I already said so much about Egypt recently and all I have left are these photos I snapped on the way back to the airport. That’s why I’ll let them speak for themselves, while I’d rather take this opportunity to talk about new year resolutions, given that we’re less than a week away from 2022.
Everyone wishes happiness and health to the people around him/her, and hopes to be happy and healthy him/herself. These things of course don’t depend on luck and there’s a lot we can do on our own.
Some set ambitious plans - to go on a diet, quit smoking, start exercising or save more, although studies show that by February 80% of them fail and are back on the old course.
Others couldn’t care less about new year resolutions. I usually fall into the second bucket because I don’t think personal progress should be linked to a specific date, but I understand that for some setting deadlines helps to stay focused on a goal.
I recently started reading about Wim Hof and his method to develop mastery over our nervous, immune and cardiovascular systems with short-term exposure to cold, breathing techniques and mental focus on patience and dedication. I then picked up his book and I’m just about to finish reading it. From the examples in the book, I’d say his method is a serious threat to modern day pharma, and calling him a motivational speaker is quite an understatement. The people who followed his techniques successfully treated a wide array of autoimmune diseases and psychological issues - everything from arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cancer and ulcerative colitis to severe depression and bipolar disorder.
Supposedly, consistent practice is beneficial for relatively healthy people as well, enabling:
- Increased energy
- Better sleep
- Reduced stress levels
- Better focus, determination and willpower
- Stronger immune system
So instead of just preaching I have to practice it too. I started with cold showers 5 days ago and let me tell you, it’s definitely out of my comfort zone!
However, people usually report noticing reduced inflammation, improved sleep quality, and generally feeling happier and calmer (due to the production of endorphins in the brain that naturally elevate your mood) as early as 10 days into it, so it’s definitely worth sticking to it. After all, it takes less than a minute!
The idea is to take a regular shower in the morning and then switch the tap to cold water only for 30 seconds and repeat this for 7 days, then increasing to a minute, then to 1.5 min and by the end if the month you’re at 2 minutes. After the shower you let your body warm up on its own. And while we’re hearing so much about immunity boosters lately, this one is a natural and just because it’s free and not administered by a doctor, it doesn’t mean it’s worthless. I’ll see how it goes and I’ll try some breathing techniques as well.
Wim Hof also has many different breathing techniques described in the book but I think it’s worth trying video guide on his app - because although the explanation in the book is detailed, I still wasn’t sure how exactly to do them. There’s also a free 20 day challenge on the app, I still have to try that one.
I know this all sounds like an ad but it’s not - I’m just excited about this discovery that might put some on a “happier and healthier” track in 2022 more or less on their own, just by committing to an activity every morning so I wanted to share it here. Plus, it’s always good trying something new for a good cause.
How about you - would you try it? Or maybe you already have and want to share your experience?
What are your new year resolutions?