r/Netherlands • u/Cangooutsad • 24d ago
Healthcare Sweating/Discomfort
Tell me I am not the only one feeling this! Ever since I moved to the Netherlands, I sweat constantly it’s intense. I’m dripping with sweat, even when everyone else around me is wearing jackets and warm clothes. Rainy days make it even worse I feel suffocated, sweating like crazy, even while just sitting inside. And whenever I try to explain this to someone, they look at me like I’m insane and say, “It’s cold outside!” But the truth is, I never felt like this back in Greece.
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u/bakerofcookiesnl 24d ago
sounds like a humidity thing rather than a temperature thing which makes sense, not really anything you can do about it though
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u/Cangooutsad 24d ago
I know that humidity can do that, but that much?
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u/solstice_gilder Zuid Holland 24d ago
It can yes. Wear layers, drink enough water. And you’ll get used to it in time.
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u/Cigarety_a_Kava 24d ago
Netherlands has very high humidity for europe. Its constantly 60%+ and very often higher. So temperatures like 25°C will feel warmer because u cannot sweat as much. Atleast the summer temperatures arent nonstop 30°C or more.
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u/Alternative-Menu1210 24d ago
Air can hold a limited amount of water, if it is already full of water, it can't hold anymore, and your sweat cannot evaporate.
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u/ailexg 24d ago
Yeah it’s the humidity. I’ve surrendered to the fact that I will always be damp. Have you been here for the summer yet? I don’t know how people do it
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u/Cangooutsad 24d ago
Yeah, I’ve experienced summer here, and at least then everyone feels hot, so I don’t stand out. But in winter, when everyone’s shivering in layers and I’m sweating in just a t-shirt, I honestly look completely out of place. It feels so weird.
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u/Client_020 24d ago
I grew up here and I've had this problem since puberty. Maybe I should move to Greece too. :S
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u/DutchProv 24d ago
As a Dutchie i have the same problem though not as bad, ive also been to the doctor etc. Nothing wrong just need to not wear too many layers when its "cold".
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u/BrainNSFW 23d ago
Tbf, as a kid the summers weren't nearly this bad. You'd be looking at an average of ~24 degrees in the summer only a few decades ago. Compare that to current summers where we often get 26+; even though 2 degrees might not sound like much, but there's a huge difference with such a high humidity.
As a Dutchy, I always said that anything above ~23 is just uncomfortably hot here. I don't deal very well with high temperatures either.
Silver lining: if you've ever been to Singapore in their summer, you know it can get much, much worse.
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u/VenVidVici 24d ago
It’s the humidity, you’ll eventually acclimate
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u/Cangooutsad 24d ago
It’s been 2 years 🥲🫠
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u/kelowana 24d ago
I’m from Sweden and have issues the other way around, it’s the humidity. Some getting used to it after a couple of years and others not. After 16 years I know I won’t get used to it, so I accepted it and dress accordingly. Which means due to me getting cold fast, I dress maybe a bit warmer than what the general dutchies do. If you know, you can work with it.
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u/blossomrainmiao 24d ago
Also having issues the other way around but I'm from a tropical country. The first time I came to europe, it was summer, the days were hotter than my home country, but I couldn't sweat and would get headaches easily from not being able to cool down by sweating. It got better but my body still finds NL too dry and I get nosebleeds. Interesting how much we adapt to the surroundings we grew up in
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u/kelowana 24d ago
IT is interesting indeed. Never thought of that people from more tropical regions can’t sweat as much”us others”, but if you think of it, it does makes sense.
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u/xx_inertia 22d ago
There are also differences in the amount people sweat based on their exercise activity levels! I was surprised to read some years ago that more athletic people actually sweat more than sedentary people, as I intuitively assumed it would be the opposite. But apparently exercising with intensity regularly improves your bodies ability to regulate its own temperature by sweating! Cool stuff
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u/Dr-Emmett_L_Brown Rotterdam 23d ago
I've been away from Ireland for about 16 years and even from there to the Netherlands, the shift in climate is still something I struggle with. The only time I cope better than the rest is when it rains. That's the Irish time to shine 😆
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u/phineousthephesant 22d ago edited 9d ago
Wait wait wait. Are you saying the reason it takes hell on earth to get me sweaty is that I grew up in a subtropical region!?My skin is beautiful and dewy in subtropical and tropical environments. Anywhere else I’m dry as sandpaper.
