By Justine Saavedra, M.S. and Tchiki Davis, M.A., Ph.D.

The Wim Hof Method is named after the person who developed it—a man named Wim Hof from the Netherlands. He developed his method after years of pushing the physiological limits of his body and the perceived limits of his mind through cold exposure and breathing techniques. Wim holds several world records for various cold-weather activities such as the longest ice bath and running marathons around the polar circle (Hof, 2015). These physical achievements led to a scientific case study about him by an academic research institution.

This case study turned out to be groundbreaking as the researchers were able to show that through concentration and meditation, Wim was able to deliberately activate his autonomic nervous system. This is a feat previously believed to........

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