Breathing is often taken for granted. It’s something we do thousands of times each day, unconsciously, until we pause to take a deep breath or catch ourselves after exertion. Oxygen (O2) is often the star of the show in these moments, regarded as the essential element that keeps us alive. But there’s another, often overlooked, actor in the dance of breath: carbon dioxide (CO2).

Wim Hof brought to the West a well-encapsulated approach to balancing body, mind, and breath. Cold exposure, in the form of ice baths and cold showers, is a key element of this practice, but it often comes with mental resistance. By thinking or talking ourselves out of cold exposure, we limit our potential well-being.