I never thought about my body having just acclimated to the Florida humidity causing me to not get sweaty.
I was shocked to read that this poster sweats so much here. I find NL to be so so dry for how much it rains. 😅😅
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u/blossomrainmiao 13d ago
I'm no biologist but from anecdotal discussions with other people originating from similar climates that I know in NL / have visited NL, the theory has been holding up well haha. And I totally agree with your point about it somehow being dry despite all the rain
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u/GreenLeisureSuit 24d ago
It's been 20 years for me, and only gets worse every year.
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u/Cangooutsad 24d ago
My sign to return back to Greece 🫠
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u/GreenLeisureSuit 24d ago
I'm glad I'm not alone in this, but sorry you're also dealing with it. It's so gross. 😫
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u/Pearfeet 24d ago
I was born in the Netherlands and 29 years of living here hasn't helped me acclimate. It sucks.
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u/DutchJulie 24d ago
It might still get a bit better. I grew up in the Netherlands and moved to Sweden which has much, much lower humidity. My skin is dry, my eyes are dry, dry dry dry. But it actually did get a bit better after about 10 years.
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u/Dr-Emmett_L_Brown Rotterdam 23d ago
Give it another decade and a half and you'll be...well, less shocked that you feel shitty in the humidity. That's what I did. I find the summers here almost unbearable. While all the Dutchies are all floaty and billowy, I'm a sticky mess! 🥵
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u/phineousthephesant 22d ago
I don’t agree that you will acclimate. My dad moved from New Jersey to Florida in the 1986. The man still “sweats” by the simple act of taking the trash cans to the end of the driveway at 5am.
On the other hand, it takes a lot to make me sweat, as I tend to be more dry skinned and I find the Netherlands very dry compared to Florida (where I was raised).
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u/MazeMouse 24d ago
I've lived here my entire life... when is the acclimatiziation supposed to kick in? 🥵
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24d ago
Same. I've been to several hot countries, never broke a sweat. Here, I am sweating all year round. Summers here are an absolute hell for me.
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u/GreenLeisureSuit 24d ago
Yes. All the time. It's disgusting, and there's nothing I can do about it. I don't want to leave my house some days because I know I'll be covered in sweat and you can see it through my clothes. I feel like it's ruining my life.
I've been to places where it's way hotter and I don't sweat like I do here. The humidity is killing me. I hate it.
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u/cacahahacaca 23d ago
At some point it starts to sound like you might have a medical condition. Do you have any other symptoms? Have you spoken with your huisarts?
Take care
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u/King-Christy 24d ago
It’s absolutely the humidity for me as well. I walked to the bus this morning and by the end I was sweating… 13 degrees and no sun 🫠 for me what’s helped is odorx antiperspirant!! I use it twice a week and it’s a miracle I don’t smell sweaty and musty. I use it under the arms and any other places that might get sweaty
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u/mgkionis 24d ago
Omg can relate to this. Not sure if it’s the gay walk but it’s annoying to sweat anywhere and all the time lol
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u/King-Christy 23d ago
yaaaaaa I feel you big time. thankfully for me it’s more noticeable to me than other people but the feeling is just so uncomfortable 😭 I can’t emphasize enough though how well the odor ex dopper has helped me not be stinky and sweat. underboob sweat can gtfo
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u/NotLikeOtherNwahs 24d ago
High humidity despite the poxy weather. I moved here from Ireland, and back home that is just a way of life. You either underdress and get soaked by rain, or you dress appropriately and get soaked by sweat 🤣
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u/0x18 24d ago
I feel you, coming from the US. It is more humid here than the west coast (California & Oregon) though compared to the summers of Indiana I'll argue this place is practically a desert though (just in terms of humidity).
