Your body has between two to four million sweat glands, and their purpose is to maintain a normal body temperature—and cool you down when it’s above average—by producing sweat. That said, a number of factors could determine how much you perspire, including your gender, the number of sweat glands you have, the intensity of your exercise, and even your weight, according to Medical Daily.

First of all, while women have just as many sweat glands than men, their glands do not produce as much sweat. That’s why men tend to sweat more than women. There’s a surprising explanation why you sweat so much at night, too.

Your fitness regime could also be the culprit behind your proclivity to sweat. Fit people tend to bust a sweat sooner when they exercise because it’s more efficient to perspire while their body temperature remains low. Someone who remains fairly sedentary, on the other hand, may heat up faster and lose more sweat when they exercise. Since fat tends to trap heat and raise the body’s core temperature, overweight people typically sweat more, too.

Want to stop those perspiration problems for good? Try cutting back on your consumption of caffeine and alcohol, as well as smoking; these habits can all cause your sweat glands to go overboard. And ditch synthetic materials (which tend to trap heat close to your body) for lighter, more airy fabrics that allow your skin to breathe. Consulting a doctor might help those who suffer from excess sweating.