This week’s episode focuses on the recovery benefits of cold therapy and cold plunges. Winter swimming expert and best-selling author Dr. Susanna Søberg joins WHOOP VP of Performance Science, Kristen Holmes, for a discussion around one of the top growing recovery behaviors. She has a Ph.D. in metabolism, is the founder of the “Søberg Institute,” and is the leading mind behind the #SøbergPrinciple. Susanna and Kristen will discuss what happens to the skin during cold exposure (4:00), how to best adapt to cold shock (9:18), the difference between brown fat in men and women (13:14), the other ways to activate brown fat through cold exposure (16:10), how scientists first discovered brown fat (22:13), the best time in the day to do cold plunges (26:50), how cold exposure impacts sleep (31:20), how long people should be submerged in cold water (36:15), the #SøbergPrinciple (46:40), the optimal water temperature to benefit from cold therapy (49:30), combining cold therapy with your workout routine (55:32), and how to get over the mental barrier of the cold (1:01:14).Resources:Winter SwimmingThe Søberg InstituteSupport the show

This week’s episode is all about nutrition and learning how to create a diet plan that works for your body. WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by Co-Founder and CEO of Whole30, Melissa Urban. Melissa is a recovered addict, nutritionist, and a seven-time New York Times bestselling author who realized she needed to change her habits and her life in order to maintain her recovery – which caused her to examine her relationship with food and its impacts on her body. The two will discuss Melissa’s background and battling addiction (3:03), the importance of setting boundaries (5:40), how to deal with others while trying to make personal changes (8:05), how Whole30 started and grown over the years (10:40), changing the relationship with the scale (12:51), the process of elimination foods (14:50), the moment Melissa realized the positive impacts of Whole30 (16:13), the concept of a health reset (19:40), making Whole30 accessible to everyone (22:48), reintroducing foods back into a diet (25:10), how context matters when it comes to eliminating foods (27:35), tips on how to use WHOOP data to make better food and sleep choices (28:35), Melissa’s sleep data (34:31), how Melissa keeps people motivated to stick to their programs (36:35), her new book The Book of Boundaries (38:55), her concussion and how it has impacted her over the years (43:20), how she combats anxiety and other recovery tips (47:05), and how nutrition is the foundation for a healthy lifestyle (54:23).Resources:Melissa Urban Whole30The Book of BoundariesSupport the show

We’re at the mid-way point of January and this week’s episode is a compilation of tips and tricks to stick to your goals. It takes 21 days for a new behavior to become a habit so we have 21 minutes of insight and expertise on how you can set yourself up for success and achieve your January Jumpstart resolutions. WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes sets the stage by explaining the Goldilocks Rule (0:51), author and endurance athlete Rich Roll explains the importance of taking a leap of faith (3:00), Super Bowl Champion Steve Weatherford shares his insight on how to feel better in your life by developing a routine and rhythm, Paralympic track star Scout Bassett highlights how leaving your comfort zone can help you achieve your goal (11:20), Olympic diving gold medalist Tom Daly talks about living in the moment and taking the pressure off of yourself (14:55), and finally CrossFitter Noah Ohlsen offers his tips for getting a good night’s sleep (18:20). Resources:Rich Roll EpisodeSteve Weatherford EpisodeScout Bassett EpisodeTom Daly EpisodeNoah Ohlsen EpisodeSupport the show

On this week’s episode, WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by Sharecare Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jud Brewer. Dr. Jud shares his insight on psychology and neuroscience to discuss the difference between anxiety and stress (4:03), what our mind is doing in a moment of anxiousness (6:02), how to approach habit change and habit loops (12:40), becoming aware of your habit loops (15:29), finding a way to be okay with our own thoughts and stresses (19:36), vices that cause worrying and how to break their respective habit loops (21:51), how awareness is key to understanding habits (30:20), becoming more consistent in our daily life through self-awareness (36:50), using stress to your advantage (42:27), how Dr. Jud changed his commute to break a bad habit (45:34), how different mindstates impact the reward hierarchy (49:25), and how we can all spread the work to become more self-aware and mindful (52:40).Resources:Dr. Jud's Website Dr. Jud's YouTubeUnwinding Anxiety Map My Habit Support the show

We are kicking off the new year with a show that will help you get a jump start on your resolutions. Our VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by behavioral scientist and WHOOP Scientific Advisory Council member Dr. Gina Merchant to share her insights on behavioral change. Dr. Merchant and Kristen discuss creating the framework for change (3:18), intrinsic and extrinsic motivations (7:38), how core values can impact changing habits (11:08), the science behind behavior change (16:08), the non-negotiables for creating new behaviors (18:49), the interpersonal aspect of committing to altering your lifestyle (22:01), the impact of making small changes day-to-day (26:58), self-monitoring while achieving goals (32:33), unpacking self-determination theory (34:27), how social media can impact change (38:58), quitting cold turkey (42:16), developing long-term changes and self-reporting (45:58), and how competition can help fuel habit-forming (50:40).Resources:Gina’s WebsiteGina’s LinkedInConnected by Nicholas A. Christakis and James Fowler Support the show

