Podcast 207: Dr. Susanna Søberg on the Benefits of Cold Therapy

It’s time to get uncomfortable. This week on the podcast, we have Dr. Susanna Søberg, a winter swimming expert, best-selling author, and scientist who studies metabolism during stress and rest. Dr. Søberg has extensive experience studying what happens to us on a molecular level when we subject ourselves to frigid temperatures, and how that exposure can provide a host of physical and mental benefits, including stimulating our metabolism. She joins VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes to dive into cold water plunging and how you can ease yourself into the practice if it’s new to you.

Want to see your questions answered? Email us – Podcast@whoop.com – or you can call our listener line (508-443-4952) and leave a voicemail, and your question might be answered on a future episode.

EPISODE CHAPTERS:

• 4:00 – What happens to the skin during cold exposure
• 9:18 – Adapting to cold shock
• 13:14 – The difference between brown fat in men and women
• 16:10 – Other ways to activate brown fat through cold exposure
• 22:13 – How scientists discovered brown fat
• 26:50 – The best time to do cold plunges
• 31:20 – How cold exposure impacts sleep
• 36:15 – How long people should be in the cold water
• 46:40 – What is the #SøbergPrinciple
• 49:30 – The optimal water temperature to benefit from cold therapy
• 55:32 – Combining cold therapy with your workout routine
• 1:01 – How to get over the mental barrier of the cold

Resources:

Winter Swimming

https://www.soeberginstitute.com/