As temperatures rise, staying hydrated becomes more than just a good habit – it’s crucial for your health and safety. Understanding why and how to properly hydrate can help you avoid serious health risks during the warmer months. Your body is an incredible machine, and sweating is its primary cooling mechanism; however, when you sweat, you lose water, which needs to be replaced. Additionally, most chemical processes within your body occur in a water medium. This means that if you’re not adequately hydrated, your body cannot operate efficiently. It’s also important to note that age affects hydration needs. As people age, their bodily responses, such as temperature and thirst regulation, tend to slow down, making them particularly vulnerable to dehydration or heat exhaustion.

Target heart rate (HR) is a great way to measure exercise intensity to get the most out of your workout. (Click here to learn how to calculate your target heart rate.) For most people, it provides an accurate way to measure the safety of an activity in relation to the percentage of your maximum heart rate. However, for some people, because of several medications that regulate HR (such as beta blockers) or the inability to acquire a device that monitors HR, using HR alone to measure exercise intensity can be challenging.

As a new year begins, so do new health insurance deductibles and benefits. It’s important to be aware of your healthcare expenses to plan for the year ahead. For those seeking physical rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, it’s important to remember that your health insurance plan may not cover unlimited sessions. Understanding how to make the most of your visits covered by insurance is key to maximizing your benefits. Read on to learn how you can get the most out of your therapy visits while extending the time spent on your recovery to achieve your goals.