There are a lot of fads, blogs and strong opinions, but then there’s SCIENCE. Science Vs is the show from Gimlet that finds out what’s fact, what’s not, and what’s somewhere in between. We do the hard work of sifting through all the science so you don't have to and cover everything from 5G and Pandemics, to Vaping and Fasting Diets.

Self-Care: Can You Hack Your Mood?

October 05, 2023 0:38:59 0.0 MB Downloads: 0

Can plunging into an ice bath make us feel happier? What about gratitude journaling? We’re digging into some of the quirkiest self-care hacks around the internet to find out what the science says — and whether you should add them to your routine. We talk to environmental physiologist Dr. Heather Massey, counseling psychologist Prof. Joel Wong, and social psychologist Dr. Juliana Schroeder. 


This episode does mention depression. Here are some crisis hotlines: 



Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsSelfCare


In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Chapter 1: Trendy self-care hacks

(02:13) Chapter 2: Ice baths: How our body reacts

(07:40) Chapter 3: Can cold plunges help with depression?

(12:41) Chapter 4: The risks of ice baths

(16:24) Chapter 5: Does gratitude journaling make us happier?

(20:39) Chapter 6: How does gratitude work?

(26:29) Chapter 7: When self-care isn’t just about yourself …



This episode was produced by Michelle Dang, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Nick DelRose, Joel Werner, and Rose Rimler. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Carmen Drahl. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, Emma Munger, Peter Leonard, and So Wylie. Thanks to everyone we spoke to for this episode – especially Professor Megan Azad. And special thanks to the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. 


Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. 


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