"Nothing Spikes Dopamine Like 1 Minute of This" - Andrew Huberman
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Deliberate cold exposure leads to a prolonged rise in dopamine and norepinephrine above baseline levels. What's particularly interesting is this boost in dopamine occurs without an apparent subsequent drop in dopamine below baseline levels which is in stark contrast to drugs of abuse. Those substances cause large and rapid spikes in dopamine followed by drops below baseline levels (the crash), which can be quite detrimental.
In this video, Andrew also details:
- Why he "counts walls" during deliberate cold exposure
- Why cold exposure enhances stress tolerance
- Why deliberate cold exposure may benefit stress resilience by cultivating an interoceptive sense of overcoming or "moving through" stress
- Why Dr. Andrew Huberman believes early-day adrenaline from cold-water immersion may enhance nighttime sleep quality, particularly REM sleep
- Effective cold plunges alternatives for boosting dopamine
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Cold stress News
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- Boy survives after being under water for 42 min! His blood was warmed, re-oxygenated then pumped back into his body.
- Being Colder May Be Good For Your Health
- Ability to convert white fat into energy-burning beige fat is blunted in obese, and more importantly, inflammation inhibits its transformation
- Cooling babies who are at risk of brain damage because they had been deprived of oxygen during birth can reduce brain damage.
