wonderful question! Picture yourself answering enthusiastically, then smoothly moving on to your next thought.
posted by Uncle Glendinning at 9:59 AM on July 14, 2018
Sport coats. You'll be slightly sweatier, but it will be far less obvious.
A cloth handkerchief (the Japanese kind with a thick terry backing are perfect) is good for mid-lecture face dabs. No student will care.
posted by eotvos at 2:21 PM on July 14, 2018
A cloth handkerchief (the Japanese kind with a thick terry backing are perfect) is good for mid-lecture face dabs. No student will care.
posted by eotvos at 2:21 PM on July 14, 2018
Wear a black shirt and keep a bandana at hand to mop up face sweat. At the beginning of the fall the students will be sweaty too and they'll empathize. By the time the weather gets cooler they'll be used to the sweating thing -- it'll be part of your routine. (I've been teaching almost 30 years; this has always worked for me.)
posted by sophieblue at 7:17 AM on July 15, 2018
posted by sophieblue at 7:17 AM on July 15, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:26 AM on July 14, 2018