Every now and then, Samantha Ruth Prabhu shares health tips and tricks that help her live a better, fitter life. Recently, in an Instagram post, she shared how she starts her day: “I wake up, I start journaling. I write a gratitude journal and set myself up to have a good day. And then just five minutes of sun soak. I do a breathing exercise – what I follow is the Wim Hof method, followed by 25 minutes of meditation.”

“This small practice might feel subtle and simple at first, but it has the power to change the way you see everything. Give it a try — it’s been a game-changer for me,” Samantha explained.

She also revealed that meditation is now a mandatory ritual for her to be calm and at peace.

“No matter how chaotic the world gets, I know that quiet spot inside me is always there, waiting. When you learn to find your way home to yourself, the noise outside loses its grip,” she wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.

What’s the Wim Hof method?

Medical News Today maintains that Wim Hof is an athlete and motivational speaker who has proposed that cold exposure combined with periods of hyperventilation and breath-holding can improve health and well-being.

The method involves breathing exercises and cold exposure in the form of ice baths or very cold showers. Most studies have agreed that the method does not improve athletic performance, at least over the short term.

A 2022 study involving adult males who tried the method, including cold exposure, found that the method might enhance the presence of anti-inflammatory chemicals.

This may potentially enable the body to reduce or control inflammation, though researchers have not studied the clinical applications of these findings, Medical News Today says.

This breathwork technique involves four steps:

Step 1: Get Comfortable

Get into a position that you can maintain comfortably, either sitting or lying down. Ideally wear loose clothing, and make sure that your belly can expand freely.

Step 2: 30 Deep Breaths

Close your eyes and clear your mind. Inhale deeply through your nose or mouth, while pushing your belly outward. When your lungs are full, let your breath go through the mouth without force. Take 30 such breaths, one right after the other.

Step 3: The Retention Phase

After the final exhalation, hold your breath until you feel the urge to breathe again.

Step 4: Recovery Breath

Draw one giant breath, once again letting your belly expand fully. Hold that breath for 15 seconds, then let go. This completes one round.

What are the benefits?

Hof claims his method offers a range of benefits, including an accumulation of brown fat, fat loss, and reduced inflammation. His most devoted followers claim that the method is life changing. A small 2018 study interviewed 16 people about their experiences with the method. They reported subjective benefits such as:

  • improved mood
  • reduction in anxiety
  • greater feelings of wellness
  • a deeper connection to oneself
  • better immunity
  • less physical stress and tension

According to Medical News Today, several professional athletes who have adopted the method claim that it has improved their performance.

What are the risks?

Hof cautions that users may feel dizzy, tingly, or lightheaded when hyperventilating.

Hyperventilation poses some health risks such as:

  • decreasing blood flow to the brain, thereby depriving it of oxygen
  • causing fainting because of a lack of blood flow to the brain
  • having a harmful effect on the brain in people with a traumatic brain injury