"Brain over body" — a study on the willful regulation of autonomic function during cold exposure

What does Wim's brain do in the cold?

fMRI and PET imaging of Wim during cold exposure with and without the method, compared to controls.

Activation of the periaqueductal gray — the brainstem's pain-suppression center — and higher-order cortical control; increased glucose use in intercostal muscles.

Single-subject imaging.

Practice the method as taught — breathing seated on dry land, cold by degrees — and let the evidence set your expectations: strong for immune and adrenaline effects, promising for mood and stress, mixed for heart and performance.