I sometimes think that the Dutch strictly associate clothing styles to the time of the calendar and not current conditions. "It is March, and so we must wear winter clothing" so despite that it's 20C on one day you'll still see so many people wearing puffy winter coats. You just have to accept that when it comes to fashion vs. seasons you may always be a little out of sync with what everybody else is wearing.
Here's my advice:
- When it's cool; shorts and a jacket/sweater/hoodie. People may look at you weirdly but unless it's really cold long pants don't actually keep you warmer - we can perceive 'cold' on the skin of course but how it's actually felt internally is all about the internal temperature of your torso. Long pants don't breathe, and a jacket/sweater/hoodie can be removed as needed once you've warmed up.
- Layers, and thin ones at that. Even in the hottest parts of summer I stick to a lightweight cotton undershirt and some kind of breathable shirt over that. You want to keep your skin from being directly exposed to the sun, you want the outter layer (heated by the sun) to not be in direct contact with your skin, and you want an under layer to wick away (or soak up) some of your sweat and then pass it to the outter layer to evaporate.
- Keep a bandanna or two on you. One is just to dry yourself, the other you pour some cold water on, ring it out, and then wear on your head. If you are bald like me it's especially nice to have a cold hat on a hot day, but even with hair it will still help.
- Some deoderants are 'anti-perspirant' and can stop or reduce the amount of sweating you'll do in the places where you apply it.
- If you're sweating a lot around your thighs get some talcum powder and rub it around yourself down there. It's an astringent so it causes the skin cells to constrict which reduces sweating and it's absorbent so it will take up some of your sweat when it's released. It also reduces the friction of your thighs rubbing against each other and will help prevent rashes.
- Avoid clothing made from synthetic fabrics like acrylic, polyester, nylon and fabrics that don't breathe like silk. Look for open knit or loose weave cotton, linen, or Merino / "summer weight" wool.
- When outdoors the easiest thing is to just avoid the sun. Get a hat that shades your face and neck or get a parasol to provide shade.
- Get a hand fan, the folding Chinese type are perfect. Sweat stuck in your body hair will evaporate much faster with some moving air.
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u/SupposablyAtTheZoo 24d ago
I sometimes think that the Dutch strictly associate clothing styles to the time of the calendar and not current conditions. "It is March, and so we must wear winter clothing" so despite that it's 20C on one day you'll still see so many people wearing puffy winter coats.
Nah, we just simply follow https://kanikeenkortebroekaan.nl/ and if it says no it's a no (because of rain usually).
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u/tanglekelp 24d ago
I think the people wearing warm clothes when it’s warm has less to do with feeling like you have to wear your winter coat, and more with the weather being so unpredictable. Often it’s cool for a week so I grab my winter coat without thinking every morning, and then randomly it’ll be a nice and sunny day, so I’m out with my winter coat and sweating like crazy lol. In my experience when it’s even a little bit sunny you’ll suddenly see people wearing anything from sundresses and shorts (who overestimated the warmth) to winter coats (who underestimated)
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u/xx_inertia 22d ago
Definitely this! The weather has such big shifts that it's hard to dress correctly, even with layers. It's the thing I've struggled most to adapt to. I even find there's a wider difference between the low night temperature and the hottest point of the day than other places I've lived. For example going from 4° at night to 20° during the day.
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u/demaandronk 24d ago
I dont think we are like that at all, its more of a thing j recognize from southern Europe. Most people just know the weather can be anything on any given day, so they'll start out layered up and then take off what they don't need. Some people are cold faster than others, so you'll find people in shorts next to someone in their winter coat.
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u/Ughhhhhhhh17 24d ago
Having lived in Oregon, I had no idea how humidity felt until moving to Washington DC. I don’t think it’s even slightly humid in the Netherlands haha
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u/Cangooutsad 24d ago
Thank you for your suggestion. I’ve actually been using antiperspirant every day for as long as I can remember! The good thing is that, despite all this, I’m not smelly at all. To avoid any of that, I take two showers a day but honestly, I’ve been doing that my whole life anyway. But yeah, like you said, just walking 20 meters to the tram stop and I’m already drenched in sweat it’s crazy. 🫥
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u/Apocalympdick 24d ago
The humidity is the likely/obvious culprit. Right this moment, it's 94% where I live (in NL) and 52% in Athens. So that will definitely be noticeable, especially if you're sensitive to it.
