This book changed my life. I can now describe myself as an “asymptomatic asthmatic”. If breathlessness is chaos then buteyko breathing is control. 

Accept the chaos. Choose control. I’m forever grateful that I get to choose. 

First and foremost control your Asthma symptoms and if that requires medication don’t change unless it is in review with your medical professionals. 

Inflammation, constriction of smooth muscle and increased secretion of mucus contribute to a narrowing of the airways in asthma sufferers.

Narrowing of the airways induces a feeling of hunger for air, accelerating the respiratory rate and volume as a compensatory mechanism. Which may explain why we gulp air through our mouths instead of through our noses.

The amount of air we take in during a minute, unsurprisingly called, minute ventilation, is typically higher in asthmatics 10-15 litres per minute compared to 4 and 9 litres per minute in healthy individuals. 

Asthmatics tend to “heave breath” with lots of upper chest movement. Think about how we use inhalers. Big breath in.

The Buteyko method argues that asthmatics overbreathe, hyperventilate. The causes are up for debate BUT if you are willing to test the theory that asthma symptoms are present due to hyperventilation, the Buteyko method will help you understand how to stop overbreathing and replace it with controlled effortless breathing. 

Suggested activities that cause you to over breath:

Overeating, talking, laughter, anger, stress, yawning with big breaths, regular sighs, high-intensity exercise.

Histamine levels increase during prolonged overbreathing producing local inflammation, constriction of smaller airways.

CO₂ relaxes smooth muscle, overbreathe and levels of CO₂ drop causing constriction of the airways. High levels of CO₂ improves the delivery of O₂ via Bohr effect.

Are you sitting next to an asthmatic?

Look out for mouth open, loud breathing, irregular and effortful breathing, air hunger, yawns, sighs, upper chest breathing

Think AIR DIET: Restrict the volume of breathing NOT the number of times you breath per minute.

Quiet and gentle breathing is the aim. The feeling that you need air is not your body screaming for oxygen rather an accumulation of CO₂. 

The need for air can be described as suffocating or feeling smothered and it can take a few efforts to get used to the feeling.

With prolonged exposure to CO₂ the body adjusts and the feeling of needing to breath subsides. 

Note: Recommended length for breathing drills is 4 minutes with 4- 5 sets/repeated efforts. 

Who it is not for: Apply common sense. For example, do not attempt if you have a chronic illness or receiving treatment for preexisting conditions unless working in conjunction with your health professionals.

Use only very gentle air shortage if:

COPD, severe asthma, anxiety, pregnant, type 2 diabetes, migraine sufferers

Note: Supervision by an experienced Buteyko specialist is recommended. 

What the downside?

Be aware that a cleansing reaction can occur which is an aggravation of symptoms that can last for several hours to several weeks. Typically it passes after a few days. 

Both heart rate and control pause can reduce and will stabilise once the cleansing reaction has passed.

Measuring the Control Pause: Most accurately measured first thing in the morning. 

Overall goal of Buteyko breathing is a Control Pause of 40 seconds maintained for 6 months and to remove the reliance on medication. Main symptoms of asthma will be gone with a Control Pause of 20 seconds but triggers may produce symptoms.

How to:

Take a small, silent breath in through your nose and allow a small silent breath out through your nose

Hold your nose

Count the number of seconds until you feel the first obvious desire to breath

You may feel the first involuntary movement of your breathing muscles. I found this unnerving to start with and a real obvious cue that I was really struggling to hold my breath with any control. A moment of realisation.

Release your nose and ensure your next breath is also calm. 

If not then you have held your breath way too long to prove a point. Back off and try again.

Low scores in Control Pause: Less than or equal to 10 seconds is an indication of higher ventilation during rest and greater airway obstruction

Asthma and associated symptoms are severe

Control Pause between 20 and 40 seconds. Main symptoms have disappeared but be aware that triggers may fire off symptoms.

What does success look like?

Every 5 second increase in Control Pause is an indicator for reduced symptoms of asthma, wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and exercise induced asthma. 

How to track and measure progress:

The following recommendations indicate that your breathing techniques are working and it’s time to talk with your medical professionals about a review of medication.

• Control Pause greater than 20 seconds for 4 weeks
• You have not used your short acting reliever medication for 4 weeks
• You have not had asthma symptoms for 4 weeks

Be aware that each asthma medication increases Control Pause, that’s it’s job. Don’t be disheartened if your Control Pause drops if you have recently reduced your reliance on medication. That’s part of the journey.

How to improve nose breathing

Walk with your nose pinched and your mouth shut. Track how many paces before you feel the need to breathe. Try to build up an air shortage but remain in control. 

Calm your breathing as quickly as possible; 

It should only take 2-3 breaths to regain control. If it takes longer you held your breath too long

Repeat until your nose feels decongested.

Alternatively: Neti pots techniques work a treat. 

As do nasal strips which I swear by. Breathe Right work well. Also worth looking at Turbine which I find work best for prolonged sweaty exercise. 