During 2022 we spoke to Olympic champions, Hall of Fame athletes, and leading experts in various fields of research and human performance – and this week, we’re sharing our favorite conversations. It’s an episode that’s equal parts education and inspiration. Throughout our Best Of episode, you’ll hear from Emily Capodilupo on alcohol’s effect on the body (2:41), Andy Blow on hydrating to prepare for a night of drinking (5:55), Dr. Hazel Wallace on creating better nutritional habits (8:48), Dr. Maya Shankar on how to stay committed to goals (13:45), Reggie Miller on how practice led him to a winning mindset (19:12), Michael Phelps on his battle with depression and anxiety (24:24), Sloane Stephens on mental health and being open to understanding others (31:15), Dr. Andrew Huberman on breathing protocols to reduce stress and improve health (36:41), and Brian MacKenzie on the benefits of nose breathing (42:43).Resources:Ep. 171 Michael PhelpsEp. 173 Sloane StephensEp. 181 Andy BlowEp. 184 Brian MacKenzieEp. 185 Emily Capodilupo on AlcoholEp. 192 Maya ShankarEp. 193 Reggie MillerEp. 195 Dr. Andrew HubermanEp. 198 Dr. Hazel WallaceSupport the show

On this week’s episode, Emily Capodilupo SVP of Data Science and Research at WHOOP joins the show to take a deep dive into the year that was 2022. Will and Emily will unpack 2022’s top trends, behaviors, and activities across the WHOOP Community. They’ll discuss sleep trends throughout the WHOOP community (2:05), the cities that slept the most and the least (8:10), nap statistics within the WHOOP community (9:50), the recovery trends from 2022 (10:45), the top positive and negative behaviors affecting recovery (15:35), joining the 1% Club (28:25), how supplements impact your recovery (30:07), the top mental health behaviors and diets related to recovery (31:12), circadian health and sleep behaviors (32:45), strain and activity trends throughout the year (35:58), the WHOOP Geographical Superlatives (41:20), and the top journal behaviors recorded during 2022 (45:40).Support the show

This week’s episode is all about unlocking the exercises to improve long-term cognitive function and brain health. WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by neuroscientist Dr. Tommy Wood to discuss his background in neuroscience and pediatrics (2:50), the mind-body connection (4:38), the framework for optimal brain health (6:40), the importance of committing to sleep (10:58), how nutrients affect overall brain health (16:00), the effect of creatine and creatinine (20:15), how general movement influences the brain (22:05), the amount of exercise needed to see a positive change in cognitive function (25:33), how reducing stress can lead to better brain health (28:13), the best ways to recover to improve cognitive function (31:40), how to start exercising to optimize brain health (34:19), developing a strength training program (37:45), training to avoid dementia and improve long-term health (41:27), the ideology of Movement Snacks (46:06), and how to find Tommy’s research (49:10).Resources:Dr. Tommy Wood on InstagramDr. Tommy Wood on TwitterEllen J. Langer Study on Sleep Duration and Cognitive PerformanceMarc Hamilton Study on Seated Calf RaisesSupport the show

This week, we are diving deep into the science behind circadian rhythms and shift work. WHOOP VP of Performance Science Kristen Holmes is joined by sleep expert Dr. Greg Potter. Dr. Potter is here to shed light on the secrets of regulating circadian rhythms and his research around sleep, nutrition, and metabolism. Kristen and Dr. Potter discuss the risks of shift work on the body (3:50), the optimal timing for employers to schedule shift work employees (8:55), the process of sleep homeostasis (13:55), the circadian process (14:53), what zeitgebers are and how they influence circadian rhythms (17:51), how to shift your biological clock (23:56), how to schedule your meals (27:29), the positive and negative effects of caffeine consumption (31:18), developing a pre-bed relaxation routine (36:46), melatonin and other supplements for sleep (38:42), the best ways to restrict light exposure (42:36), the L-Glycine and L-Theanine proteins (45:36), how exercise can aid metabolic health (47:09), and how to manipulate zeitgebers to adapt to a new time zone and dealing with jet lag (51:38).Resources:Dr. Greg PotterCheri Mah's Study on Sleep and Athlete PerformanceClaudio Moreno's Study on Melatonin Support the show

This week Kristen Holmes, VP of Performance Science at WHOOP, is joined by author and nutritionist Dr. Hazel Wallace for a conversation around a holistic approach to nutrition and women’s health. The two discuss Dr. Wallace’s latest book The Female Factor (1:43), nutrition’s impact on health (4:09), the biggest misconception around nutrition (6:42), how to start creating better nutritional habits (8:44), the potential risks of disease and poor nutrition habits (10:59), how to manage cholesterol through nutrition and what it means for the body (13:28), metabolism during sleep and eating during shift work (17:31), eating meals late in the evening before bed (23:21), the link between food and mood (25:03), the nutritional differences between men and women (29:28), the act of sequencing foods (33:40), the difference between insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance (34:38), explaining what PCOS is (36:55), intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding for women (41:14), understanding the body during the menstrual cycle (45:33), training and strain during the menstrual cycle (47:04), and the difference between probiotics and prebiotics (48:53).Resources:The Food MedicThe Female FactorSupport the show