The Wim Hof Method – How-To and Benefits of Controlled Hyperventilation Breathing
Almost everyone has now heard of Wim Hof or at least some of the principles of the Wim Hof Method.
A quick google search of ‘Who is Wim Hof?’ reveals thousands of articles on the feats of Wim Hof, how to do Wim Hof breathing, the many scientific studies conducted on the benefits and effects of the breathing technique and cold water immersion, and the stories of the masses of people that now follow him.
The Wim Hof Method holds many health benefits when paired with cold plunge and movement, and the technique can produce some intense effects on the human body.
In this article, we explore the details of the Wim Hof Method including a step by step of the breathing technique, what you can expect and the benefits of using breathwork like controlled hyperventilation for exercise recovery and overall health.
Who is Wim Hof?
“I’m not afraid of death, I’m afraid of not living fully”, is the quote that headlines the Wim Hof Method website describing Wim Hof. The wild Dutchman, who I met at a Wim Hof Breathing workshop in Sydney back in 2014, is as eccentric as he sounds.
Wim Hof is known for his rambling thoughts that seem to come together to form a deep, scientifically relevant message that describes the innate ability of humans to have control over their physical, mental and emotional health by using the three pillars of the Wim Hof Method – breath, movement and cold exposure.
Wim Hof began with his own practice and through developing his own unique version of an ancient yogic breathing practice, which is scientifically described as controlled hyperventilation breathing, and the iconic cold water therapy he has managed to break numerous world records, create new scientific and ground breaking research on the human body and capture thousands of people around the world in somewhat of a cult following.
The question of “Is Wim Hof legit?”, is best explained by his crazy feats of physical display and mental resilience as well as the numerous science experiments supporting his claims. Over the years the Wim Hof Method has taken people from all over the world including Australia, USA, UK, NZ, Europe and Asia through the fundamentals of the breathing technique, movement and cold exposure protocols that are unique to the method, and has helped improve millions of lives!
Wim Hof is a truly remarkable person having climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts, run a half marathon above the Arctic Circle barefoot, and placed himself in an ice cube covered covered container for more than 112 minutes. He has rewritten some of the previously understood science of having limited control of our autonomic nervous system, and shown that we can in fact influence our nervous system and immune response through breath, cold and movement.
Wim Hof Method Science & Benefits
The Wim Hof Method benefits are science based and can range from improving immune health to boosting mood and mental health, improving sleep and reducing inflammation.
I have experienced first hand the immediate effects that the Wim Hof breathing technique has on the body, and it can be intense. Due to the nature of the breathing technique, being controlled hyperventilation, you are saturating the body with oxygen which is extremely energising and invigorating.
“Both the autonomic nervous system and innate immune system were regarded as systems that cannot be voluntarily influenced”, that is, until Wim Hof came in and blew this assumption out of the water.
Wim Hof, in a scientific study, showed that innate immune response can be influenced in a non pharmacological manner through voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system.
What this shows is that, through practicing both simple breathing techniques and engaging in cold water exposure, there are positive implications for the treatment of a variety of conditions associated with excessive or persistent inflammation, especially auto-immune diseases.
There are also a number of reported psychological effects of the Wim Hof Method and the science supports these novel reports that both breathing practices and cold water exposure display utility in improving mood and managing mental health conditions like depression, anxiety and PTSD.
The effects of the Wim Hof method protocols of cold plunge and breathing for releasing large amount of norepinephrine and other hormones, bear significant responsibility for the positive effects on mental health, with this hormone and neurotransmitter playing an important role in regulating mood, energy levels, motivation and nervous state.
Overall, the Wim Hof Method is heavily rooted in science and displays a multitude of science backed benefits that relate to boosting immune health, reducing inflammation, managing pain, improving mental health, improving sleep, increasing relaxation and increasing mental resilience.
Step-By-Step of Wim Hof Breathing
If you are wondering how to do the Wim Hof breathing method, it is very simple. The breathing technique follows a pretty simple format that is repeated in rounds to your desired amount.
Because this breathing technique can produce intense responses in the body, we warn against doing this practice while driving, swimming or operating machinery as it can produce fainting and loss of vision and balance. I have experienced this first hand, crashing a car while doing Wim Hof breathing so definitely avoid doing this.
