SUNDAY 4 OCT
15:15 – 15:45
The science of breath holds - lessons from a world record holder
About the session
Breath Hold: The Overlooked Medicine! Most of us never think about how we breathe, and almost nobody thinks about what happens when we stop. In this keynote, Stig brings together elite freediving and the ancient practice of pranayama to show what breath holding does to the mind and body, and how to use it.
He starts with mindset: what flow state is and how to stay in it once you get there. From there he moves into CO2 tolerance and its effect on the brain and the cardiovascular system, and into the altered states of perception that open up when you hold your breath under water or on land.
Then he goes deeper, to the cellular level, where breath holding drives molecular modulation and nervous system co-regulation. These health benefits get far too little attention, and Stig explains why they matter.
Safety runs through the whole talk. Breath holding carries real risks in water and on dry land, and Stig is direct about how to train responsibly.
The audience leaves with concrete ways to bring breath work into daily life for better mental and physical health.
Speaker
Stig Severinsen
Stig Åvall Severinsen is a four time World Champion freediver and the first human to hold his breath for more than 20 minutes (20 minutes and 10 seconds back in 2010). The same year he also beat the Wim Hof record diving under ice. Stig holds a Master’s degree in biology (2001) and a PhD in medicine (2007) from the University of Aarhus, Denmark. In 2017 he was inaugurated as a fellow international member of the Explorer's Club in New York. Stig has set 10 official Guinness world records, including the deepest unassisted dive in the ocean (200 feet in 2003), swimming 250 feet under ice wearing only speedos on a single breath (2013) and swimming 202.0 meters on a single breath in open water (2020). In 2012, Stig was crowned “The Ultimate Superhuman” on the Discovery Channel's “Superhuman Showdown” when he held his breath for 22 minutes under water! Stig's methods has been trusted by Olympian gold winning athletes, Navy SEALs, Fortune 500 companies & the Danish Royal Airforce. Besides the High Performance segment this method is also widely used for veterans struggling with PTSD, for people recovering from illness or accidents and for everyday people and employees to stay healthy and energized throughout busy and stressful days. Today Stig focuses entirely on public speaking, 1:1 coaching and teaching the many benefits of conscious breathing through his Breatheology platform, making the world breathe better, one breath at a time.
Your host on the Impact Stage
STAGE HOSTSabinije Von GaffkeFounding Partner, Super Human
Sabinije von Gaffke is an internationally recognized and award-winning moderator, speaker and entrepreneur operating at the forefront of longevity, science, AI and human potential. She is Founding Partner of Super Human, an exclusive, invitation-only global summit and network, Co-founder of BrainGym.co, and Founder of HUMAN™️.
Recognized for leading high-level, cross-disciplinary conversations with many of the world's foremost experts, Sabinije moderates and speaks on international stages at the intersection of longevity, science, technology and human potential.
Beyond the stage, she collaborates with leading organizations across longevity, hospitality and private communities to design human-centered longevity ecosystems that integrate science, strategic partnerships, meaningful experiences and human connection.
Her work is grounded in systems thinking and ecosystem design, integrating scientific advancement, infrastructure and human development—reflecting a broader vision of moving beyond optimisation toward coherence as the foundation for sustainable human potential. Her philosophy is simple: Longevity isn't simply about living longer. It's about expanding the human experience and unlocking human potential.
Øksnehallen, Halmtorvet 11, 1700 Copenhagen · All sessions are first come, first served.
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