Dr. Craig Heller on Huberman Lab: How Palm Cooling Works

Glabrous skin on the palms, soles, and upper face dissipates heat through AVAs; cooling these spots between sets extends reps and delays muscular fatigue.

Andrew HubermanhostCraig Hellerguest

Aug 7, 202531mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: August 7, 2025
Duration: 31m
Channel: Huberman Lab
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, my guest is Dr. Craig Heller, PhD, a professor of biology at Stanford University and a world expert on the science of temperature regulation. We discuss how the body and brain regulate temperature in different conditions and why conventional cooling methods, such as placing ice packs on the neck, do not effectively reduce core body temperature. Dr. Heller explains why cooling glabrous skin areas—the palms, soles and upper face—efficiently releases body heat and can significantly enhance physical performance and endurance. We discuss how targeted palmar cooling improves both short-term performance and long-term training adaptation in aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/aERGXSD Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past full-length Huberman Lab episodes. Watch the full-length episode: https://youtu.be/77CdVSpnUX4 Watch more Huberman Lab Essentials episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPNW_gerXa4OGNy1yE-W9IX-tPu-tJa7S *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Craig Heller 00:00:26 Deliberate Cold Exposure, Cold Showers, Ice Baths; Vasoconstriction 00:02:26 Cold Shower vs Cold Immersion, Boundary Layer, Tool: Improve Aerobic Exercise Performance 00:04:54 Anerobic Exercise & Overheating, Muscle Failure, Muscle Fatigue 00:07:19 Anerobic Exercise, Heat, Cool Down with Ice Water or Cold Towel? 00:09:42 Should You Cool Body/Head to Lower Body Temperature?, Hyperthermia, Heat Stroke 00:13:30 Body Sites for Quick Cooling: Palms, Soles & Upper Face, Glabrous Surfaces 00:16:01 Tool: Loosen Grip & Performance; Gloves & Socks 00:17:33 Cooling Brain via Upper Face; Offset Concussion? 00:19:50 Enhance Anerobic Performance & Cooling Palms, Heat Loss 00:23:05 Improve Aerobic Endurance & Cooling Palms 00:24:00 CoolMitt; Ice Cold Is Too Cold 00:27:00 Tool: Use Palmer Cooling to Enhance Performance; Cooling Palms, Soles & Face 00:30:42 Acknowledgments Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

SPEAKERS

Andrew Huberman
host
Craig Heller
guest

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Huberman Lab, featuring Andrew Huberman and Craig Heller, Dr. Craig Heller on Huberman Lab: How Palm Cooling Works explores boost Strength and Endurance by Smart Cooling of Body’s Heat Portals Dr. Andrew Huberman and Stanford physiologist Dr. Craig Heller explain how targeted cooling of specific skin regions can markedly increase strength, endurance, and safety during exercise.

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