Wim Hof Breathing: Training the Body to Stress and Recover
“Breathe consciously and you improve the deepest systems that normally run on autopilot.”
Why
Wim calls it getting high on your own supply, expect euphoria.
Everyone is different but I get inspiration every time, insights for what I’m wrestling with. Some people get that when running or walking in nature. It’s so clear and so right I am still surprised by it.
If that doesn’t come for you don’t get discouraged.
Modern life keeps the nervous system half-pressed on the gas—constant notifications, low-grade anxiety, caffeine before stillness.
Wim Hof breathing flips that script.
Each breath cycle deliberately introduces stress, then trains recovery.
The deep, rhythmic inhales flood the body with oxygen and trigger mild hyperventilation—a controlled sympathetic surge (your “fight or flight” gear). Heart rate and body temp rises, adrenaline spikes, pH shifts.
Then comes the hold: you exhale, pause, and the system pivots. CO₂ builds, the parasympathetic network (your “rest and repair” gear) re-engages, and the body resets.
Round after round, you’re rehearsing one of the most valuable physiological skills:
Move from stress to calm on command.
It’s interval training for your nervous system—stress, release, stress, release—until recovery becomes reflex.
What
The videos below will talk you through like this:
- Get still. Sit or lie down somewhere safe. Never near water or while driving.
- Breathe in deeply through the nose (preferably) or mouth. Exhale without forcing.
- 30–40 breaths, like waves: (very) full inhale deep in the belly and then a final thrust into the chest, relaxed partial (50-75%) exhale.
- After the last exhale, hold for 45 seconds / build to 2:30 mins with experience.
- Stay calm. Notice stillness. You might feel warmth, tingling, lightness.
- Hold until your body naturally wants to breathe.
- Inhale fully and hold again for 10–30 seconds.
- Squeeze the belly, then the neck, then the head, draining lymph nodes and moving energy.
- Feel the calm pressure return, then release.
- Repeat 3–4 rounds. Increase the hold time by 15-30 seconds each set.
Finish seated and still for a few minutes. Your body will hum—relaxed but alert.
The Point
This isn’t about oxygen hacks or biohacking theater.
It’s about agency—reclaiming control of your internal state.
Every breath cycle is a micro-lesson: stress is fine if you also practice recovery.
Do it daily. Three rounds take ten minutes. Over time you’ll notice:
- Quicker calm after chaos.
- Lower baseline anxiety.
- A clearer divide between effort and rest.
It’s not meditation, it’s not cardio—it’s a bridge between them.
Training the breath is training the system that runs everything else.
Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes only. Consult your physician before beginning any breath-holding or hyperventilation practice, especially if you have cardiovascular or respiratory conditions.