Plunge into Cold Therapy: Reduce Stress, Sleep Better, Get Stronger with Dr. Susanna Søberg
Oct 2, 2023
auto_awesome
Dr. Susanna Søberg, a leading expert on cold therapy, discusses the mental and physical benefits of cold therapy. Cold therapy can reduce stress, improve sleep, strengthen cells, and enhance overall health and performance. The podcast explores the benefits of cold therapy, protocols for beginners, and the importance of temperature variation. It also discusses risks and precautions, along with the guest's book and training recommendations.
Cold therapy offers both mental and physical benefits, such as increased focus, motivation, and positive mindset, improved cardiovascular health, pain relief, and enhanced sleep quality.
When engaging in cold therapy, it is important to take precautions, start slowly, and acclimate gradually to avoid endangerment, and to find a balance between pushing oneself and ensuring safety.
Deep dives
Benefits of Cold Therapy for Mental and Physical Health
Cold therapy, such as cold showers or cold plunges, offers numerous benefits for both mental and physical health. Cold exposure can help increase focus, motivation, and positive mindset. It also improves cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure and reducing inflammation. Additionally, cold therapy can provide pain relief and enhance sleep quality. By activating cold shock proteins and white blood cells, it promotes plaque removal from blood vessels, improves blood flow, and supports immune function. Just a few minutes of cold water immersion, two to three times a week, can yield significant health benefits.
Precautions and Risks of Cold Therapy
While cold therapy has many benefits, certain precautions must be taken. Individuals with unregulated high blood pressure, heart problems, or type 2 diabetes should consult with their healthcare providers before engaging in cold water exposure. Pregnant women are advised to avoid cold water immersion due to the lack of research on its effects on fetal health. It's essential to start slowly and acclimate to the cold gradually, avoiding extreme temperatures. Cold therapy should provide discomfort, but not to the point of endangerment. It is crucial to find a balance between pushing oneself and ensuring safety.
Optimal Cold Therapy Practices
To obtain maximum benefits from cold therapy, it is recommended to start with water temperatures above freezing point, around 15 degrees Celsius, and progressively work towards lower temperatures. Exposing the body to cold water for one to two minutes, two to three times a week, with multiple dips and alternating with sauna sessions, can yield significant results. Cold therapy should be viewed as a form of healthy stress, micro-stressing the body to enhance adaptation and overall health. It's important to listen to one's body and gradually increase exposure to cold water over time, instead of pushing too hard too soon.
What are the mental and physical benefits of cold therapy?
There’s one element of my morning routine that I get asked about a lot: taking a cold shower. Even though we’ve talked about cold therapy before, the idea of submersing yourself in cold water can be intimidating. But there are numerous benefits for both your body and mind that cold therapy can provide.
I’m excited to welcome leading international scientist and expert on cold therapy, Dr. Susanna Søberg, to our show today. Dr. Søberg is the Founder of the Søberg Institute and the Thermalist Cure. She’s here to talk more about her new book, Winter Swimming: The Nordic Way Towards a Healthier and Happier Life.
Cold therapy might be uncomfortable at first, but research shows it’s good for you. It can help reduce stress, optimize sleep, strengthen cells, and improve your overall health and performance. If you want to understand the science behind cold therapy and learn some simple protocols for where to start, this episode is for you.
If you’re inspired, I want to invite you to join me in my brand NEW 10-day course, specifically designed to boost your productivity. I know it sounds too good to be true, but I give you step-by-step guides using the accelerated learning model to help you get more done and achieve your goals.