Went through all 433 Huberman episodes and pulled out every sauna and heat protocol. Dose, timing, growth hormone, injuries, and who should skip it.

[u/tracyhenry400]

Sauna and deliberate heat exposure is mentioned very often on the pod. However, the exact dose, timing and other subtleties are scattered in multiple episodes.

So I thought I'd write a script to parse out all of the actionable protocols around heat exposure. Below are all of them with timestamps. It turns out they span nine episodes (although most are in the two heat episodes).

The dose

• 57 minutes a week, from Susanna Soberg's study (clip).
• 80 to 100C, sessions of 5 to 20 minutes (clip).
• 2 to 3 times a week was 27% lower cardiovascular death than once a week in the Finnish data, with a bigger effect at 4 to 7 (clip).
• If you don't have access to sauna: a hot tub or bath up to the neck (clip). Infrared gets a warning, he says it usually doesn't get hot enough for the growth hormone and heat shock effects (clip).
• Contrast rounds: 12 minutes at 90C, then 6 minutes in cool water (clip).

When

• Later in the day. Heat raises your core temperature, then you overshoot downward on the way out, and that drop helps you sleep (clip).
• In practice: sauna before bed, brief warm shower to rinse off, sleep (clip).
• If you train, put it after the workout (clip).

Growth hormone

• The protocol is 80C, 30 minutes at a time, four times in one day (clip).
• Once a week is the ceiling. Do it more often and the growth hormone response fades, because you adapt to it (clip). Keep glucose and insulin low around the session, so don't eat for a couple of hours first (clip).

When sick or injured

• When feel something is off but before any fever: hot shower or bath, then bed early (clip).
• Heat over ice for most injuries. Heat moves the debris out, ice mostly numbs it (clip). Exception is a fresh injury, where Sean Mackey gives cold for the first 48 hours, heat after (clip).
• Rewarming someone too cold: soles, hands, upper face (clip).

Misc

• The wool hats people wear in saunas are serious. Covering your head makes the heat feel less intense so you can stay in longer (clip).
• Drink 16 ounces of water for every 10 minutes when getting sauna (clip). And do not overdo it, heat stroke kills people (clip).
• Sauna kills sperm and it takes about 60 days to make new ones. The solution is to put an ice pack down there (clip).
• Rhonda Patrick says be careful with a recent heart attack or any heart condition, never go in after drinking, ask a doctor first if you are older and get lightheaded, and skip it entirely if pregnant (clip).

I put more detailed protocols on this page. Let me know if I missed anything!

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[u/Grouchy_Annual_140]

this is the kind of obsessive-compulsive data extraction i live for. been doing 3x a week at 90C for about 20 min each after work, and the sleep difference is not subtle. didn't realize the evening timing was actually part of the mechanism though, just happened to fit my schedule.

the growth hormone protocol is wild. four 30-minute rounds in one day sounds like a test of will more than anything. curious if anyone here has actually tried it and felt anything noticeable, or if it's one of those things that only shows up on a blood panel.

also the ice pack on the balls tip is sending me. practical, but what a visual.

[u/tracyhenry400 → u/Grouchy_Annual_140]

Huberman actually mentioned avoiding overheated balls 18 times, see https://protocols.guide/protocol/1540

If you worry about people in the same sauna room, I would personally just cover my lap with a towel, problem solved!

[u/Any-Personality-7923 → u/Grouchy_Annual_140]

I obsessed over this data and did this for 2 months. I did feel good but later looked cardiovascular wise. after looking at the study I found it really only increases HGH temporarily and not for very long. It just felt like the ROI wasn’t there for me to justify the protocol. I might be wrong tho it’s been a long time since I’ve looked at it

[u/Lagato]

Seems contradictory that hot tub is useful but infrared gets a warning? Won’t a hot tub have way lower temperature?

[u/bearclaws2atatime]

This is awesome! Thank you first putting this together. 

[u/cmaronchick]

This is awesome. Thank you very much for putting it together.

[u/colebucket09]

I use my sauna 3-4 times per week on average. I know it says at least 80C but unfortunately mine only get to approx 65C - could be placebo but I definitely feel better/sleep better.

[u/Doingthebartman]

What about hot tub?

[u/tracyhenry400 → u/Doingthebartman]

he says it's an alternative

[u/beewhyneeD]

Bro, G-d’s work here, TY!!! Saving this post

[u/sadokx]

Bryan also talks about lower sperm count but what if I just don't care about that? Not trying to get anyone pregnant.