← All episodes Episode 121 · Sleep, Recovery & the Body

Your Palms Are Heat Exits

Glabrous Skin Cooling & Performance

When a workout gets hard, your muscles may not be lazy; they may be hot.

The Science

  • Heat can interfere with the enzymes and signals that let muscle fibers keep contracting.
  • Your palms, soles, and face have special blood vessels built for fast heat exchange.
  • Cooling those surfaces lets the system keep going with less thermal pressure, if the water is cool rather than painfully cold.

The Protocol

  • Between sets, hold a cool bottle or run cool water over your palms.
  • Use cooling as support in hot gyms or fields, not as punishment.
  • Stop if you feel dizzy, chilled, numb, or unsafe.

One-page summary

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Your Palms Are Heat Exits infographic, one-page summary Download full-size PNG ↓

The science beat (5-sec loop)

Sources

  • Huberman, A. Supercharge Exercise Performance & Recovery with Cooling. Huberman Lab Essentials, March 22, 2025.

Educational content only. Not medical advice.

Also on Instagram: @neurosensebrain

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