The basic steps of the Wim Hof breathing is as follows:
1. In a seated or supine position, take a few deep inhale and exhales through the nose and out the mouth.
2. Begin deeply inhaling through the nose or mouth with a full expansion of the chest, followed by a relaxed exhale through the nose or mouth without forcing.
3. After 30-40 repetitions of this breathing, conduct a full exhale and hold for as long as possible with empty lungs, focussing on the body and awareness
4. When the urge to breath appears, take a full inhale through the nose and hold for 10-15 seconds.
5. Exhale without any force. This completes one round. Complete 3-4 rounds.
Risks of Controlled Hyperventilation Breathing
The Wim Hof breathing technique can dramatically shift the state of your nervous system, energy levels and can even cause the body to jolt involuntarily. What I learned the hard way is that Wim Hof breathing can cause loss of consciousness in extreme cases.
When doing the Wim Hof Method breathing or any intense breathing practices, it is very important to do so in a controlled environment and ideally with a partner.
Controlled hyperventilation increases the oxygenation levels in the body and brain, which carry risks if practiced in the wrong environment. When doing controlled hyperventilation breathing or Wim Hof breathing, I can not stress enough to not do these techniques around water, driving, operating machinery or anywhere near exposed edges.
These types of breathing techniques can produce weakness, confusion, fainting, numbness and tingling, palpitations and spasming. Most of these effects are benign, however they can be dangerous in the wrong space.
It is also worth mentioning that the Wim Hof breathing technique is not for everyone. One of the things that has come up for me, and many others who have tried Wim Hof breathing, is an aggravation of anxiety. If you are prone to overthinking, rumination, anxiety or are already in a highly stressed state, it is important to understand that doing an excitatory or holotropic breathing exercise like Wim Hof will further activate the sympathetic state and may intensify your current state.
If this is you, you may benefit more from a slower breathing technique that focusses more on extending the exhale rather than the Wim Hof technique which focusses on a large inhale.
Wim Hof Breathing FAQ’s
Is Wim Hof good for improving breath holds?
While any focussed breathing technique has the ability to improve lung function, it is not generally recognised that the Wim Hof method is a breathing technique that improves breath hold time.
To improve breath holds, most people focus on Apnea breathing tables, of which there are hundreds easily accessible online. The Oxygen Advantage is an example of an expert designed breathwork program that can improve breath holds and overall health and recovery.
Is Wim Hof breathing good for you?
Generally speaking, yes, Wim Hof breathing and the principles of the Wim Hof Method support foundations of good health. By focussing on deliberate breathing in a controlled environment, improving body and mind awareness, increased physical movement and exposing the body to the cold, the Wim Hof Method has helped thousands of people around the world improve their health and wellbeing, overcome illness and disease and improve quality of life.
Does Wim Hof breathing improve sleep?
As the Wim Hof method is an excitatory breathing method that activates the sympathetic or ‘fight or flight’ response, it is generally not a breathing technique that is recommend before bed per se.
In saying this, by practicing Wim Hof breathing techniques in the morning or more appropriate times of the day, the downstream effects of higher relaxation states can help improve sleep. Specifically, an 8-week training program involving the Wim Hof method, showed positive effects on “stress symptoms and adaptability of the hormonal system to respond adequately to the circadian rhythm in healthy volunteers who participated in an Antarctic expedition”, according to a study.
What is the best time to do Wim Hof breathing?
Based on the fact that the Wim Hof Method is a breathing technique that activates the sympathetic nervous system, it would be generally accepted that this type of breathing practice would be more suited to morning hours and avoided close to bedtime or sleep because of its excitatory effects.
Personally, I aim to do the Wim Hof breathing between 7-10am or within 2-3 hours of waking up. This seems to produce the best results and be the most ideal time of day for this type of intense breath work.
Conclusion on Wim Hof Breathing Method
The Wim Hof Method is practiced by hundreds of thousands of people around the world and is very easy to do. In reading this, we hope you have taken away some simple information on how to do the Wm Hof breathing technique and what the Wim Hof Method entails.
Please do not forget to practice this breathing technique in a safe, controlled environment away from water and not while driving or operating machinery as it can and has been fatal.
For the most part, the Wim Hof Method is something that can be incorporated into daily life with the three pillars being movement, cold plunge and breathing. If you are wondering if the Wim Hof method is suitable for you, it may be beneficial to jump on the Wim Hof website and try out the free mini-course that they have available.
