Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman Explains Benefits of the Cold Plunge

00:00 so let's get into the cold plunge how so let's get into the cold plunge how does that manifest with you yeah do you does that manifest with you yeah do you does that manifest with you yeah do you do cold deliberate cold exposure i do do cold deliberate cold exposure i do do cold deliberate cold exposure i do either the ocean which i did this either the ocean which i did this either the ocean which i did this morning which is not morning which is not morning which is not technically that cold it's well for the technically that cold it's well for the technically that cold it's well for the lay person it is called me lay person it is called me lay person it is called me two degrees or something i do the ocean two degrees or something i do the ocean two degrees or something i do the ocean or i do a a cold tank great uh or i do a a cold tank great uh or i do a a cold tank great uh away from the ocean and then i do my away from the ocean and then i do my away from the ocean and then i do my swimming pool as long as it's cold once swimming pool as long as it's cold once swimming pool as long as it's cold once it gets warm i move to the tank great it gets warm i move to the tank great it gets warm i move to the tank great well uh deliberate cold exposure can well uh deliberate cold exposure can well uh deliberate cold exposure can come in a couple of different forms one come in a couple of different forms one come in a couple of different forms one is to get into the ocean the other is to is to get into the ocean the other is to is to get into the ocean the other is to get into an ice bath the other is to get get into an ice bath the other is to get get into an ice bath the other is to get into one of these commercially available into one of these commercially available into one of these commercially available circulating cold baths up to the neck circulating cold baths up to the neck circulating cold baths up to the neck the other is to take a cold shower and the other is to take a cold shower and the other is to take a cold shower and everything i'm about to say pertains to everything i'm about to say pertains to everything i'm about to say pertains to all of those ways of doing it you can all of those ways of doing it you can all of those ways of doing it you can also go outside when it's really cold in also go outside when it's really cold in also go outside when it's really cold in a minimum of clothing provided it's a minimum of clothing provided it's a minimum of clothing provided it's appropriate amounts of clothing i appropriate amounts of clothing i appropriate amounts of clothing i suppose that's not as effective because suppose that's not as effective because suppose that's not as effective because the amount of heat that's transferred the amount of heat that's transferred the amount of heat that's transferred from your body outwards is four times

01:00 from your body outwards is four times from your body outwards is four times what it is in the air when you're in what it is in the air when you're in what it is in the air when you're in water the the michael phelps example is water the the michael phelps example is water the the michael phelps example is a really good one the reason michael a really good one the reason michael a really good one the reason michael phelps could eat 12 000 calories a day phelps could eat 12 000 calories a day phelps could eat 12 000 calories a day is not because he was burning 12 000 is not because he was burning 12 000 is not because he was burning 12 000 calories a day from movement it's calories a day from movement it's calories a day from movement it's because he was doing that movement in because he was doing that movement in because he was doing that movement in water and the heat transfer is so much water and the heat transfer is so much water and the heat transfer is so much greater and when you go swimming and you greater and when you go swimming and you greater and when you go swimming and you get out the reason you're really hungry get out the reason you're really hungry get out the reason you're really hungry is because you burned a ton of calories is because you burned a ton of calories is because you burned a ton of calories oh interesting so for those of you that oh interesting so for those of you that oh interesting so for those of you that are actually trying to burn a lot of are actually trying to burn a lot of are actually trying to burn a lot of calories do you do your exercise in calories do you do your exercise in calories do you do your exercise in water even warm water and the heat water even warm water and the heat water even warm water and the heat transfer is much greater this is not transfer is much greater this is not transfer is much greater this is not often discussed okay some positive often discussed okay some positive often discussed okay some positive effects of deliberate cold exposure i'll effects of deliberate cold exposure i'll effects of deliberate cold exposure i'll just start with what you need in order just start with what you need in order just start with what you need in order to get these effects to get these effects to get these effects it depends on how cold it is so it depends on how cold it is so it depends on how cold it is so everyone's going to say how cold it everyone's going to say how cold it everyone's going to say how cold it should be uncomfortably cold such that should be uncomfortably cold such that should be uncomfortably cold such that your mind is going i really want to get your mind is going i really want to get your mind is going i really want to get out but i can stay in safely right out but i can stay in safely right out but i can stay in safely right because if somebody runs out there and because if somebody runs out there and because if somebody runs out there and jumps in 35 degree ice water right now jumps in 35 degree ice water right now jumps in 35 degree ice water right now you have a heart attack and die you're you have a heart attack and die you're you have a heart attack and die you're that's not going to happen at 60 degrees that's not going to happen at 60 degrees that's not going to happen at 60 degrees unless you're unless you're unless you're you have a heart issue to begin with so you have a heart issue to begin with so you have a heart issue to begin with so the point is it should feel the point is it should feel the point is it should feel uncomfortable you're

