Wim HofInstructor and teacher, Wim Hof Method

Depression, bipolar, anxiety, fear, PTSD, trauma…it’s all stress in the brain. Take charge.

6 Nov 2025 · 1 min

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In this segment, Wim Hof explains that during the first week of his program participants learn belly (diaphragmatic) breathing. He observes that when taking a cold shower, the breath naturally rises toward the upper body because the body's reflex aims to protect core temperature. He advises that by continuing deep, calm breathing despite the cold stress, one can preserve a steady breath rhythm and mentally program oneself before the body fully reacts, thereby enhancing control over the stress response.

Chapters

In week 1, we learned how to breathe from the belly, and on the cold shower, I noticed that my breath was climbing up. Yes. Yeah, you go to the surface because when cold comes up, the reflex of the body is to maintain core body temperature, which is in the upper part, this part. And so it wants to go there. But what happens if you keep on breathing in peace, like deep breathing, even though the stress is coming in, is to maintain the breath rhythm and program yourself before you go in at rest.