When we first conceptualised 'In the Clouds,' research project with Whoop I knew we were onto something special.

As the co-founder of Nimbus Co, I’ve always been fascinated by the intersection of ancient wellness practices and modern science and the ability to be able to track their impacts in real time. That was a goal from the very moment we opened our doors to infrared saunas back in 2016. But fast forward to today, we had the chance to take it a step further—by teaming up with wearable tech giant, Whoop, and tracking real physiological changes in real people.

Our protocol was simple for the Whoop project

50 Australians, one month, two saunas per week, and at least 10 minutes of cold therapy—be it an ice bath, a dip in the ocean, or a cold shower. The goal? To explore the effects of heat and cold exposure or 'contrast therapy' as it's known on recovery, stress resilience, sleep, and overall well-being. And to track it all in Whoop.

[50 Australians are attempting to 'stay in the green' zone of recovery within their Whoop by using the Nimbus Co infrared sauna and ice bath protocol]

From the start, I was eager to immerse myself in the same routine we were asking of our participants. I’ve long been an advocate for contrast therapy, but consistency at this level was something new. I wondered—how would it truly impact me? Would I see the same benefits as our participants? And more importantly, could this protocol be a game-changer for the everyday person? And could this be tracked?

The answer, yes. The answer, was Whoop.

This coincided with an even bigger reset for me. I decided to go further and embark on a 90-day total health cleanse within Whoop. Stemmed from my experiences with inflammation and auto-immune disease, it was time to do a total cleanse for me. It included my food and nutrition; a gut cleanse with no dairy, grains, caffeine and sugar (for the most part). 

This was followed by a rigorous training plan tracked by Whoop

Crafted by my These Lads Are Mental podcast co-host, Gary Rafferty. I've been using his EverFit app, which has been a huge help. Then added in was a healthy dose of supplementation such as plant-based protein, NAC, MTHFR B-12, digestive enzymes, apple cider vinegar when I wake up, plus zinc, vitamin C and of course our own Nimbus Cloud Form electrolyte.

The first week was a wake-up call within the Whoop. Saunas have been my life for the past decade, but suddenly, sticking to a structured routine and tracking it in Whoop felt a little different. My schedule has been busy since the second of January, with lots of flying and major projects on the table. The difficulty was keeping a rock-solid routine amidst all this chaos and keeping on top of my Whoop. The heat demands stillness, patience, and surrender. I watched my Whoop metrics closely—heart rate variability (HRV), sleep quality, and recovery scores. By the second and third sessions, I felt my body adapting, a calm settling in as my nervous system adjusted and the big notice at this point was my resulting sleep.

Cold therapy, however, was a different beast. No matter how many times I’d done it before, stepping into ice-cold water never really gets "easier". Each time, my breath caught in my chest, which is what is meant to happen, my mind and/or ego were telling me to "quit" or "don't do it". It would have been easy to just lay on the couch instead. And yet, once the initial shock subsided each time, clarity and invigoration I couldn’t quite explain took over. It was humbling and always is. It is exhilarating. And the data didn’t lie—post-cold exposure, my HRV improved, and my Whoop recovery scores trended upward. However, within the immediate moment, Whoop has shown me ice baths can have a negative impact on me. Seems counterintuitive right? Not really. Saunas and ice baths still put your body under stress, don't lose sight of that. Here are some of my highlights thus far:

• My resting heartbeat within Whoop is lowered from 53 to 49. Sleep consistency is up from 72% to 78%
• Areas I need to improve:
  • HRV has gone from 46 to 44 
• Things that impact me positively
  • #1 sleep performance +14%
  • #2 sharing my bed +9%
  • #3 meat +9%
• Things that impact me negatively
  • #1 inconsistent wake time -3%
  • #2 zine - interesting -2%
  • #3 ice bath -2%

We're at the midway point of the project and I've started hearing from participants. Some reported deeper sleep, and others felt more mentally sharp. A few described an unexpected sense of emotional resilience—things that normally rattled them suddenly felt manageable. One participant, a busy corporate executive, told me, “I don’t know if it’s the sauna, the cold, or both, but I feel like I can handle stress so much better now.”

[BebeActive aka Patty Paredes has seen improvements thus far with her Whoop, but room for more. The pre and postnatal specialist is empowering moms]

Another piece of feedback stated, "Already the Whoop has changed my life; my eating habits, sleep and training." My own experience mirrored theirs. My sleep within Whoop has improved, my baseline stress felt lower, and I found myself craving the contrast of hot and cold more than I ever expected and not craving all the naughty things I was letting get a grip of me; daily chocolate and sugars. But beyond the Whoop numbers, there is something more profound: the shift in mindset. This regular practice is forcing presence, discomfort, and resilience—qualities I realised were often missing in our modern, comfort-driven lives.

And that leads me to you, the reader. In a world where convenience is king, how often do we willingly step into discomfort? How often do we test our own limits, not for the sake of punishment, but for growth? If four weeks of consistent sauna and cold therapy could lead to better sleep, stronger stress resilience, and improved recovery, what else could be possible with small, deliberate changes? We're not even at the four-week part with Whoop and not only me, but 50 Australians are sharing the benefits of just 14 days. 

‘In the Clouds’ with Whoop was more than just a research project. It was a reminder that our bodies are adaptable, that stress—when used correctly—can make us stronger, and that sometimes, the answers to our well-being aren’t found in complexity, but in simple, time-tested practices.

So, would you be willing to try it and Whoop? What might change if you did? Do let me know.

Words: Neil O'Sullivan, co-founder, Nimbus Co