02:00 uncomfortable you're uncomfortable you're you should feel some stress that stress you should feel some stress that stress you should feel some stress that stress is the consequence of a molecule called is the consequence of a molecule called is the consequence of a molecule called adrenaline also called epinephrine same adrenaline also called epinephrine same adrenaline also called epinephrine same thing don't ask me why they named it the thing don't ask me why they named it the thing don't ask me why they named it the same thing scientists like to confuse same thing scientists like to confuse same thing scientists like to confuse each other and everybody else but each other and everybody else but each other and everybody else but epinephrine adrenaline same thing epinephrine adrenaline same thing epinephrine adrenaline same thing when you get into cold water and it's when you get into cold water and it's when you get into cold water and it's uncomfortable and you have to slow your uncomfortable and you have to slow your uncomfortable and you have to slow your breathing down a couple of positive breathing down a couple of positive breathing down a couple of positive things happen first of all things happen first of all things happen first of all adrenaline release is the common generic adrenaline release is the common generic adrenaline release is the common generic signature of stress you are deliberately signature of stress you are deliberately signature of stress you are deliberately putting yourself into stress putting yourself into stress putting yourself into stress if you can learn to calm your mind a bit if you can learn to calm your mind a bit if you can learn to calm your mind a bit and and and relax or at least make it through that relax or at least make it through that relax or at least make it through that you are becoming more resilient you're you are becoming more resilient you're you are becoming more resilient you're becoming grittier you know we hear about becoming grittier you know we hear about becoming grittier you know we hear about grit resilience and mental toughness we grit resilience and mental toughness we grit resilience and mental toughness we have examples of you know david goggins have examples of you know david goggins have examples of you know david goggins and these people but you are learning to and these people but you are learning to and these people but you are learning to manage your thinking under conditions of manage your thinking under conditions of manage your thinking under conditions of high adrenaline so the next time someone high adrenaline so the next time someone high adrenaline so the next time someone cuts in front of you or your partner cuts in front of you or your partner cuts in front of you or your partner says something really triggering you says something really triggering you says something really triggering you will maintain clearer thinking and will maintain clearer thinking and will maintain clearer thinking and clearer mode of action which is clearer mode of action which is clearer mode of action which is absolutely adaptive so it's great for absolutely adaptive so it's great for absolutely adaptive so it's great for resilience training the second thing resilience training the second thing resilience training the second thing is that it increases your metabolism not

03:00 is that it increases your metabolism not is that it increases your metabolism not just while you're in the deliberate cold just while you're in the deliberate cold just while you're in the deliberate cold but for many many hours maybe even days but for many many hours maybe even days but for many many hours maybe even days afterwards and here's the reason you afterwards and here's the reason you afterwards and here's the reason you have fat of the blubbery sort that's have fat of the blubbery sort that's have fat of the blubbery sort that's called white fat because it's white called white fat because it's white called white fat because it's white under the microscope and then you have under the microscope and then you have under the microscope and then you have beige fat and brown fat which is dense beige fat and brown fat which is dense beige fat and brown fat which is dense with mitochondria which are the energy with mitochondria which are the energy with mitochondria which are the energy factories within cells deliberate cold factories within cells deliberate cold factories within cells deliberate cold exposure that's uncomfortable stimulates exposure that's uncomfortable stimulates exposure that's uncomfortable stimulates more brown fat which is kind of like the more brown fat which is kind of like the more brown fat which is kind of like the oil in a candle and it does two really oil in a candle and it does two really oil in a candle and it does two really important things it makes you more important things it makes you more important things it makes you more comfortable at cold temperatures so if comfortable at cold temperatures so if comfortable at cold temperatures so if you're somebody who's always feeling you're somebody who's always feeling you're somebody who's always feeling cold you are you need to crank up your cold you are you need to crank up your cold you are you need to crank up your brown fat stores and this is not brown fat stores and this is not brown fat stores and this is not blubbery fat it will help burn off the blubbery fat it will help burn off the blubbery fat it will help burn off the white fat stores white fat stores white fat stores and then the the third and kind of final and then the the third and kind of final and then the the third and kind of final thing is the reduction in inflammation thing is the reduction in inflammation thing is the reduction in inflammation you know inflammation inflammation we you know inflammation inflammation we you know inflammation inflammation we hear all the time it's bad for your hear all the time it's bad for your hear all the time it's bad for your brain it's bad for your body a couple of brain it's bad for your body a couple of brain it's bad for your body a couple of uh it reduces inflammation so uh it reduces inflammation so uh it reduces inflammation so basically what you want to do is get basically what you want to do is get basically what you want to do is get into uncomfortably cold water that is into uncomfortably cold water that is into uncomfortably cold water that is safe for you to stay in for a total of safe for you to stay in for a total of safe for you to stay in for a total of 11 minutes per week that's what the 11 minutes per week that's what the 11 minutes per week that's what the research says i'm drawing from research says i'm drawing from research says i'm drawing from peer-reviewed studies glad you said per peer-reviewed studies glad you said per peer-reviewed studies glad you said per week week week like i do three minutes so that could be like i do three minutes so that could be like i do three minutes so that could be you know one minute one day two minutes

