Click on the video below. Wim will give you his answer to this question
Click on the video below to hear Wim give you his answer to this question. In addition, we suggest you limit your practice to the breathing exercises when feeling ill, and skip the cold therapy parts, as these tend to compound the existing stress on the body. Get well soon!
The Wim Hof Method can be practiced by every healthy individual. If you are dealing with a serious medical condition, we advise to counsel a healthcare professional before attempting any of the WHM techniques.
We advise against practicing the WHM if you are dealing with any of the following:
• Epilepsy
• High blood pressure (in case of prescription medication)
• Coronary heart disease (e.g. Angina Pectoris; Stable Angina)
• A history of serious health issues like heart failure or stroke
If you suffer from migraines, we urge you to be cautious about taking ice baths.
The effects of the WHM techniques differ from person to person. Everybody’s experience is slightly different, and is partially determined by your goals and expectations. A professional tennis player for example, will likely seek improved athletic performance, whereas someone suffering from rheumatoid arthritis will sooner see benefit from lower inflammatory markers.
Reported general benefits of the Method include: increased energy, improved sleep, reduced stress and anxiety, heightened focus, accelerated recovery, and a general improvement in quality of life.
The potential benefits are numerous and diverse. Ultimately, the only way to find out what the Method does for you is to try it for yourself!
Although the Wim Hof Method has been known to bring symptoms into complete remission in some cases , WHM practice should be seen as a tool to help manage your health, rather than a cure. Since the Wim Hof Method moderates the immune response, it is most effective with conditions that follow from an underlying disturbance to the immune system. However, positive results are seen with a wide variety of conditions, and in addition the WHM affords many other benefits.
There has been considerable scientific research into the Wim Hof Method, and the results are very promising. However, there are hundreds of thousands of conditions and diseases. For the majority of ailments, we do not have the requisite knowledge to be able to speak with authority on the potential of the WHM as an effective treatment. Note also that results vary greatly from person to person, as there are numerous interpersonal physiological differences. Ultimately, the best —and really the only— way to find out what the Wim Hof Method does for you personally is to give it a try. You can also find testimonials from WHM practitioners for various health conditions here.
If you are dealing with a specific health condition, you may want to do a custom search on the WHM Facebook group to see what you can take away from personal stories that have been shared by other members. If nothing comes up, feel free to share experiences or ask questions of your own. This community is very welcoming, and eager to help and offer meaningful insights, and your contributions may in turn help others down the road.
Some conditions may be negatively impacted by WHM practice. If you have any deviations to physiological processes that are directly modulated by WHM practice —notably involving oxygen influx, blood pressure and/or (cardio)vascular complications— we strongly advise that you consult a medical professional. Out of precaution, we also advise against WHM practice if you are pregnant.
The breathing techniques can cause lightheadedness and even loss of consciousness. Children often have not matured to the point where they can adequately assess these risks. Moreover, their brains are also physically still developing.
Thus, we advise that children under the age of 16 are supervised by a parent or legal guardian. Please be careful with regard to cold exposure, and build this up gradually.
Start your day right and do them in the morning. Jump-starting your body right from the get-go will help you spend the day both energized and relaxed. For best results, do the exercises on an empty stomach. Click on the video below to hear Wim give you his answer to this question.
If you are pregnant, we advise against practicing the Method. We do not know if the increased adrenaline levels associated with the WHM techniques adversely affect the health of the baby. This is of course a tremendously delicate matter, and we want to be as careful as possible.
When the baby is born, you are safe to resume practicing the Method.
The average daily investment is 20 minutes to start your day. During the day focus on deeper more conscious breathing. Once you have unlocked how to do the Wim Hof Method, you can access it indefinitely, and move through the stages at your own pace. The Wim Hof Method does not finish after our courses. The method should be implemented in your life daily to reap the full benefits.
In order to become a certified WHM Instructor you must successfully complete the Wim Hof Academy. All the application requirements and course details can be found on our Academy page.
The WHM has shown that we are able to suppress the immune system. Which at first, may not sound as a positive thing.
Actually, it can be very beneficial as in one hand you suppress (downregulate) inflammation and on the other you (upregulate) increase white blood cell. Let us explain:
Our immune system can be roughly categorized into 2 parts. The innate immune system, our first line of defense against bacteria and pathogens. And the adaptive immune system, all the white blood cells necessary in developing immunity against those pathogens. The WHM suppresses the innate immune system and strengthens the adaptive immune system. It suppresses the innate immune system by lowering inflammation (especially un-needed inflammation) and strengthens the adaptive immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells (strengthening immunity). This anti-inflammatory effect of the wim hof method can have plenty of benefits, such as lowering discomfort of symptoms caused by excess inflammation, such as fevers or headaches. “Suppression” sounds like a negative, but in this case can be very positive!
This was all proven in the landmark Radboud study! These effects have been observed and measured in this paper and we encourage you to have a look.
Although Wim would like nothing more than to personally engage with each and every one of you, he has become so popular as to make this unfeasible. The good folk at support@wimhofmethod.com can answer just about every question you may have, and will relay your message to Wim when merited.
If you want to send a physical letter or package, you can send it to the Hoffice at Willem de Zwijgerlaan 350, 1055 RD Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
If your question isn't listed in any of the FAQ categories, head over to our WHM Community for help from other members and WHM Instructors.
Frequently Asked Questions
