Freeze Your Way to Health: Cold Exposure Isn’t Optional Anymore: Why You Need to Adapt or Fall Behind
The ancient power of cold stress meets modern science — and why learning to thrive under pressure might just save your health (and your future).
A couple of years back, I was digging around for IV drips and other wellness therapies in my area. I stumbled across a place called Restore Hyper Wellness.
They offered IV drips, hyperbaric chambers, red light therapy, cryotherapy... basically a playground for anyone serious about natural health. Stuff you won’t find talked about on CNN or by your local pharmacist, but if you’re in the biohacking world, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
At the time, life happened. I got pulled into other projects. Never actually made it there.
Fast forward a few years. I'm listening to one of my go-to podcasts, the Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast and he’s interviewing a woman from London who specializes in cryotherapy. She's talking about the extreme benefits of it... and something clicked.
Now, I’ve done ice baths before.
(And by the way—contrary to what you hear online—you don’t need to dunk yourself into freezing water to get benefits. Studies show just hitting that 50–60°F range can be enough to ramp up your immune system, make you more resilient, and actually start reconditioning your body to adapt better.)
Even just finishing your shower with a blast of cold water for 1-2 minutes? Game changer.
But coming from up north where it hits 10°, sometimes even dips below zero, I already knew that natural cold exposure makes you feel alive. Invigorated. After every freezing dip, I felt sharper, stronger, more ready for life.
So after hearing that interview about cryotherapy, I decided to take action. Looked up Restore Wellness again. Booked an appointment.
Walked in, and immediately you could tell the place was dialed in. Knowledgeable staff. Clean setup. Good energy.
They handed me a towel wrap (let’s be real, it’s basically a cold-weather kilt), gave me socks and mitts…because you need to protect your extremities…and brought me to the chamber.
Here’s the deal:
This isn’t some drawn-out process. Cryotherapy is quick. About two and a half minutes.
But it hits HARD.
We’re talking negative 180°F almost instantly.
I wasn’t scared, but I was curious. That's some serious cold.
I picked my music (Journey’s Separate Ways…strong choice, right?) and stepped into the chamber.
At first? Not too bad.
Then, the last minute hits.
And that’s when the real work begins. You can feel your sympathetic nervous system, your fight-or-flight, switch on. It’s exactly what you want. Controlled stress. Adaptation training.
The last 30 seconds, the cold gets inside your bones. Your body wants to panic. You close your eyes. You have to breathe through it. Find your center.
And when the timer finally buzzed and I stepped out? They immediately checked my skin temp.
Dropped to 63°F.
Perfect.
The tech smiled and said, "You're very adaptable. Next time, we’ll either drop the temperature even lower... or go longer."
Some people work their way down to negative 220°F for up to 3 minutes.
I'm in no rush. I’ll build it up smart.
Here’s what I noticed:
No fatigue.
No afternoon crash.
Sharp, clear, energized.
It actually felt better than any ice bath I’ve ever taken.
And the science backs it up: extreme cold like cryotherapy produces deeper benefits than cold plunges alone. It hits your system fast, hard, and trains your body for adaptability, longevity, and resilience at a cellular level.
Afterward, I finished the session with some red light therapy, another favorite of mine for mitochondrial health and recovery.
And let me tell you…this wasn't just "feel good" wellness nonsense.
This was real, tangible, next-level restoration.
Why Cryotherapy Matters (and Why You Should Care)
No, not everyone’s going to go jump into a cryotherapy chamber tomorrow. I get that.
But here’s why I’m sharing this:
If you aim HIGH in your health practices, if you push for the “big wins” like cryotherapy, red light therapy, hyperbaric…it makes knocking out the "small stuff" 100x easier.
I'm talking about:
Getting your blood sugar under control
Cutting out the sugar and processed carbs
Clearing parasites, heavy metals, and chemical toxins from your body
Beating fatigue, brain fog, infections
You shoot for the high ground first and the low-hanging fruit becomes easier to grab.
Most people are fighting for their health from the bottom up. They’re stuck. They’re frustrated. They’re overwhelmed.
What if you flipped the model?
What if you built resilience first, instead of waiting for the system to keep managing your sickness?
That’s the power of therapies like cryotherapy. It's not a "luxury" thing. It's not for Instagram influencers. It's real stress training for real humans.
And right now?
You need to be stronger than ever. Physically. Mentally. Spiritually.
Cryotherapy is one tool…one weapon…in that arsenal.
I’ll be back for round two. And three. And beyond.
Because your body is designed to heal, but it’s YOUR job to give it the environment it needs to thrive.
Take ownership.
Build the vessel.
Win your health back.
Start today.
To Longevity,
Dr. Jason Dean