What happens inside our body when we practice the Wim Hof ​​breathing method?

Inner Fire Breathing Method

In case you didn't know, Wim Hof, also known as the Iceman, is famous for a breathing system that allows the body to withstand extreme cold and other extreme situations for humans. Now, structured in a method that includes breathing, cold water and meditation, it has allowed Wim Hof ​​to break around 25 Guinness World Records, including running a marathon in the Arctic barefoot, running through the desert without water and climbing to the death zone of Mount Everest in shorts.

Wim Hof ​​himself has turned to science to see what humans are capable of when they do this. In one experiment, he was injected with a low dose of E. Coli endotoxin, and for the next three hours he felt intense discomfort, which he calmed with deep meditation using breathing.

After this period, all symptoms related to the disease disappeared, leading doctors to believe that he was a unique case: a rare type who was able to modulate his autonomic nervous system, his immune system and his body temperature. Wim Hof ​​explained that all human beings are capable of this and decided to test 20 volunteers, of which 12 were prepared with Wim Hof ​​and his method, while the remaining 8 had no preparation or treatment prior to the experiment.

When the blood samples were taken, the doctors found that the unprepared group experienced flu-like symptoms, while the Hof-prepared group did not. The adrenaline level increased when the endotoxin was injected, but the curious thing was that the pre-trained group had already increased their adrenaline half an hour before the injection. The conclusion was that the group pre-trained by Wim Hof ​​could voluntarily control their sympathetic nervous system without increasing other hormones such as noradrenaline, dopamine or cortisol. The data suggest that this method can provoke a stimulation of the adrenal medulla, which is the main source of this hormone in the human body. It was also revealed that the pH level in the blood samples had increased with each cycle of hyperventilated breathing, which means that the more alkaline the blood is, the more inactivated the pain receptors are. ( 1 )( 2 )( 3 )

Although the temperature receptors in the body are still sensitive in this state, they are not connected to the pain receptors and therefore, by performing the hyperventilated respiratory cycles prior to exposure to extreme cold or heat, the external pain is cancelled out.

To understand the mechanism of the Wim Hof ​​breathing method we must have an idea of ​​how the autonomic nervous system works.

The autonomic nervous system is the part of the nervous system that controls things we usually don't think about or that work "automatically" in our bodies, such as blood pressure, digestion, muscle tone, and more.

The autonomic nervous system has two branches: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, which function like a seesaw; when one increases, the other decreases. It would be like a resource allocation system and in this sense, the sympathetic system would give you the resources to “defend” yourself, like an alarm system that alerts you.

The resources that the body has when this alarm system is activated are increased heart rate, blood pressure, adrenaline, cortisol and muscle tone in case it is necessary to run and flee from a threat. This system focuses on what is happening around you.

The parasympathetic system, on the other hand, is the one that deals with feeding, digestion, reproduction and rest. It lowers blood pressure, heart rate and cortisol. This system focuses on directing its resources towards the inside of the body.

When you inhale, your heart speeds up and this is linked to your sympathetic system, so the cycle of inhalation and exhalation is the alternation between the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. This is what we call heart rate variability.

We inhale oxygen (O2) and exhale CO2. CO2 is acidic and this is one of the ways the body can regulate the pH of the blood. If not enough O2 is inhaled, CO2 builds up and the blood becomes acidic. By maintaining rhythmic breathing (4 seconds inhaling and about 5 seconds exhaling), we can maintain an ideal organic balance.

As for the Wim Hof ​​method, it suggests that you take in as much air as possible and exhale it all 30 times, probably causing a little dizziness or a spinning head. It is forced, unbalanced breathing, it causes a little stress and what it does is increase the alkalinity of the blood, decreasing the levels of CO2 and increasing the oxygen in the body.

When you stop, after 30 breaths and exhales, you stop breathing. Your body is now very alkaline and because CO2 is what makes you want to breathe, you shouldn't feel the need to breathe in the first place. So you'll be surprised how much easier it becomes to hold your breath (at least for a minute).

What happens when you hold your breath

Studies show that the production of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) increases, which affects and influences the glucose inhibition process, works as a stimulant to produce proteins and degrades fatty acids in the body. If we are fasting, the growth hormone maintains blood glucose levels and moves stored fat to have an alternate source of energy for the body.

Cold therapy

A cold shower is perceived as a stressor. It increases the function of the sympathetic system, causes vasoconstriction, increases blood pressure and here, too, human growth hormone (HGH) is produced naturally in order to achieve adaptation.

Can stress be good for you?

Before answering, remember that there are two types of stress: chronic stress, which is when a person is subjected to constant tension, whether due to worries, overwork and/or circumstances that are difficult to cope with. Short-term stress (physical stress) is when the body is subjected to short periods of stress, such as a cold shower or dodging a speeding car, or doing a hard workout, or fasting, etc.

Short-term stress is also adaptive because it gives the body the opportunity to adjust to what is going to happen next. It is healthy stress because it gives the body reasons to be better , more resilient, stronger.

Meditation, concentration, determination and commitment

In this sense, once you make a commitment, it has a huge sensory impact. By imposing this type of stress on the body, you are activating a number of receptors, hormonal responses, and enzymatic pathways that force you to increase your focus and concentration.

