The Wim Hof Method: What Research Supports—and What It Doesn’t

The Wim Hof Method helped move cold exposure into mainstream wellness culture. The method combines breathwork, cold exposure and a commitment or mindset component.

SHIVURR is not affiliated with Wim Hof or the Wim Hof Method. We discuss it because it is an important part of modern cold-exposure culture and because it has been studied scientifically.

What the systematic review found

A 2024 PLOS ONE systematic review included nine papers representing eight individual trials. The authors described promising findings related to inflammatory responses, including changes in epinephrine and inflammatory signaling. They also found mixed results for exercise performance and several other physiological outcomes.

The important limitation is scale: eight underlying trials is still a small evidence base for the very broad claims often associated with the method.

Cold exposure is only one part of the method

Results from studies of the full Wim Hof Method should not automatically be attributed to cold immersion alone. Breathwork, mindset, training, participant expectations and the cold exposure itself can all contribute to outcomes.

Breathwork and water must stay separate

The official Wim Hof Method safety guidance warns that its breathing practice can, in rare cases, cause loss of consciousness and should never be practiced in water, in the shower, while driving, or anywhere fainting could be dangerous.

During a cold plunge, normal controlled breathing is the safer approach. Hyperventilation or breath retention in water creates a drowning risk.

Our view

The Wim Hof Method is a legitimate subject of scientific research and has produced interesting results. It is not proof that every cold-exposure claim is true, and it should not be framed as a replacement for medical treatment.

References

• Almahayni O, Hammond L. Does the Wim Hof Method have a beneficial impact on physiological and psychological outcomes? PLOS ONE. 2024.
• Official Wim Hof Method breathing safety guidance.
• Official Wim Hof Method FAQ: breathing during cold exposure.

Wim Hof Method® is associated with its respective owner. SHIVURR Recovery is not affiliated with or endorsed by Wim Hof or the Wim Hof Method.