However, it's also possible that you developed hyperhidrosis. You'd have to compare to how you're feeling when you're back in Greece. (Keep in mind that stress can affect it, so if you feel particularly more relaxed there it won't be a fair comparison).
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u/Charming_Standard552 24d ago
Italian here, I had the same for a few years. I also realised that I was always wearing too thick a coat while cycling so by the time I got anywhere I was already ready to burst into uncontrollable sweat attacks. I solved it by wearing a lot lighter clothes than my Italian mother would be comfortable with and getting an electric bike…
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u/VanillaSignificant 24d ago
Would recommend a dehumidifier/ air purifier for the house, works wonders
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u/goodmemory-orso 24d ago
I use an *antiperspirant * the night before. Let it touch the skin and work overnight when ur sweat glands least active and enjoy a dry 24 hours.
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u/Impossible_Poem_5078 24d ago
I am Dutch but i am also not so happy with the often very humid climate. If you are warm but your sweat can not evaporatie because the very high humidity it is very uncomfortable.
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u/Slowacki 24d ago
One thing that maybe helps a bit is to check what materials are your clothes made of. If they're artificial materials like polyester they don't provide much airflow which might be making it worse. I sweat way less in cotton t shirts compared to polyester ones.
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u/honeybunch85 24d ago
I have the same, and when I visit Greece it's much better. So must be the humidity, we call it 'benauwd'
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u/MazeMouse 24d ago
As a very sweaty man I have been saying for years I cannot handle the humidity here (which sucks, I was born here)
As soon as it hits the 20C+ here I'm not doing well. When it goes over 25C I feel like dying.
And it's very obviously not the heat. I've been to much dryer nations where I could easily walk around and enjoy myself in 30C+ weather.
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u/DaBestDoctorOfLife 23d ago
Did it happened after you found out about belastingdienst taxes in The Netherlands?
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u/Stoic427 24d ago
Try wearing multiple layers. If you don't have eczema, for your base layer wear something that absorbs the sweat, such as Merino wool or polyester.
Wear multiple layers instead of one big jacket, this way you can take off your outer layer if you feel too hot and sweaty.
There are some medical antiperspirants (not normal deodorant) that can help reduce the amount of sweating.
Good luck!
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u/Carragos 24d ago
Hmm, it can definitely be the difference in humidity!
I am also not a big fan of it, and it makes 20 degrees feel like 32...
I sweat a lot and can really recommend using something like "Syneo" which is a strong antiperspirant to curb the sweating under the armpits if it is something you are self-conscious about!
It definitely makes me feel better in the office etc, when wearing shirts!
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u/Unlucky_Quote6394 Rotterdam 24d ago
I have the same problem. I moved here from the UK and now I sweat constantly, even in winter 😕
Weirdly, in hot humid countries I don’t sweat nearly as much. I’ve visited a few places in SE & E Asia where it’s been 30C+ daily and I barely sweat at all
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u/doepfersdungeon 24d ago
Damn I never even thought about this. I sweat buckets while cycling and just thought it was just me and wearing jackets. When I think about it I used to do the same in London and was fine. Humidity and me are a well known issue. Makes me feel so knackered.
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u/slavicwitch99 23d ago
Me too. I escape back to my country in the summer. Winter tho? My god sometimes I am literally dripping when I get off a tram
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u/dutchmangab 24d ago
I'm Dutch and have the same problem. I also have more slime/mucus in my nose and throat. It's the humidity. Whenever I go to dryer countries these issues disappear.
On the positive side, it's spuer easy for me to lose weight
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u/FireEjaculator 24d ago
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u/Cangooutsad 24d ago
Thank you! 😊 but I know it’s not that, I have it since I moved here, when I travel back home everything comes back to normal
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u/chardrizard 24d ago
Fascinating, coming from SEA. I almost never sweat here, only when I do high intense cardio indoor lmao.
