The Risks of the Wim Hof Method: Read Before You Breathe

When you do the WHM, the rapid breathing simulates the body’s natural stress response and arouses your sympathetic (fight, flight, freeze) nervous system.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with manufacturing a stress response through breathwork. One of the strengths of the WHM when done correctly is it builds resilience to stress so when you’re in a “real” stressful situation

However, issues can arise if: a. You’re already in a highly stressed state b. You’re prone to stress and/or anxiety c. You don’t down-regulate afterwards

If your nervous system is equipped to down-regulate after practicing WHM breathwork, you should gradually return to a balanced state. However… if your nervous system is not able to down-regulate, you can become “stuck” in sympathetic arousal – a state of increased anxiety, stress and fear.