to the extreme
Can something as naturally meditative as breathing harness your body’s untapped potential?
How to harness the power of your breath to improve your wellbeing.
Called “The Iceman”, Dutchman Wim Hof has proved his ability to withstand extreme cold again and again. He holds the world record for the longest ice bath (almost two hours standing in a crate of ice cubes), and he once swam 60m under a sheet of ice in Finland. He’s also climbed Mount Everest wearing nothing but a pair of shorts.
What’s all this got to do with breathing? Well, adopting a special breathing technique is a crucial pillar of the Wim Hof Method. Hof says that heightened oxygen levels can have a lot of advantages. “The benefits of practising the breathing techniques are many: more energy, a better immune system, more control over mood and more confidence.”
We take up to 22,000 breaths a day. In. Out. In. Out. It’s something most of us take for granted – just something happening in the background. But experts such as psychologist Dr Joann Lukins say that taking time to focus on our breath can have a massive effect on our wellbeing. “It centres you in the moment and can enhance self-control, objectivity and concentration. Breathing
can also help you relate to others and yourself with kindness, acceptance and compassion.”
There are different approaches to harnessing the power of our breath. It can be as simple as sitting down and counting as you breathe in and out. Apps like Reachout Breathe or Breathe2relax talk you through breathing exercises and, of course, yoga, meditation and mindfulness all rely on focused breathing. Hof offers a paid online program, but you can learn the basics for free via his website (wimhofmethod.com). Essentially, his technique causes “controlled hyperventilation” – unsurprisingly, it comes with a hefty safety warning – where you take 30 short and powerful breaths (“imagine you’re blowing up a balloon,” he suggests), then hold your breath for as long as you can. If you pass out, you’ve pushed too far, obviously. After holding your breath until your gasp reflex kicks in, take a deep recovery breath. Hof suggests doing three rounds.
The Wim Hof Method stands up scientifically; research shows it increases adrenaline levels, which helps “calm down” the immune system. But it isn’t the only way extreme breathing can bring about profound health benefits.
Alakh Analda has been a professional “breath worker” for 20 years; she takes her clients through a breathing exercise known as rebirthing. Rebirthing, which has been around since the ’60s, lacks scientific endorsement but remains a popular alternative therapy. Analda says it’s a way to release and resolve trauma that we’ve carried since birth or early childhood. “People don’t realise how much trauma from our birth can affect our mental and physical wellbeing,” she says, adding that memories of birth often come back to you during a session. “Sometimes people roll across the floor, they don’t know why they’re doing it. Sometimes people will just feel really small.” In theory, the breathing technique energises the body, which brings up old memories, feelings and physical tension. As you become aware of these sensations, they can be released. In practice, you spend around 90 minutes lying on the floor, taking “full, conscious and connected breaths”.
Evidently, the simple act of breathing is a pathway to unlocking more of our potential, whether emotional, physical or psychological. It’s also a way to let go of baggage and the first step in achieving greater personal success. And to think, it was under our nose this whole time.