06/08/2022
Considering this is the practice we mostly use I felt this repost was a great depiction and perfect for my feed to share with my peeps as a reminder of the benefits and a huge part of our why in the practice. 😮💨🫁🧘♂️🫂🫶🤙🏼
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The Wim Hof Method - what does it really do vs what people think it does?
Firstly, the actual practice involving heavy breathing, shouldnt be practiced whilst in the water, yet if you practice the breathing before hand, it may just help your cold exposure.
Activation of fight or flight
- breathing that much, that quickly, does indeed trigger the sympathetic part of the nervous system in most people and naturally increases heart rate
Increase/Decrease of co2
- Whilst breathing the co2 is released/dumped off and whilst breathholding the co2 increases due to the body naturally using energy (albeit slower) by just simply existing. Most people tend to think its the other way around.
Stress Hormones
- cortisol and adrenaline (various forms) are produced due to the pace of breathing and length of the breath holds
Vasodilation/Constriction
- During breathing vasoconstriction occurs and during the breath holds the vasodilation occurs (due to increase of co2)
Suppression of the innate immune response triggered
- Adrenaline/cortisol suppress certain white blood cells from being produced which are usually caused by stress oddly enough. This acute burst of stress manages to nullify certain white blood cell production and signals others to prevent more from being produced
Warming of the body
- Breathing this heavily and at this rate, certainly produces heat within the body and especially the chest and rib cage area. On the breath holds often the temperature shifts downward again due to the opening/closing of the veins
Rebalancing of the blood chemistry
- As oxygen enters the blood and cells the pH value is more alkaline (breathing) whereas on the breath holds, co2 increases and it becomes acidic. The body intuitively reblances everything thereafter due to homeostasis
What else have you felt or experienced during your practice?
Anything to add here? 😊💜🙏