Ice baths, immunity and inner peace

When I come to my senses, I realise, to my slight disappointment, that I am not in fact at the summit of the world’s tallest mountain. I’m in Manly. And I’m lying on my back, having just completed a series of rigorous breathing exercises guided by a man named Johannes Egberts, Sydney’s very own Wim Hof expert. I’ll explain.

I’m here to understand what’s behind this controversial but exciting lifestyle that Egberts says could even be termed an “alternative medicine”. Created by the charismatic Dutchman Wim Hof and his twin brother Marcel, the Wim Hof Method has been the focus of documentaries by everyone from to Gwyneth Paltrow and promises benefits that include stress reduction, better sleep, faster recovery, as well as increased creativity and mental alertness. That is, all the usual buzzwords associated with wellness practices these days. Except, it also promises something else. The WHM suggests that by practising its three main pillars of breathing exercises, meditation and cold therapy, you can temporarily suppress your autonomic immune system and influence how your body fights diseases.