What exactly is the Wim Hof Method and How to Incorporate it into Your Daily Routine?
Wim Hof and his breathing technique have become famous all over the world over the last decades, and for good reason.
Millions of people make Wim Hof's method part of their New Year's resolutions, but what are its exact benefits and is it worth it to try it for yourself?
In this article, we're answering these questions and offer you tips on how to incorporate Wim Hof's method in your own daily routine.
What is the Wim Hof method?
Wim Hof is a Dutchman, affectionately called "The Iceman" by his followers, who developed a breathing technique that allows him to control his immune system and withstand extreme situations, such as brutally cold temperatures, for example.
By gaining conscious control to a number of physiological functions, Wim Hof achieved 26 world records, including climbing to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2009 wearing just a pair of shorts and taking the longest ice bath in history in 2011, for a whopping 1 hour, 52 minutes and 42 seconds.
The method involves brief periods of intense breathing followed by breath holding. This controlled hyperventilation exercise is believed to reduced stress levels, detox the body and increase energy levels.
Besides breathing, the Wim Hof method is also based on cold therapy, which boosts the immune system, allows you to sleep better, and helps to reduce inflammation and burn fat.
What are the benefits of Hof's method?
By combining the breathing exercises and cold therapy with a high level of commitment and willingness to go out of your comfort zone, as Wim Hof suggests, you can unlock multiple benefits for your health and overall well-being. These benefits include:
· Reduced stress levels
· Increased energy
· Heightened focus and determination
· Stronger immune system
· Improved willpower
· Better quality of sleep
· Improving mental well-being
· Improving concentration
Tips for incorporating the Wim Hof method into your day
If you want to try the Wim Hof method and incorporate it in your daily routine, it's important to do it right. Here are some helpful tips that can get you started.
1. Find the right time and place
The best time to try the Wim Hof method is in the morning, before you have your breakfast. According to Hof, the breathwork should be attempted on an empty stomach.
Find a comfortable position on the floor or in a seat, keeping in mind that you should be OK if you fall from that position. Never attempt the exercise in a place or position that could put you in danger if you were to faint (never do it while driving or in water, for example).
2. How to start?
Once you found a comfortable position, start breathing consciously. Take deep breaths until you manage to fill your lungs completely. Exhale without any pressure or force, just let the air in your lungs go. Count your breaths and repeat the process 30 or 40 times. This is the hyperventilation stage of the method.
Next, move to breath retention. Don't breathe back in after the final exhale, and hold your breath for as long as you can. As you practice, you can reach multiple minutes, but in the beginning, just hold your breath for as long as you can. Repeat the hyperventilation and breath retention three or four times.
Always keep in mind that the exercise is indeed strenuous, but it shouldn't be too unpleasant. Try not to force it, and stop practicing if you feel it's too difficult, especially as a beginner. You can always try again later, and you'll notice that it becomes easier with practice.
3. Cold exposure
For the method to be effective you should commit not only to breathwork, but also to cold exposure. While hiking through the snow and ice baths are practices that require proper training, you can start incorporating cold showers into your day. This is an easy way to practice cold exposure with minimal risk.
You can build up your resistance to cold by beginning with just 15 to 30 seconds of cold water at the end of your regular shower. Over the next weeks, work your way up to a minute or more. Relaxing and taking deep breaths during cold exposure s extremely helpful.
The Wim Hof method is simple, but not necessarily easy to implement. To be successful, you need to be patient with your body and mind. According to Hof, if you're feeling unwell after a couple of weeks, don't stop, as it will get easier with time. Dreaming more intensely, feeling sad and unwell is typically proof that the method is working. So, try to enjoy the ride and once you get the hang of it, you'll be on the path to a healthier and happier you.