The Wim Hof Method & Mental Health

Angela Bentley, a certified Wim Hof Method instructor, shares how the Wim Hof Method — a practice combining breathing exercises, cold exposure and mindset training — has supported her own mental health.

As this world shifts day by day there are things I hate to see change. But the awareness of mental health is not one of them. I grew up with parents who suffered from mental health problems. My mum was a severe alcoholic and sectioned on more than one occasion. My dad, a workaholic, suffered a nervous and mental breakdown. I remember as a child trying to research solutions and writing letters to doctors at 12 years old, begging them to help my mum. But there was nowhere to go, very little support for the person with the illness and zero for the family that surrounded that person.

Don’t get me wrong, there is so much more we can do as individuals, communities, employers and as a country to help with mental illness. Not just with awareness, but also with long-term solutions for people, despite coming such a long way in the last 30 years.

Introducing the Wim Hof Method

My experience with mental health

I don’t think I have ever experienced depression, but I have certainly had high levels of anxiety, some caused by childhood trauma I never got the help to process, and some from the challenges life has thrown my way.

I thought for years I was unusual, but it turns out everyone has their own hurdles to face. I have such respect for counselling and therapy in helping unravel trauma, limiting beliefs and everything else that comes with it. I have needed it myself and I am stronger because of it.

But at some point, I decided to stop being the victim. To accept that my past has made me the person I am today, and to have gratitude for that.

I want to look forward now. To continue to heal and focus on what I am capable of. The person I want to be, the mum I want my children to see, making a difference and feeling joy and happiness every day.

How I found the Wim Hof Method

I bet you can guess what’s coming next. The Wim Hof Method has supported me through this transition. It’s become part of my regular routine, one I return to for prevention as much as for the harder days. I practice regularly and have built a strong connection in my brain that reinforces the fact that I am capable of difficult things. I still find the cold uncomfortable every time, but working through it helps me manage the stress that life throws my way. I feel more confident setting boundaries and staying connected to how I feel each day.

Wim himself has spoken about using the cold and his method to support his own mental health. In 1995, his wife took her own life after a long-term struggle with mental illness, leaving him to raise their four children alone. He has said he found comfort in the cold, using it to process his grief and find the strength to carry on and raise his children.

Improving your mental wellbeing

So how does it work to support mental wellbeing? Firstly, the breathing part has similarities to meditation. Once you're focused on your breathing, you're more likely to find yourself in the present moment and less caught up in things outside your control.

The next part of the method is getting into cold water. Many practitioners find this builds their ability to stay calm under stress, and that their focus and willpower feel stronger for it, alongside the concentration the breathing work already encourages. Coming out of a cold shower or dip often brings a real lift in mood, which research links in part to the endorphins the body releases in response to cold exposure.

The evidence base for the Wim Hof Method is still developing. Early studies and reviews have looked at its effects on stress response, mood and markers like inflammation, with some encouraging results, but there isn't yet enough research to call it a proven treatment for anxiety or depression. If you're managing a diagnosed mental health condition, it's worth treating a practice like this as a complement to professional support, alongside your therapist or GP, rather than a replacement for it. It can sit well alongside other stress management approaches as part of a broader mental health toolkit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Wim Hof Method?

The Wim Hof Method combines controlled breathing exercises, gradual cold exposure (such as cold showers or ice baths) and a focus on mindset and commitment. It was developed by Dutch athlete Wim Hof, who has spoken publicly about turning to the practice to help him process grief.

Is there evidence the Wim Hof Method helps with mental health?

Research is still developing. Some studies point to benefits for stress response and mood, but the evidence isn't yet strong enough to call it a proven treatment for a diagnosed mental health condition, so it's best used alongside, not instead of, professional support.

Do I need training to try it safely?

Cold exposure and breathing techniques carry some risk, particularly around lightheadedness or overbreathing, so it's worth learning the fundamentals from a qualified instructor before attempting deeper cold exposure, and checking with a doctor first if you have any underlying health conditions.

The Wim Hof Method has real, if still-emerging, research behind it, and many people find genuine value in its breathing and cold exposure practices as part of a broader approach to managing mental wellbeing. Want to learn more? Book Angela for a PepTalk for Mental Health Awareness Week today. Email us at hello@getapeptalk.com or send us a message via the chat. You can also call us on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US).