Deliberate Cold and Heat Protocols
Match your cold and sauna dosing to the exact outcome you want, from metabolism to growth hormone
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 85%
Cold and heat are among the most powerful stimuli for driving dopamine, adrenaline, and hormonal responses, but the same tools produce different effects depending on dose, order, and timing, so the protocol must follow the goal. For metabolism and resilience, at least 11 minutes of uncomfortable-but-safe cold per week and ending on cold, the Soberg principle, forces natural rewarming as a thermogenic response. For inflammation reduction, cold goes after a workout, but not after hypertrophy training where it blunts gains. For a large growth-hormone effect, once-per-week sauna done as long cycles matters more than frequency. Cold heats the body up afterwards while heat produces a post-session temperature dip, so cold suits mornings and sauna can suit evenings.
Origin
Assembled by Dr Andrew Huberman on Modern Wisdom from peer-reviewed work, including Susanna Soberg on cold and Craig Heller on thermogenesis.
Core principles
- 01The protocol should follow the goal, not the other way around
- 02Ending on cold forces natural rewarming and a thermogenic metabolic response
- 03Cold after hypertrophy training blunts the adaptation you trained for
- 04Big growth-hormone effects come from long, infrequent heat, not daily use
- 05Timing shifts effects: cold heats you up, heat cools you down afterwards
How to run it
- 1
Name the outcome
Decide whether you are after metabolism and resilience, reduced post-exercise inflammation, or a growth-hormone spike. The dosing differs for each.
Watch out Do not chase every benefit at once; conflicting timing rules cancel out.
- 2
Dose cold for metabolism
For metabolism and resilience, accumulate at least 11 minutes of uncomfortable-but-safe cold per week, for example roughly 3 minutes across several days.
Pro tip Spread it out or do more; the weekly minimum is the anchor.
- 3
End on cold (Soberg principle)
When using cold for metabolism, finish on cold so your body must rewarm itself, which is a thermogenic metabolic response. It also wakes you up.
Pro tip Skip the warm shower afterwards; a cool rinse to clean off is fine.
- 4
Place cold correctly around training
For inflammation, get in the cold after a workout for a few minutes. Avoid cold immediately after hypertrophy training, where it blunts the size and strength adaptations.
Watch out Post-hypertrophy cold sacrifices the very gains you trained for.
- 5
Program heat for growth hormone
For the biggest growth-hormone effect, do sauna once per week as four cycles of about 30 minutes with short breaks, at 187 to 212F, hydrating with adequate salt.
Pro tip Timing matters for sleep: cold earlier in the day, sauna can go later since it produces a post-session temperature dip.
Watch out Heat can kill you; hydrate, salt, and stay within a safe range. Frequent hot sauna reduces viable sperm for those trying to conceive.
In the wild
Rather than daily sauna, you do a single weekly session: 30 minutes in the sauna, a short air-cooling break, another 30 minutes, then repeat the pair later in the day, totalling about two hours with minimal rest between rounds. It is brutal and demands hydration and salt.
→ Studies show up to a 16-fold increase in growth hormone from this once-weekly protocol, with the effect diminishing if done too often.
Common mistakes
Cold straight after a hypertrophy session
Cold immediately after muscle-building work blunts the size and strength adaptations you were training for.
Daily sauna for growth hormone
The large growth-hormone response depends on long, infrequent sessions; doing sauna too often diminishes the effect as you become heat-adapted.
Is it for you?
Best for
Trainees and biohackers who want cold and heat exposure tuned for a specific goal like recovery, metabolism, or growth hormone.
Not ideal for
Males actively trying to conceive should limit hot baths and sauna, which reduce viable sperm count.
From the transcript
“the threshold you're trying to hit each week is at least 11 minutes of uncomfortable but safe cold exposure per week total”
“the biggest effects of sauna on growth hormone are when the sauna is only done once per week but it's done in four Cycles of…”
From the episode
The Science Of Peak Performance - Dr Andrew Huberman - #496
Dr Andrew Huberman