How Air Conditioning Is Quietly Breaking Your Body and the Planet

In this eye-opening solo episode of the SuperLife podcast, Darin Olien unpacks the hidden dangers of air conditioning—one of the most commonly used yet most overlooked fatal conveniences in modern life. From skyrocketing energy consumption to its surprising impact on human health, Darin explores why our obsession with creating the perfect indoor climate is quietly undermining both personal wellness and the planet. Darin reveals the history of air conditioning, its contribution to climate change, and how our increasing dependence on temperature control is desensitizing our natural ability to adapt. He offers simple, actionable solutions to minimize harm, improve indoor air quality, and shift our mindset toward embracing a little thermal discomfort for better health and a better world. What You'll Learn (Timestamps) 00:00 – Welcome to the SuperLife Podcast 00:32 – Sponsor: Thera Sage and the benefits of PEMF therapy 02:17 – Fatal convenience: How air conditioning harms health and the environment 03:24 – Energy drain: Air conditioning's massive global power consumption 03:55 – The surprising history of air conditioning 05:52 – US air conditioning use equals the entire energy use of Africa 06:20 – How constant AC use lowers your body's natural heat tolerance 06:58 – Small AC units use more power than four refrigerators 07:30 – Why a little thermal discomfort is actually good for your health 08:32 – Air conditioning's vicious cycle: more AC leads to higher global temperatures 09:27 – Global AC projections and CO2 emissions by 2050 11:41 – Sponsor: Bite toothpaste and the fight against plastic waste 11:51 – Sick Building Syndrome: AC's connection to asthma and allergies 13:17 – How air conditioning dries out mucosal linings and weakens immunity 14:14 – Switzerland's ban on AC installation and why it happened 15:06 – Better solutions: fans, airflow, building materials, and planting trees 15:40 – The power of choosing energy-efficient AC units 16:20 – Building with smarter materials to cut CO2 emissions 16:43 – Embrace temperature variation to improve health 17:01 – Final thoughts: Fatal conveniences and creating a better life More information to learn about this subject: Is My Air Conditioner Killing Me? | TIME Magazine The air conditioning trap: how cold air is heating the world | The Guardian The Future of Cooling – Opportunities for energy efficient air conditioning | Report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) How Tech is Redefining the Future of Air Conditioning | One Zero Can you cool a house without air conditioning? | BBC – Future Thank You to Our Sponsor: Therasage: Go to www.therasage.com and use code DARIN at checkout for 15% off Bite Toothpaste: Go to trybite.com/DARIN20 or use code DARIN20 for 20% off your first order. Find More from Darin Olien: Instagram: @darinolien Podcast: superlife.com/podcasts Website: superlife.com Book: Fatal Conveniences Key Takeaway: "Too much air conditioning is literally undermining your health. It dries out your mucosal linings, weakens your immune defense, and desensitizes your body's natural ability to regulate temperature. The solution? Embrace thermal discomfort, invest in energy-efficient units, and minimize AC use whenever possible—for your health and for the planet."