#322 The New Science of Cold Exposure: Reduce Stress, Boost Immunity & Increase Resilience with Dr Susanna Søberg

<p>Cold showers, icy plunge pools, outdoor swimming – are you a fan, or does the very idea make you shiver? Today’s podcast is all about one of the biggest wellness trends of the past few years: cold water immersion therapy. My guest is Dr Susanna Søberg who is arguably one of the leading researchers on the topic.</p><br><p>Susanna studied at the University of Copenhagen, looking at metabolism and the role of brown fat. Her research on the physiology of deliberate cold and heat exposure is helping to back up what many cultures have known instinctively for thousands of years – changing our temperature is good for us. Her new book <a href="https://amzn.to/3i7IMCW" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Winter Swimming: The Nordic Way Towards a Healthier and Happier Life</em></a><em> </em>is a beautifully illustrated volume, which looks at cold-water traditions around the world and shares what incredible benefits they can provide for our health and wellbeing.</p><br><p>In this conversation, Susanna talks us through the many physical benefits, from increased metabolism, immunity and lowered insulin resistance, to the potential to reduce excess weight and ease muscle and joint pain. The key player in all these benefits? Brown fat, a type of healthy fat stored around the spine that acts as our body’s temperature regulator, boosts metabolism and can even aid blood-sugar response and weight control. The more we expose ourselves to the cold, the more brown fat cells we have. So it’s a case of use it or lose it.</p><br><p>There are also incredible mental health benefits from engaging with the cold. The very act of pushing out of your comfort zone and braving the cold can give you a sense of confidence. It releases mood-boosting hormones and exposes us to a form of ‘healthy stress’, building our resilience to modern life. It’s also the ultimate in mindfulness – a sensory experience that takes you out of your head and into your body.</p><br><p>In 2021 Susanna published research setting out the minimum amount of time t