From running a marathon barefoot in the snow to climbing part of Mount Everest wearing shorts, Wim Hof, known as “The Iceman,” embraces extreme challenges. Hof, a Dutch athlete, has trained himself to endure extremely cold temperatures by using a unique breathing technique. The Wim Hof breathing method has been featured on TV shows and researched in laboratories. More importantly, people around the world now use it to boost their immune systems, feel more energized and less stressed, improve focus and athletic performance, and release endorphins — the happy hormones. This method can be an essential part of your self-care toolkit too!
What Is Wim Hof Breathing
Wim Hof breathing is a technique that involves “controlled hyperventilation,” followed by a few slower, deep breaths. This isn’t the hyperventilating you associate with breathing into a paper bag or feeling overly excited, nervous, or scared. Instead, it means hyperventilation in its literal sense: hyper meaning extra or rapid, and ventilation meaning breathing. So, it’s rapid breathing in a controlled way. Here’s how you can get started.
Sit or lie down comfortably, as if you’re about to meditate. Begin by taking 30 to 40 fast breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Wim Hof suggests making these breaths powerful bursts of air. After your last burst exhalation, slowly inhale deeply, filling your lungs to capacity. Exhale and hold your breath until you need to inhale again.
Inhale deeply one more time, but this time hold it for 10 to 15 seconds before exhaling. This final breath is called the recovery breath. You can repeat the entire cycle, from fast breaths to recovery breaths, three to four times.
During this process, you may feel tingling sensations or lightheadedness as your blood chemistry changes. Hof combines this technique with focused meditation and cold therapy to further enhance his capacity to withstand extreme physical activities.
6 Health Benefits of This Technique
The Wim Hof breathing method offers many benefits for both your mind and body, which is why I find it so valuable. Breathing exercises can help you control your fight-or-flight response. This response triggers the release of stress hormones in emergency situations. While useful in actual emergencies, too much daily stress can leave your body in a constant state of fight-or-flight, which is harmful and can lead to various diseases.
The fight-or-flight response is managed by your autonomic nervous system, which also regulates your breathing, heartbeat, digestion, and more. Practicing the Wim Hof method can help change your stress response. Additionally, spending time focusing on your breath and eliminating distractions is a form of mindfulness meditation.
Raise Your Energy Levels
Feeling so tired that your body and mind seem to move in slow motion? There’s a strong connection between your breath and energy levels. Breathing techniques can help wake you up by producing noradrenaline, a chemical that helps you focus and feel energized. If you have low energy, or first thing in the morning, try a few rounds of Wim Hof power breathing.
Strengthen Your Immune System
Many people are searching for ways to stay healthy and boost their immune system. Exercise and meditation can create positive changes in the immune system, enhancing your resistance to harmful organisms that could make you sick. People trained in the Wim Hof method were able to modulate their body’s stress response after being exposed to E. coli, even showing lower fevers. Science indicates that the method acts as a natural anti-inflammatory.
Wim Hof breathing can also help you better withstand cold temperatures. Cold showers, a technique that speeds up your metabolism, can boost your immune system, and this breathing technique can help you endure the experience, giving you a double dose of health benefits. Since Wim Hof is in his sixth decade, it’s also a fantastic anti-aging technique, improving immunity, reducing inflammation, and boosting mood!
Reduce Your Stress Levels
When I feel stressed, I turn to meditation and mindfulness to help me cope. Mind-body meditation practices are powerful enough to change the structure of your brain. Wim Hof breathing incorporates elements of tummo meditation — which means inner fire and is used by Tibetan monks — and aspects of Pranayama yoga. This allows you to clear your mind and meditate while practicing the breathing exercises.
These techniques can help reduce anxiety and stress levels. Combining breathing meditation with cold exposure, as Wim Hof does, can further enhance your body’s ability to handle stress and anxiety while also improving your mood.
Release Mood-Boosting Endorphins
Endorphins are natural hormones released by your nervous system, particularly during exercise. You’ve probably heard of dopamine, the feel-good hormone that induces happiness. Endorphins offer a natural way to lift your spirits when you’re feeling down.
If you’re not a fan of running but still seek that “runner’s high,” Wim Hof breathing can be your alternative. Although it’s a mind-body technique that doesn’t require physical movement, it’s a powerful method to boost your mood. It may release a similar amount of endorphins as running due to its meditative nature.
Improve Athletic Performance
Elite athletes worldwide use the Wim Hof method to enhance their athletic performance. These breathing exercises help athletes tolerate ice baths by warming their circulating blood and increasing focus before competitions.
Wim Hof breathing can benefit anyone looking to improve athletic performance, not just skilled competitors. After trying two cycles of Wim Hof breathing, product manager Alex P. remarked, “I have never tried breathing exercises before, but that was fun and challenging.” Alex often runs for fun and exercise, even in cold weather. “I can see how a few rounds of breathing would help me focus and get energized before going for a run.”
If you have sore muscles, consider an ice-cold shower or ice bath. Use the Wim Hof method to focus on your goals — feeling better and performing at your best.
Improve Focus
Did you know that breathing through your nose is particularly effective for enhancing cognitive function? The fast breaths at the beginning of the Wim Hof breathing cycle can help boost your focus and mental clarity.
Breathing exercises can also help reduce reaction time, making you feel sharper during an afternoon slump. So before reaching for that coffee, try a few rounds of Wim Hof breathing.
Points to Remember
Wim Hof breathing is a technique popularized by Wim Hof, a Dutch athlete known as “The Iceman.” This method can help you modulate your body’s autonomic nervous system. The practice also involves exposure to cold temperatures.
Using Wim Hof breathing, you can benefit your mind by reducing stress, improving focus, and boosting your mood. Research suggests it may support your immune system and enhance athletic performance.
Wim Hof breathing can also help you wake up and increase your energy, especially if you splash cold water on your face or take an ice bath or cold shower.
