Hydration For Overheating

The heat of summer can leave us exhausted and cause inflammation and flare ups of old injuries. How can we maintain tissue health and embrace the high temps? Protect your watery body, and set yourself up for hydration. There is more to staying hydrated than consuming liquids and vegetables..but that is the foundation, of course!

Movement creates exchange in our tissues that draws in water and other nutrients. Excessive movement breaks down tissue. When there is not enough hydration, we repair with a thicker, more collagenous, less flexible quality of tissue. Taking time to recover from strenuous activity with cool down and rest supports the rehydration process. Activity that may not normally be strenuous for you may become so in extreme heat, and so restoring hydration to keep the body free of restriction may take a little more attention during hot weather.

Usually, a yoga class will end in savasana, a posture of supported surrender where the practitioner integrates the benefits of practice. During this rest, the cells ideally come to rest and restore mode where they can replenish their stores of water. This also happens when we are sleeping, so getting enough rest is important for hydration. If you have trouble sleeping during hot weather, try some restorative yoga, such as the savasana pictured here. I have been taught that fifteen minutes of restorative yoga is equivalent to hours of sleep.

So stay cool, drink pure water, and if you find yourself lying on the floor sweltering, practice a few poses while you're down there!