💡Done properly, heat exposure can have positive effects on your health and physical performance. In the following newsletter, I outline these benefits and provide insights on the optimal ways to experience them.

Safety

Avoid dangerous bodies of water and refrain from deliberate hyperventilation before or during heat exposure. Consult a doctor if you’re unsure about your body’s current condition.

Why Heat? The Science Behind the Sweat

Last newsletter, we talked about the cool benefits of cold exposure.

This time, we will dive in the other side of the coin – heat exposure.

I’ll dive into the science behind its effectiveness and provide you with actionable tips to incorporate it into your routine.

Beyond the simple pleasure of a warm bath, heat exposure offers a range of scientifically proven benefits.

It can unlock a range of physical and mental enhancements.

Let’s explore some key advantages of heat:

• Cardiovascular Health
  • Research indicates that regular heat exposure (2-3 times a week) reduces cardiovascular disease risk by 27% compared to once-a-week sessions.
  • On top of that, increasing frequency to 4-7 sessions per week can further reduce risk by up to 50%!
• Growth Hormone Boost
  • Up to 16x increase in growth hormone levels from a 2-hour daily sauna protocol.
  • This is particularly significant as growth hormone production naturally declines with age.
  • It plays a vital role in muscle repair, metabolism, and overall health.
• DNA Repair and Detoxification
  • Heat exposure activates FoxO3, a protein that plays a crucial role in DNA repair and the removal of damaged cells.
  • This enhanced cellular repair can contribute to overall health and longevity.
• Metabolic Boost and Fat-burning
  • Research suggests that deliberate heat exposure can mimic a “hormetic stress” response in the body.
  • This controlled stress can lead to a metabolic boost, helping your body burn calories more efficiently, where your body is challenged, but you are not overly fatigued.

As we get older, our levels of brown/beige fat that helps generate heat decreases.

Heat exposure can help counter this decline.

Fun Fact: Babies are born with high amounts of brown fat to keep them warm, which is why they do not shiver.

Before You Start

While heat exposure offers significant benefits, there are also some key points to consider:

• Safety First
  • Unlike cold exposure, where there’s a wider range of tolerable temperatures, heat exposure has a narrower safety zone.
  • Listen to your body and avoid exceeding a temperature that feels uncomfortable.
• Endorphins & Dynorphins
  • The initial discomfort you may feel in a sauna is caused by dynorphins, not the “feel-good” endorphins.
  • However, endorphins kick in shortly after, elevating your mood, helping to alleviate pain, lower stress, and enhance your sense of well-being.
• Heat vs. Cold: Finding Balance
  • Both hot and cold exposure have their merits.
  • Consider incorporating both for a well-rounded approach to optimising your health.

The “Secret Sauce” of Hot and Cold

Cycling between hot and cold exposures amplifies the benefits of each one.

A study found that alternating 12 minutes of 90°C sauna with 6-min cool-down break during which the participants were immersed in cold water (10−11°C) for 1 minute helped reduce cortisol(stress) levels.

This dynamic stress primes the body for growth and renewal.

The key is maintaining a balanced stress load.

Not too much, not too little.

You have to listen to your body and adjust the durations and temperatures according to the levels you can manage.

Stressing the body in a controlled manner allows it to positively adapt.

Here’s How To Start with Heat

Follow these tips as a guideline and adjust accordingly to your body condition:

1. Temperature
   • Aim for 80-100°C, the range where most research is based.
   • If you can’t find a facility that goes that hot, it is totally fine and will still work.
   • Find your personal sweet spot of feeling uncomfortable but able to stay in safely.
2. Timing
   • Duration of 5-20 minutes depending on heat intensity
   • If prioritising growth hormones production – Once a week
   • If prioritising cardiovascular health – 2-3 sessions per week
   • Evening sessions can improve sleep quality
3. Fuel Right
   • Avoid eating 2-3 hours before to maximise growth hormone production. This is because it will help to keep your glucose level low.
   • Drink about 500ml of water for every 10 mins in the heat. (Before, during or after is fine, but not too long from the session)
4. Alternate with Cold Exposure
   • Immerse to neck level in cold water of about 10-15°C for about 1-6min.
   • Start with a temperature and duration you can tolerate and progress from there.
5. Use Your Mind
   • Practice mindful breathing and staying calm in the heat to build mental toughness.

Start slow and work your way up!

The Big Picture

Heat exposure offers a powerful set of tools to optimise your health and well-being.

By incorporating these tips and finding a routine that works for you, you can unlock the benefits of heat and experience a healthier, more vital you.

Whether you want better performance, muscle growth, or a long life, practices like heat and cold can be super helpful.

The trick is balancing and cycling them properly for your specific goals.

Neither hot nor cold is better – they’re different tools for different jobs.

Important thing to remember is that consistency is key!

If you found this useful, please share this with anyone who may find it valuable.

I’ll be back again soon with more insights to optimise your wellness journey.

Until next time, stay balanced!

Daryl

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