When you get into a cold shower, you can't occupy your mind with ANYTHING ELSE. You won't be thinking about whether you left the kitchen light on or where you left your phone or what you're going to wear. You'll literally be in the present moment, which will inevitably improve your concentration.

 

Benefits of Wim Hof's breathing method for the human body

By performing this type of breathing together with cold water baths or showers, certain mechanisms are activated within the body that you can adapt to your daily routine so that you can take advantage of one or more of the benefits that this method provides.

Interrupt pattern

Most of our health and emotional problems occur because we let our nervous system get stuck or stuck in one of its processes or in certain patterns. One of the most powerful things we can do is to interrupt that pattern. To get the nervous system to take the emphasis off of all that “thinking” or worrying by doing something completely different.

Hormonal bursts

A hormonal surge refers to the production of a particular hormone in response to a stimulus. For example, growth hormone in adults can be stimulated by sleep, intense exercise, stress , and low blood glucose levels.

In these times when many people end up suffering from hypothyroidism (low production of T3 and T4, a function that the pituitary gland performs to produce Thyroid Stimulating Hormone or TSH that stimulates the thyroid to function).

TSH is secreted throughout life, but reaches especially high levels during periods of rapid growth and development, as well as in response to stress . The hypothalamus at the base of the brain produces thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). TRH stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to produce TSH. ( 4 )

Activate survival circuits

We have survival genes such as the so-called sirtuins that, when exposing the body to a harsh situation, be it strenuous exercise, fasting, or extreme temperatures, these survival genes help it overcome it.

In the short term,

• It produces adrenaline, which is a stress hormone, but in the case of exposure to cold, as soon as the person leaves the water, adrenaline production decreases and the growth hormone (HGH) begins to act for a long period for recovery and adaptation.

Brain stimulation

This is like sending your brain to the gym to train for the concentration required for breathing and the time it takes to hold your breath in order to then remain and stay in a state of balance and calm during the day (if you do it in the morning) or at night (if you do it before falling asleep).

 

How the Wim Hof ​​method works step by step

Lie down or assume a relaxed posture.

The method begins with 30 deep inhalations and exhalations (this may make you a little drunk and make your head spin, but that's fine) inhaling as much as you can and exhaling completely without pausing between inhalations.

After 30 deep breaths, exhale and hold your breath for as long as you can (you'll be surprised how long you can hold your breath). When you can't take any more, take a deep breath and hold it for 15 seconds. Then exhale and repeat the entire cycle again 3-10 times.

After the cycles you do, you can take a cold shower, if you want, but it is not mandatory. This is ideal because it activates the mechanisms mentioned above and you can start with 30 seconds and increase it to several minutes. Showers increase metabolic activity, causing the body to produce heat.

Other alternatives

Not everyone is up for strong emotions such as practicing the Wim Hof ​​method. In addition, people who have had to experience contagion by Covid-19 must feel that their lungs are very fragile.

According to the Spanish magazine ABC, “Covid-19 is especially virulent with the lungs , causing respiratory difficulty that can even persist in patients after they have overcome the viral infection. That is why it is essential to train in order to be able to return to normal life.”( 5 )

For this reason, the Professional College of Physiotherapists of the Community of Madrid (CPFCM) together with others have launched a campaign so that people affected by Covid-19 re-learn to breathe through some exercises that they propose to completely overcome the infection and that I allow myself to transcribe,

“ Physiotherapists recommend practicing a series of breathing exercises that increase strength and endurance, decrease breathing difficulties, and increase flexibility and thoracic mobility.

- Pursed lip breathing . Inhale through the nose, hold your breath for two or three seconds, and exhale slowly through the mouth with pursed lips, as if blowing. The exhalation time should be longer than the inhalation time.

 

- Abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing . Lying face up with your legs slightly bent and your feet flat on the floor, or sitting on a chair with your back well supported and your feet slightly apart, place your hands on your abdomen, take air in through your nose, filling your lungs as much as possible, hold for two or three seconds, and slowly exhale through your mouth with pursed lips. Repeat ten to fifteen times twice a day.

 

- Rib breathing . This chest expansion exercise is performed in a supine position. With your legs stretched out or in a sitting position, place your hands on your chest, inhale gently, directing the air towards your hands, and hold for two or three seconds. Exhale by lightly pressing on your ribs to help expel the air. Repeat 10 to 15 times a day.

 

- To facilitate the expulsion of secretions, exhale slowly with your mouth open while lying on your side, with your legs bent and a pillow between your knees, or while sitting. Inhale air through your nose for five minutes and hold it for two or three seconds, exhaling slowly with your mouth open - as if you were trying to fog up a window - until your lungs are completely empty. Repeat this process while lying on your other side and do it twice a day. If you start coughing, inhale deeply while sitting and cough into a disposable tissue.

- Positive pressure expiration : Use a bottle and a plastic tube about 40 centimetres long. Fill the bottle halfway with water, insert the tube three centimetres from the bottom. Inhale through the nose, hold the air for one or two seconds and exhale by blowing through the tube, creating bubbles in the water for five to ten minutes. Repeat twice a day .

According to Wim Hof, his method can allow us to access parts of our brain that make us a kind of super men and women. For my part, I intuit that through these practices we can access our self-healing.