Benefits of Wim Hof Breathing
decrease in stress hormones
increased energy & focus
improved mood & outlook on life
increases strength, explosiveness, range of motion, coordination, flexibility & range of motion.
Increasing body heat through controlled breathing is a technique that has been around for thousands of years. The Wim Hof Method, the Paleo Diet are very similar.
Many countries use it to treat their citizens for conditions ranging from asthma to an autoimmune disorder called reactive arthritis. Many have found it very useful in treating depression, anxiety, and even economic woes.
Wim Hof has become famous for climbing Mount Everest wearing nothing but shorts, having proven his technique against every other method known to man & winning every time.
increased strength & explosiveness:
the Wim hof method increases blood flow to the muscles, circulates glucose, and triggers the release of anti cortisol hormones that suppress inflammation linked to arthritis, asthma, allergies, and autoimmune disorders, all of which can hinder performance in individuals with arthritis.
Catecholamines like dopamine are chemicals released in the body when exercising. People with low levels of dopamine tend to be depressed & overweight. Wim Hof breathing triggers adrenaline that boosts energy, strength, coordination, and explosiveness.
improved mood & outlook:
increased blood flow helps improve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms like pain, stiffness, and swelling by improving the delivery of nutrients to your joints & flushing out waste products. It does this by opening up blood vessels to allow more blood flow, resulting in a flush feeling and improved circulation.
increase in body heat:
breathing techniques have been used for centuries to manipulate the brain into dumping certain hormones that fight inflammation. As you exhale & inhale, your breath reaches 10 to 15 degrees above or below your core body temperature.
When you breathe in colder air, the blood gets cooled down. Then it passes through tissues & organs that are warmed up by your core body heat before entering the lungs again. This process changes immune responses, therefore, strengthening the immune system.
Wim hof breathing:
breathing is an effortless but challenging task to do. You might feel like you can’t breathe properly because wim hof breathing requires deep breaths over a sustained time. For 10 minutes, sit in a comfortable position & go through the following steps:
1) exhale all air from your chest
2) let your ribcage drop to open up your lungs fully
3) with a low, soft vibrating sound in your throat, slowly inhale through the nose to a count of 7
4) hold for a moment & with complete control, exhale over 10 seconds. Concentrate on the air moving from the center of your chest outwards
5) repeat steps 3 & 4, breathing in through your nose for 7 seconds
6) with complete control, exhale over 10 seconds again, concentrating on the air coming from the center of your chest to your back.
7) after you finish wim hof breathing, sit upright & try to synchronize every breath with both hands. The right hand is inhaling & the left hand is exhaling.
8) after 30 seconds, inhale & exhale in tune with both hands, making sure they are in sync
9) once you establish the synchronization, try to make your hands rise & fall over your stomach
10) keep doing this for 5 – 10 minutes
11) before finishing wim hof breathing, inhale & exhale in tune with your hands for 30 seconds
12) finish off wim hof breathing by sitting upright & synchronizing every breath with both hands. The right hand is inhaling & the left hand is exhaling. This is called “soft meditation.”
long term benefits of wim hof breathing:
1) Higher lung capacity.
2) Better cardiovascular health
3) Weight Loss
4) Improved mental well-being
5) Better emotional control
6) Heightened immune system
7) Reduced disease symptoms
8) Increased concentration levels
9) Longer attention span
10 ) Increase in pain tolerance
11 ) Faster recovery rate
12) Easier cold showers
13) Increased energy levels
1. Higher lung capacity:
The breathing technique can increase your lung capacity. The practice will allow you to take full, deep breaths. As a result, more oxygen is transmitted throughout the body, giving you more energy and allowing for better cardiovascular health. The increased airflow also strengthens the lungs, two crucial factors in improving cardiovascular health.
2. Better cardiovascular health:
The breathing exercises increase the amount of oxygen that reaches cells throughout the body, increasing your blood plasma levels. This, in turn, improves mental clarity and concentration levels. It boosts up your immune system and thus helps you stay away from diseases like asthma, allergies, etc…
Deep breathing increases your blood’s carbon dioxide levels, which is essential for regulating sleep patterns. Breathing exercises also improve cardiovascular health by making the heart more efficient, thus quickly dealing with stress and anxiety that lead to cardiovascular diseases
3. Weight Loss:
Weight loss occurs naturally through this method as it increases metabolism without any extra effort on your part. This, in turn, leads to a loss in weight, especially from the abdominal region where most people store fat.
4. Improved mental well-being:
Deep breathing sends oxygen to the brain, increasing focus and concentration. This means you will stay focused for a more extended time and make it easier to learn things quickly. It also helps you get rid of anxiety and stress, leading to mental illnesses like depression.
5. Better emotional control:
The breathing exercises help eliminate negative emotions by calming the amygdala, an area of the brain responsible for controlling fear and anger. Deep breaths relax your body and mind allowing you to deal with emotions better. It also increases serotonin levels, a hormone that works as an anti-depressant.
6. Heightened immune system:
If you can stay healthy by staying away from colds and the flu, breathing exercises are for you. The increased oxygen levels in your blood can also help strengthen your immune system.
Studies show that people who do breathing exercises regularly have a better immune system than those who don’t. Thus, the more oxygen you get in your blood, the healthier and fitter you become.
7. Reduced disease symptoms:
The breathing exercises help lower stress levels and thus reduce inflammation which is commonly found in people with asthma. The reduced stress levels also mean a reduced risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure and strokes. You can also manage bowel disorders such as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) by managing stress and anxiety.
8. Increased concentration levels:
The breathing exercises increase oxygen intake, which stimulates the brain’s functioning, improving concentration levels. It also increases serotonin levels which further increase focus and attention span.
9. Longer attention span:
As mentioned earlier, the breathing exercises increase oxygen intake, which stimulates the brain’s functioning, thus increasing your ‘attention span.’ This means that you can give your full attention making you more productive.
10. Better sleep:
Studies have shown that people who practice breathing exercises regularly sleep better than those who don’t. This is because the breathing exercises manage stress levels and induce a relaxation response which calms your body, mind, and soul allowing for uninterrupted sleep.
Deep breathing – how it benefits you If you want to feel relaxed and refreshed throughout the day, then it’s time to introduce deep breathing into your daily routine. Deep breaths help release stress and tension from the body, allowing your mind to focus on more important things. Here are some of the health benefits of deep breathing that I am sure will convince you to practice every day!
Wim hof heart attack:
Wim Hof Method successfully allows you to control your autonomic nervous system responsible for involuntary vital functions. Wim Hof raised his body temperature 32 degrees Fahrenheit after getting injected with toxins, which would typically cause a robust immune response.
Wim Hof has also used the method to swim under the ice for almost 2 minutes and 53 seconds without breathing equipment. He completed this world record challenge in the Dead Sea, at the lowest point on Earth.