I’ve also bought an o2 monitor that you place on your finger and can see the o2 levels of my blood going up during the power-breaths – good stuff!

On a final note, as a pansy office worker, I think the cold showers alone are of benefit – I need some physical stress and ‘hardship’ and it’s also good for mental toughness to voluntarily jump into a freezing shower. Once you have finished your rounds of ‘power-breathing’, focus on the space in between your eyes and meditate on this for 5-10 minutes. The increased opioid tone and high metabolic rate could diminish fatigue by reducing muscle pain and accelerating recovery of fatigued muscle, respectively. Finally, exposure to cold increases metabolic rate and transiently activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as evidenced by a temporary increase in the plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone, beta-endorphin and a modest increase in cortisol. There are lots of studies showing that cold exposure influences the nervous system, which has led to the hypothesis that it could work as a treatment for chronic fatigue.Ĭold stress has also been shown to reduce the level of serotonin in most regions of the brain (except brainstem), which would be consistent with reduced fatigue according to animal models of exercise-related fatigue. Additionally, due to the high density of cold receptors in the skin, a cold shower is expected to send an overwhelming amount of electrical impulses from peripheral nerve endings to the brain, which could result in an anti-depressive effect.

There is also limited research to show that cold showers can actually lower stress and fight depression – study here:Įxposure to cold is known to activate the sympathetic nervous system and increase the blood level of beta-endorphin and noradrenaline and to increase synaptic release of noradrenaline in the brain as well. It also increases brown fat cells, helping you to cope with the cold in general, and also boosting your metabolism. The aim is to stay relaxed and calm when your body wants to shiver and generally go wild Health Benefits of Cold Showers and Ice BathsĬold exposure has anti-inflammatory benefits, it aactivatesthe autonomic nervous system and is said to increase the functioning of the immune system. Then by week 8 you want to be jumping straight into a cold shower for 10 minutes.īy week 10, you should add some ice baths. Start off by having your normal morning shower, then for 30 seconds at the end, turn the shower to the coldest setting. So, the other main part of the WIm Hof Method is gradual cold exposure. Stay relaxed for a few seconds when your body starts to spasm and wants to get air into your lungs. Wim Hof Breathing Techniqueģ0 Deep breaths in, with 30 ‘small’ breaths out.īreath in using the stomach muscles and then the chest muscles, taking in as much air as possible, then breath out ‘normally’ to reset your stomach to breath in again.Īfter the 30 breaths, hold the final breath in for as long as possible.įinally, when you can’t hold your breath any longer, breathe out, then one last time, take a big deep breath in and hold for 15 seconds. Also, I’ve personally experienced great benefits to my endurane from taking 10g of baking soda, which is supposed to work by ‘alkalising the body’, so maybe there is a possible mechanism. I’ve seen this disputed a number of times, with people saying that it’s not possible to make the body more alkaline, but who knows, it certainly doesn’t seem to do people any harm. The breathing techniques are said to be incorporated in order to increase blood oxygen levels (I’ve tested this with a monitor and it does indeed work), and increase the alkaline ‘levels’ of the blood/body too. The system involves breathing techniques, meditation and cold exposure. Thanks to the a number of scientific tests on Wim and subjects that Wim trained for several days, his technique and system have gained robust scientific backing that is rarely witnessed within holistic health systems or theories. People even use the Wim Hof Method in bodybuilding now, as the adreline rush and extra oxyen appears to help people do some extra reps.Īlways lie down whilst doing the Wim Hof method The Wim Hof technique has become increasingly well known in the self development and wellness circles. I first saw/heard of Wim Hof via Joe Rogan & his podcast.

Joe rogan wim hof breathing