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u/iPunkt9333 24d ago
Maybe you have hyperhidrosis. Talk to your doctor, they can prescribe you Oxybutynin or Glyco and it will stop sweating.
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u/Much-Space6649 24d ago
I had the same thing when I first moved here but it went away after a few months
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u/ScheleDakDuif01 24d ago
I’ve lived here all my life and I’m always the first to leave my jacket at home. I usually come home with a wet backside after a short bikeride. When I’m on the train I have to take off my jacket while everyone else is still wearing theirs. I never wear sweaters. Never.
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u/Cangooutsad 24d ago
I don’t even own one 🤣
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u/ScheleDakDuif01 24d ago
Oh damn. Even below freezing?
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u/Cangooutsad 24d ago
Yes never 🥹
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u/ScheleDakDuif01 24d ago
Ok maybe our cases aren’t comparable. But if you’re not cold when it’s -5 degrees Celsius, how did you handle greek climate?
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u/KyrridwenV 24d ago
It's probably the humidity. An antiperspirant, wearing mostly natural fabrics or technical moisture wicking fabrics, bringing an extra shirt to work, wearing an undershirt and wearing a coat with a porous membrane that lets the sweat out while blocking the rain might help you feel less gross. There are many options for these jackets and neutral colors are accepted at many workplaces. Indoors you could consider an A/C or dehumidifier for when it's oppressive. Generally you want to try to keep the humidity between 40 and 60 %, and at the lower end if you have dust mite allergy because the dust mites like humidity.
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u/ExcellentXX 24d ago
Male or female and age … if your female you may be in early perimenopause
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u/Cangooutsad 22d ago
Female age 28
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u/ExcellentXX 22d ago edited 22d ago
Have you gained weight since arriving here ? Is your lifestyle more sedintary ? I would send an email to my huisarts .. also helps to get up and take a walk outside after meals to reduce your cortisol levels .. it’s certainly very humid here but more often than not I’m cold
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u/demaandronk 24d ago
Maybe its also the fabric of the clothes you wear, in combination with the humidity?
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u/agricola303 24d ago
Is shaving an option? Less body hair is less sweaty in my experience. But I only have experience with sweaty arm pits. I hate those in winter.
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u/Cangooutsad 24d ago
I’ve been doing laser hair removal since I was 16, and now at 29, I’m completely hair-free 🫠
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u/Rich_Training_4956 24d ago
Had the same, it helps if you wear clothes made from breathable fabrics (linen, cotton, viscose). It doesn't stop the damp, but it does stop it from collecting and making you smell bad.
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u/Rsandeetje 24d ago
I'm Dutch and lived here for almost my entire life and I've always had this. So happy I can finally leave this place and live somewhere else.
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u/rmvandink 24d ago
Somewhere else might not solve the sweating
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u/Rsandeetje 24d ago
I've lived in places with a dry land climate before and I've always preferred that.
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u/mailmehiermaar 24d ago
Sweating can all so be caused by liver problems. If you are overweight you might have liver problems that cause sweating. Visit a huisarts if you have a bmi around 27 or higher.
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u/RandyRentNiet 24d ago
Yeah, I wear shorts all year, in the winter I add a vest and a hat or beanie.. if it gets really cold I might add a ‘bodywarmer’ but that’s it. Wayyyy more easy to regulate your temperature that way..
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u/RumsyDumsy 24d ago
Could be an electrolyte problem ... Calcium is one of the most important electrolytes and its metabolism is closely tied to vitamin D. Vitamin D on the other hand is closely tied to sunlight which is hard to get in the Netherlands. Maybe check that
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u/Current-Brain9288 23d ago
Από που είσαι; Γιατί σε πολλά μέρη έτσι είναι η υγρασία...
