Can emotions elicit sweating and facial blushing?
Absolutely, emotional sweating tends to occur on the palms, soles, and axillae (underarms). It can also cause facial blushing. For example, if you get nervous before giving a speech, you may experience sweaty palms and armpits, as well as an increased heart rate. This type of sweating is regulated by the sympathetic nervous system. Emotional facial blushing can be extreme, with an intense feeling of warmth all over the face and neck, which triggers sweating in the axillae and palms. Emotional sweating has nothing to do with regulating body temperature. The body is not trying to cool down, but instead is reacting to nervous stimulation. In contrast, sweating produced by standing in the hot desert sun is the body’s way of trying to cool down.