Potential benefit of nose breathing:

Nitric Oxide present in the nasal passage may play a role in first line defence against microbes and viruses and could explain some of the benefits of nasal breathing.

The key to effortless breathing:Diaphragmatic breathing

Here’s how. 

One hand on your chest

One hand on your stomach

Keep your shoulders relaxed. Lifting your shoulders towards your ears will only increase the volume of your chest cavity which is counterproductive to the advice of the Buteyko method.

Start the breath in your stomach and feel it gently rise up.

With your upper hand on your chest focus on little or no upperward movement.

As you breathe out you will feel your stomach drop and the diaphragm moves upwards taking pressure away from the abdomen.

A typical breathing movement should be reduced by 30-40%

Work on your air diet for 4 minutes at a time. Don’t ever struggle with the exercise. Instead stop and revisit when relaxed.

Signs that you are working too hard

Tight abdominals

High breathing rhythm

Feel a non stressful and tolerable need for air, you will not make progress unless you do. 

How to increase you Control Pause

To increase Control Pause from 10 – 20 seconds

Step 1: Keep your mouth shut

Step 2: Practise reducing down the volume of air you breath; Air Diet

Necessary to increase your Control Pause above 20 and towards the 40 second goal of Buteyko breathing.

Step 3: Exercise and nose breath

Exercise and breathing:

No room for breathing through the mouth

No room for big breaths

You will need to manage how you exercise if you have a low Control Pause and if you exercise with too much intensity of effort e.g. HiiT as this will result in the need to open your mouth and breath heavily. 

This suits the concept of 80:20 training.

80% of the time train at low-level intensity, a level at which you could hold a conversation without getting out of breath. The remaining time nail yourself if that’s what you want. Just remember to return to gentle and easy breathing as soon as you are done busting yourself up.

Physical exercise with reduced breathing is the best way to increase your CP from 20-40 seconds.

Provided you remember:

Large intakes of breath are counterproductive to Buteyko practise as is breathing out through your mouth. Replace large intakes of breath with breath holds, gentle breathing and nose breathing.

Remember it is an air diet; Restrict the volume of breathing NOT the number of times your breath per minute.

Just like training there are rules to the game:

How often should I train? How often should I practise?

4 minutes of reduced breathing

Take a break and repeat 4-5 times. 

20 minutes of focussed air diet time.

Take your opportunities:

Before you get up and out of bed use 4 minutes of reduced breathing. The warm up to meditation. Great chance to dial yourself in

Sat all day at a desk for example, use it as a chance to move and focus on getting breaks from the desk

Use it when you are training at the gym, walking or generally being active. 

Look for opportunities to become comfortable with the concept of an air diet.

Drills that will help

This is not an exhaustive list:

Taping your mouth at night:

Something I now do and although a little freaky. Amazing. IF you can keep the tape on overnight 🙂

Practising reducing breathing:

Place your finger under your nose 

Imagine you have a feather resting on your finger and you don’t want to blow it away as you inhale and exhale.  

You can also feel the amount of warm air on your finger as an indicator for big exhales. 

Both are excellent cues for reducing the volume of air you breathe.

Daily practise: Also used to stop wheezing and Coughing attacks

Simply add this into your daily routine. 

Exhale through your nose as normal

Pinch your nose and hold breath for 3-5 seconds

Breath normally through the nose for 10 seconds

Repeat small breath holds for 3-5 seconds.

Breath normally through the nose for 10 seconds

Repeat until symptom free

If that does not relieve the symptoms after 10 minutes take your reliever medication. 

Set up:

4 minutes reduced breathing x 5 sets. Pause between efforts to regain focus.

Indicators for success:

Just like running or lifting weights. We need feedback that we are heading in the right direction. Small victories give hope.

Use your Control Pause. At the end of drills your Control Pause should improve by around 25%

Effortless: Heart rate should not have increased at all during the drills. May even have slowed.

Note to impatient sportspeople:

Getting used to your mouth closed and breathing through your nose takes time to adjust. Warm up slowly especially if running 

Don’t worry about being slow to start with over time you will get faster with your mouth closed.

Do warm down and pay attention to your breathing control. If you have pushed hard then bring your breathing under control.

An excellent choice for this is to lay on your back and place your feet either on a chair or on a wall with your legs bent at 90 degrees. 

Knees under hips

Feet shoulder width apart

Breath out and lift your bum up off the floor by an inch 

Press through your heels (dig your heels into a chair or push through the back of your trainers if your feet are on the wall) and focus on slowing your breath down.

You can stay in this position for a few minutes if required.

Other stuff you can do to help:

Cut down on processed foods, dairy, meats, caffeine and sugar.  Increase vegetables, fruits and water. All sensible stuff really. Figuring out food tolerances would also make a lot of sense.

Take Magnesium Citrate. I’ve added this into my supplement regime

I also take Zinc, MSM 4000mg and Fish Oils/Omega Oils. 

Close out:

Buteyko is an air diet. Quiet effortless breathing at all times. 

If you can hear your breathing. Pipe down!

And above all close your mouth.