Cold exposure is not a badge of toughness. It’s a stressor.

And if you do it wrong, you can absolutely overdo it.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Susanna Søberg, PhD, scientist and educator specializing in metabolism, cold and heat exposure, and longevity. We break down what cold exposure is actually doing in the body, why brown fat matters for metabolic health, and how women should think about timing cold exposure around PMS, luteal phase, and menstruation.

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In This Conversation:

-Why cold exposure works best when it’s short and strategic

-Brown fat, insulin sensitivity, and why it doesn’t have to be “that cold”

-Cold vs heat for women, and why “better” depends on the outcome

-PMS timing and when to pull back on stressors

-Temperature, time, and the real dose-response of cold exposure

-How to spot viral claims that sound exciting but aren’t science

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Dr. Susanna Søberg, PhD: The Science of Cold Plunges for Women