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A longevity week for over-50s: heat, cold, light and movement

Xavi Donobedian 1 min read

The capstone of our 30-day series. One practical week built only from the research we have covered.

Evidence grade B: Large, long-term studies that follow people over years. Association, not cause.A plan built from the studies in this series, which range from A (sauna after training) to C (cold). The week itself has not been tested.
Flat lay of towel, running shoes, notebook and water bottle

Over the past month we have gone through the research on heat, cold, light and fitness one study at a time. Here is what it adds up to, as a week you can actually follow.

The principles

  • Fitness first. Cardiorespiratory fitness is one of the strongest predictors of long life. Read more.
  • Heat after training. Fifteen minutes of sauna after exercise lowered blood pressure more than exercise alone. Read more.
  • Regular heat. Frequent bathing tracks with lower cardiovascular risk in Finnish research. Read more.
  • Cold away from strength days. Read more.
  • A gentle cold ramp. Read more.
  • Warm water 90 minutes before bed. Read more.
  • Safety always. Read more.

A sample week

  • Monday: Strength training, then 15 minutes of sauna.
  • Tuesday: Brisk walk or ride. Short cold session.
  • Wednesday: Strength training, then sauna. Warm water in the evening.
  • Thursday: Aerobic intervals. Short cold session.
  • Friday: Strength training, then sauna.
  • Saturday: Long walk, swim or ride with friends. Shared sauna.
  • Sunday: Rest. Warm water 90 minutes before bed.

Get outside in morning daylight every day.

Adjust to you

Start with less. Two sauna sessions and two short cold sessions is a good first month. Build from there.

If you have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, or are pregnant, speak with your GP before starting.

What is next

We are building Norge-01, our app, to bring this together with your wearable data. And we are happy to help you plan a setup for your home.

Free: The Norge Longevity Guide. Heat, cold and light after 50, with the evidence and the safety rules in one place. Get the guide.

Sources

  1. Laukkanen et al., JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015
  2. Lee et al., 2022
  3. Haghayegh et al., 2019
  4. Mandsager et al., 2018

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a heart condition, low blood pressure or are pregnant, speak with your GP before using heat or cold.

What this does not show

That this week, as a whole, does anything. Nobody has trialled it. Each line carries the grade of its own study, the training does most of the work, and the heat and cold are there to make the training easier to keep.

Try itThe protocols, graded, in the free guide.

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