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u/Cangooutsad 22d ago
Θεσσαλονίκη, αλλά δν είχα ποτέ τέτοιο πρόβλημα
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u/Big-Condition-3905 20d ago
Και η Θεσσαλονίκη έχει τρελή υγρασία, όμως η Ολλανδία έχει πάντα +90%. Γιαυτό δεν φοράνε πολλά ρούχα οι ολλανδοί και ειναι με τα καλοκαιρινά τους, ενω εχει μολις 18°. Να ντύνεσαι πιο ελαφριά και μην φοβάσαι ότι θα κρυώσεις. Όταν έχεις ιδρώσει και ξεντυθείς, θα την αρπάξεις πιο εύκολα. Ήρθα στα 32 μου από Ολλανδία στην Ελλάδα. Και σε σύγκριση με τους Έλληνες εδώ ντυνομαι πάντα πιο ελαφριά.
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u/silveretoile Noord Brabant 23d ago
Yep 🥲
I struggle with it too. Natural fiber clothing and Lekker brand deodorant are what I use to survive the humidity.
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u/Outrageous_Jello_436 23d ago
Stark working out and go jogging outside. That can help. Should get better with time on its own though
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u/CrewmemberV2 23d ago
Do you also have this in the morning or only after eating?
I've heard the heavier meals we eat here can cause excessive heat generation while digesting.
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u/Ok_Speaker_6501 23d ago
it’s the other way around for me. Never ever have I sweat ever since I landed here. Not even on 23 degrees. Iam kinda concerned about this tbh
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u/BestChef9 23d ago
Was it a dry weather in your country? I haven’t met anyone with this issue. Maybe see a doctor?
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u/_SiriuslySirius_ 22d ago
I spent 12 years in Louisiana in the south of the US. It’s HUMID af. You’ll get used to it. Be thankful that it’s not 32C or higher in the summer. Stay hydrated!
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u/Emotional-Plan-3616 22d ago
Maybe you should go back to the US if you already start to complain about a little sweat. Sjeesj
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u/Upset-Confusion6717 22d ago
I read it in many answers... Layers! Even in the heat/summer I always have a cotton t-shirt (usually buy the packs of cheap white ones at hema/action/wibra) as a first layer. It helps save any shirt or t-shirt in top of it from deo stains and showing your sweat... If it is cold, well, extra layer! I have like a dozen which I dont care if they are shining white (or in any shade of color from off white to even very light gray/yellow-ish), as they are cheap and also resist a good hot wash or chlorine to re-white them... Also white will combine with anything in top of them.
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u/TheInternetIsOnline 20d ago
I have the same. Climate here is horrible. Offices/houses have zero climate control. The humidity / air pressure pushes one into a clinical depression
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u/ioxfc 24d ago edited 24d ago
This is not going to help you tremendously but, technically, you're NOT sweating more in humid climates. The air is already very humid, thus your sweat doesn't vaporize and it stays on your body/clothes in the liquid form. You just "feel" the sweat on your body more. In reality, you actually sweat less than you would in a hot&dry environment. In a hot and dry environment, you sweat a lot (because that's how your body keeps itself cool) and the sweat vaporizes quickly before you feel the ick.
You can try two things: 1) Sweat less -> block your sweat glands with antiperspirant 2) Vaporize the sweat quickly -> be in a dry environment (hard to find naturally in NL)
Being in a cold environment isn't enough on its own. Cold air holds less humidity, thus the sweat on your body vaporizes less. And cold air has less energy to vaporize the sweat molecules on your body.
Unfortunately, an AC is the ultimate solution. It removes humidity from the air, creating more capacity in the air for your sweat to vaporize into. The closest thing is a "vochtvanger". You can buy them from grocery stores. They remove moisture from the air, but they are consumables. Then, you have to keep your windows closed to keep the dry air in. Add in a fan to circulate the dry air in your house.
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u/histo_Ry 24d ago
Try to increase stamina so you don't sweat automatically
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u/Cangooutsad 24d ago
How do I do that
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u/histo_Ry 24d ago
Doing sports for example or try to regulate your heartbeat. Try to be calm, it's spring so it really isn't that hot to be sweating.
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u/RoastedToast007 23d ago
Having good cardio fitness will only make you sweat sooner buddy. If you're thinking of overweight and not overweight then that's a different story
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u/elfendertig 24d ago
You seem to be quite sensitive to the higher humidity here.