04:00 you know one minute one day two minutes you know one minute one day two minutes another day et cetera it could be four another day et cetera it could be four another day et cetera it could be four minutes three etcetera seeing there's an minutes three etcetera seeing there's an minutes three etcetera seeing there's an accumulated number that's right so accumulated number that's right so accumulated number that's right so that's the threshold to build up these that's the threshold to build up these that's the threshold to build up these brown fat stores that will increase your brown fat stores that will increase your brown fat stores that will increase your metabolism so 11 minutes a week metabolism so 11 minutes a week metabolism so 11 minutes a week you don't minimum yeah minimum you don't you don't minimum yeah minimum you don't you don't minimum yeah minimum you don't need an ocean or pool you can do this in need an ocean or pool you can do this in need an ocean or pool you can do this in a shower okay i go on the road a shower okay i go on the road a shower okay i go on the road i stay in a hotel i do in the shower i i stay in a hotel i do in the shower i i stay in a hotel i do in the shower i don't stay in there for 10 minutes i don't stay in there for 10 minutes i don't stay in there for 10 minutes i just just just but i've been in boston in january and but i've been in boston in january and but i've been in boston in january and just sat in there and just [__] it and just sat in there and just [__] it and just sat in there and just [__] it and put it on cold it'll wake you up it it put it on cold it'll wake you up it it put it on cold it'll wake you up it it hits a lot harder than the ocean does hits a lot harder than the ocean does hits a lot harder than the ocean does and it hits harder than the pool and and it hits harder than the pool and and it hits harder than the pool and even the tank there's something about even the tank there's something about even the tank there's something about it's freezing water just spraying all it's freezing water just spraying all it's freezing water just spraying all over you over you over you yourself but you can you can do it yourself but you can you can do it yourself but you can you can do it it's doable now everyone's i've tried to it's doable now everyone's i've tried to it's doable now everyone's i've tried to talk everyone and their brother into talk everyone and their brother into talk everyone and their brother into doing this stuff and uh number one doing this stuff and uh number one doing this stuff and uh number one answers it's cold answers it's cold answers it's cold just like yes i know [__] just like yes i know [__] just like yes i know [__] i'm not saying we're going there and i'm not saying we're going there and i'm not saying we're going there and enjoying ourselves i'm saying this is enjoying ourselves i'm saying this is enjoying ourselves i'm saying this is the point the point the point because my mom loves little kids she's because my mom loves little kids she's because my mom loves little kids she's like oh hi he's so cute look at the hair

05:00 like oh hi he's so cute look at the hair like oh hi he's so cute look at the hair he had blonde hair he had blonde hair he had blonde hair blonde hair oh so cute and then he blonde hair oh so cute and then he blonde hair oh so cute and then he turned around pulled his eyes back went turned around pulled his eyes back went turned around pulled his eyes back went down down down oh boy oh boy oh boy and i've never seen anything like that and i've never seen anything like that and i've never seen anything like that you know what i mean i didn't know what you know what i mean i didn't know what you know what i mean i didn't know what that is you live on the military base that is you live on the military base that is you live on the military base you don't see that because we're all you don't see that because we're all you don't see that because we're all mixed up you know what i mean mixed up you know what i mean mixed up you know what i mean and uh and i just remember looking at my and uh and i just remember looking at my and uh and i just remember looking at my mom

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