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Hotwired

How the Hidden Power of Heat Makes Us Stronger
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Hotwired

By: Bill Gifford
Narrated by: Chris Andrew Ciulla
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Humans were born to sweat – and sweating makes us stronger.

In Hotwired, bestselling co-author of Outlive and science editor Bill Gifford explores how heat can improve our performance and our health. Combining cutting-edge science, personal discovery and practical insights, Gifford reveals how humans evolved to excel in hot conditions – and how we’ve lost touch with this ancient advantage.

He plunges into the steamy world of Finnish saunas, serves as a test subject in heat labs and tackles a 100-mile bike ride under the blazing Texas sun to show how exposing ourselves to discomfort can expand our physical and mental limits. He even explores how infrared sauna therapy and cold plunging could fight depression more effectively than medication. And he examines how, in cities around the globe, social saunas are reviving communal wellness.
Whether you want to perform better, extend your lifespan or adapt to a warming planet, Gifford shows you the incredible benefits of reawakening your body’s natural adaptability to heat and cold. Hotwired is a thrilling call to reimagine heat – not as a threat, but as a tool for strength, resilience and longevity.

'Read this book! Hotwired is a masterpiece of story-driven science that unpacks that health benefits of heat.' Dan Buettner, National Geographic Fellow, New York Times bestselling author and founder of the Blue Zones

© Bill Gifford 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

 Aging & Longevity Environment Exercise & Fitness Fitness, Diet & Nutrition Hygiene & Healthy Living Science

Critic Reviews

HOTWIRED is a gripping investigation into the power of heat and how it shaped our evolution and can still transform our physical and mental health today. Bill Gifford makes the science come alive, reminding us that the path to a stronger body and mind often runs straight through discomfort.
Read this book! Hotwired is a masterpiece of story-driven science that unpacks that health benefits of heat, and ultimately reveals how sweating together can not only make us healthier, but happier and more connected.
Hotwired is revelatory, a fascinating exploration of heat as a fundamental pillar of health. With scientific rigor and narrative grace, Gifford illuminates how thermal stress activates our deepest biological pathways toward resilience, metabolic optimisation and authentic longevity. This is essential reading for anyone committed to understanding the potential transformative alchemy of their own physiology.
Fascinating. Gifford shows – through science and sweat – that heat isn’t the enemy. It’s a superpower we’ve forgotten how to use.
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