---
title: 🧊 Wim Hof method
tags: wellness
description: Wim Hof method open info (OI)
image: https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_banners/3540691454/1535710532/1500x500
---

<h1 style="text-align: center;">🧊 Wim Hof method</h1>

# About
Breathing and cold exposure practice to provide potential physical and mental benefits

## Activates the sympathetic nervous system
- *See [The Autonomic Nervous System: Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Divisions](https://youtu.be/DPWEhl7gbu4?t=151) on YouTube*
- Fight or flight
- Elevates heart rate
- Blood vessel constriction
- Glucose and adrenaline release
- Potentially produce endocannabinoids
- It's best to do earlier in the day as to not negatively impact sleep
- *See [Cold Shower Before Bed: Will It Improve Your Sleep?](https://www.healthline.com/health/how-a-cold-shower-before-bed-affects-your-sleep) by healthline*
- Can be useful before exercise for an energy boost and/or after intense exercise for inflammation

# Breathing technique

## About
- Breathe in through the nose
- Breathe deeply on each inflow
- More intense "vibration" sensation during breath holds
- Longer breath holds
- Uses diaphragm to breathe *by [Wim Hof Breathing: Method, Benefits, and More](https://www.healthline.com/health/wim-hof-method) by healthline*
- Breath out through the mouth
- Let the breath go naturally on the outflows, don't push the air out
- Swallowing/gulping during breath holds
- Does not actually cause your body to inhale/exhale
- Fix
- Breathe in a full inhale, then let go slowly, avoiding using any force.
- Potential cause
- Letting go of too much air on the exhale
- There is negative air pressure in the lungs and an urge to breathe in.

## Resources
- [wimhofmethod.com](https://www.wimhofmethod.com)
- [Wim Hof Method](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nl.deckeron.apps.innerfire) app
- [The stoner's guide to the Wim Hof Method](https://www.wimhofmethod.com/blog/the-stoner-s-guide-to-the-wim-hof-method) *by wimhofmethod.com*
- [Lungs open info (OI)](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mam8exMzp_L-wnq1AyMkCzlj0bZCSOPsb4uBs5DRSlE/edit#heading=h.fhg5vlppthxg)
- [Wim Hof vs Conscious Breathing](https://www.consciousbreathing.com/articles/wim-hof-vs-conscious-breathing/) *by consciousbreathing.com*
- [Wim Hof Method – Biology of Breathing](https://www.daniel-timms.com/wim-hof-method-biology-of-breathing) *by Daniel Timms*
- [Wim Hof Music Remix - Set you free - Hang in there](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFbCb_k6p70)

# Breathing sessions

## Self
- 3 rounds
- 30 breaths/rd
- Breath hold at the end of each rd.
- Decide whether to hold for 30-120 seconds
- Breathe in again at the end of the breath hold and hold for an additional 15 seconds
- Breath out/let go

## Guided

### Slow pace
- [Guided Wim Hof Method Breathing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tybOi4hjZFQ) 11 min
- [Guided Breathing for Beginners](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BNejY1e9ik) 11 min

### Quick pace
- [Deep Breathing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAhAOTXHeNs) 10 min

### Long sessions
- [4x40, Theta Isochronic tones on holds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eASsYw7mFs) 20 min
- [4x40, Lucid Dreaming Binaural Beats on holds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLkxT2rgo8k) 30 min
- [4 rounds Fire, Wim Hof, and DMT Breath](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYCy_HHm4qg) 30 min
- [Feldenkrais Method: See-Saw Breathing - Improve your "wave breath" for Wim Hof Method](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avNYrxe9dUY&list=PLoHZXuvRaVHnf8IBE4nx3_1Q4edWitwZV)

# Cold exposure

## About
- Cold showers, bath, plunge, and walk or run outside
- Based on weather
- Run or walk outside in cold weather
- Cold showers in hot weather

## Testosterone
- Cold exposure potentially increases testosterone
- *See [How to Optimize Fertility in Males & Females](https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/how-to-optimize-fertility-in-males-and-females) by Huberman Lab*
- *[Testosterone increases](https://pca.st/1dlqengx?t=10639) (02:57:19)*

## To research
- Are there benefits starting hot and moving to cold? (Assuming starting with cold is more beneficial)
- Is occasional exposure beneficial, e.g. a few times a week or month compared to daily?

## Resources
- Huberman Lab: [Heat Exposure and Cold Exposure to Optimize Health](https://www.hubermanlab.com/topics/heat-exposure-and-cold-exposure-to-optimize-health)
- [Dr. Susanna Søberg: How to Use Cold & Heat Exposure to Improve Your Health](https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/dr-susanna-soberg-how-to-use-cold-and-heat-exposure-to-improve-your-health)
- [The Science & Use of Cold Exposure for Health & Performance](https://hubermanlab.com/the-science-and-use-of-cold-exposure-for-health-and-performance/)
- ...
- [AMA #16: Exploring hot and cold therapy](https://pca.st/3ea2nr95#t=8m0s) *by Dr. Peter Attia on The Drive show*
- [The Scientific Case For Cold Showers](https://www.fastcompany.com/3043767/the-scientific-case-for-cold-showers) *by Fast Company*

# Community and support
- Facebook group: [facebook.com/groups/wimhofmethod](https://www.facebook.com/groups/wimhofmethod/)
- Reddit: [r/BecomingTheIceMan](https://www.reddit.com/r/BecomingTheIceman)

<p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic">This is not medical advice. Do your own research.</p>