How Cold Can Supercharge Your Metabolism and Help Shed Pounds
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Let’s be real—nobody likes being cold. It’s uncomfortable, your fingers go numb, and all you can think about is wrapping yourself in a blanket burrito. But what if I told you that a little chill might actually be good for you?
Science is starting to reveal that embracing the cold—within reason—can have some surprising health benefits. From revving up your metabolism and weight loss to insulin sensitivity and improving your sleep, a little shiver might be just what your body needs.
So, before you crank up the thermostat, let’s break down why stepping out of your comfort zone (literally) could be a game-changer for your health.
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Is Being Cold Good For You? The Surprising Science Of Metabolism And Healthy Weight
01) Activates Brown Fat
One of the benefits of being cold is that it activates brown fat, a part of the body that burns a lot of calories. Unlike white fat, which is essentially just calorie storage, brown fat is metabolically active and involved in multiple processes, including, paradoxically, keeping you lean.
Research shows that people who have more brown fat tend to have lower overall body fat and more leanness. Something about the presence of brown fat protects them and allows their metabolism to continue functioning well, even with age.
According to the National Library of Medicine, cold exposure can increase brown fat activity and lead to all sorts of metabolic changes that are good for you. Even just 20% more of this fat can have a profound influence on overall health. You can boost brown fat by taking a 30-second cold shower on your upper back before switching to warm. This quick, cold burst is usually all that's needed to retain and maintain health.
02) Increases Your Metabolic Rate
Ever notice how you shiver when it’s cold? That’s your body working overtime to stay warm—and it’s burning extra calories in the process.
Usually, most people burn around 1500 calories per day just from doing nothing. This energy is essential for maintaining a constant temperature so that the body can do its thing (i.e., power all its cellular processes). When you expose yourself to the cold, you change this dynamic. Suddenly, the body has to work much harder to stay warm, increasing its calorie consumption substantially.
If you want to be a little cold, limit the amount of time you do it. Going for a brisk walk for a few minutes in the morning on a cold day just wearing a tee shirt can be enough. Or you can lower the heating in your home to, say, 65°F, which will feel a little cool, and spend the morning working in this low heat. These slightly lower temperatures are highly effective at encouraging a higher metabolism.
03) Supports Insulin Sensitivity
Cold exposure can also improve insulin sensitivity, as mentioned in the introduction, which is excellent news for diabetics (people living with diabetes). Being cold appears to regulate blood sugar levels better (through relatively unknown mechanisms), leading to superior outcomes.
Combining cold exposure with other insulin-sensitizing practices, like reducing inflammatory food consumption and saturated fat, can also help. It assists with un-gumming the work inside cells, acting as a kind of cellular key that unlocks cells so that they can accept glucose from the bloodstream with less insulin in their systems.
Try to be cold outside for a few minutes. You could also try cold water immersion, although you’ll want to keep exposure times relatively low.
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04) Activates Cold Shock Proteins
Another reason cold might be good for you is that it activates cold shock proteins. These are special proteins, a bit like heat shock proteins (HSPs), that act on longevity pathways in the body.
Whether these proteins really have a meaningful effect after cold exposure remains a question in progress. However, studies on animals seem to suggest that it has a meaningful impact and really works, though these results remain less clear in people.
Activating cold shock proteins requires applying some of the lessons and principles outlined in this post. Occasional ice baths may do the trick, but unlike saunas, this may not be something that should be done daily. Over the wintertime, more cold exposure can take place, so you may want to apply your interventions seasonally. You may not want to use them all the time.
05) Enhance Fat Oxidation
Cold water may also be beneficial for enhancing fat oxidation or burning fat from the body. Being cool can provoke higher burning of visceral fat, the most dangerous type that surrounds the organs, and increases the risk of issues like metabolic syndrome. It can also reduce the appearance of less harmful external fat on your thighs and belly.
Enhanced fat oxidation can occur through two mechanisms. The most obvious is that the body begins to break it down to provide warmth and help it deliver the extra energy cells need. The other method is physical chilling. Some clinics offer cryotherapy, which cools fat cells to the point where they die, and the body cleans them up while leaving other cells unharmed.
The best way to enhance fat oxidation is to engage in activities that support it, like skiing or swimming in the cool ocean. The more you can do this, the less likely it is that your body will relax, allowing you to make gains and adapt to stress.
06) Improves Sleep Quality
There is also some evidence that being cold can improve sleep quality. Cooler temperatures before bed often lead to deeper and more restorative sleep that leaves you feeling fresher in the morning.
Researchers now believe that being slightly colder at night than during the day is good for people. It ties in with the further finding that people with lower overall body temperatures seem to live longer. Therefore, make sure your bedroom is cool at night. Open the window or put on the air conditioner if you have to. You want to aim for a cool bedroom between 60°F and 67°F for the optimal effect.
07) Builds Resilience
Embracing the cold isn’t just about physical benefits—it’s a powerful way to build mental and physical resilience. When you expose yourself to colder temperatures, your body adapts, making you more tolerant of discomfort over time. That means fewer winter shivers and a stronger, more adaptable system overall.
This process, known as hormesis, is the idea that short-term stress (like cold exposure) makes you stronger in the long run. Just like exercise challenges your muscles to grow, brief cold exposure can train your body to handle stress more efficiently. Over time, you may notice improved circulation, a stronger immune response, and even a boost in mood and energy levels.
So, should you start embracing the cold?
You don’t need to move to the Arctic or take ice baths every morning (unless you really want to). Simple changes like:
🔥 Keeping your home a few degrees cooler
🚶♂️ Taking brisk walks in colder weather
🚿 Ending your shower with 30 seconds of cold water
…can all make a difference in your metabolism and overall health.