November is the time of the year when things start getting cold in most places (thanks to the tilted axis of the planet, it’s not the case everywhere). Since the bulk of the planet’s population (75 to 80 percent) is in the northern hemisphere, November is usually associated by the majority of humans with the onset of the cold season, and festivities abound at this time of the year…when there isn’t a pandemic around.

But in any case, it certainly is quite cold outside for most of us right now. And with cold comes the need for layers and layers of thermals, coats, jackets, caps, gloves, and all such clothing stuff…

…or not. There’s this guy who’s popular for his WHM, in which some breathing techniques can be used to regulate body heat and ergo to develop the ability to withstand extreme cold without the need for extensive clothing. Now, not everyone is Wim Hof and moreover not everyone likes to put themselves through intense discomfort, and that’s understandable.

But there is a component of mental blubber involved here - some amount of mental preparation and focus can certainly aid us in being able to withstand the cold up to an extent. Maybe it’s not wise to go out when it’s approaching 0°Celsius and then wondering where the brain blubber disappeared, but at slightly higher, conventionally cold temperatures like 10°C, it’s worth a try - a combination of slow breaths, regular movements, and an intense focus on breathing while acknowledging that the atmosphere is cold certainly works in some mysterious way - and after a while you start feeling comfortable. I’ve been running in the cold quite regularly and have found it quite helpful, so I can vouch for this idea - it may not be advisable for everyone but within certain limits it may well worth be trying.

What these limits are, and how far can one push themselves - that’s a bit of a subjective one - it may be 10°C for some, 20°C for others; it’s fine as long as it’s not felt too extreme for your body to handle.

Why should one do this when they can just wear nice layers of warm clothing or stay indoors?

It sort of goes like this, as George Mallory tells us.