Sauna Talk #102: Ashley Mason

Sauna Talk

Today on the Sauna Talk podcast we welcome Ashley Mason.

Ashley Mason, earned her PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Arizona. She is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry in the Weill Institute for Neurosciences and the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health. Ashley is a clinical psychologist and directs behavioral treatment for insomnia at the UCSF Osher Center Clinic. She is Director of the UCSF Sleep, Affect, and Eating (SEA) Lab. Ashley is the Co-Director of the UCSF Center for Obesity Assessment, Study, and Treatment (COAST). She is primarily a researcher but also treats patients for insomnia within the Osher Center Sleep Clinic.

Whole body hyperthermia

In our chat today, you’ll learn about her work surrounding “whole body hyperthermia.”

Her 2023 BrainMind Summit presentation touches upon sauna and how heat treatment may have a positive impact on depression by regulating body temperature. Reintegrating thermal stress could be an effective approach to treating some individuals with depression.

Heat treatment and antidepressant effects

There is correlation between core body temperature and depression. Editing thermal stress out of our lives (air conditioning, climate controlled indoor living has put is in “the narrow band.”, when all along, acute heat stress could help us! Especially when the idea of an ice cold lake plunge after sauna is about the best idea we’ve ever heard!

I’m pleased to welcome Ashley Mason to Sauna Talk.