Description
Buteyko Breathing is part of a method that teaches you how to normalize your breathing volume. It is common that people breathe with a high frequency, even though they don’t need it according to their physical activity. That may lead to hyperventilation and other health issues.
Possible Benefits
- May improve respiratory health
- May decrease stress level
- May decrease anxiety
- May reduce snoring
- May improve your sleep quality
- May boost your mood
- May improve focus
How to Do It
Buteyko breathing has 5 simple steps. Breathe using your diaphragm (moving your stomach, not your chest):
- Inhale through your nose. Sit down with good posture and inhale normally.
- Exhale through your nose. A normal exhale.
- Shorter inhalation through your nose. Breathe in for 1-2 seconds and stop.
- Long exhalation through your nose. Slowly release the breath for 5 seconds. Then hold your breath for 5 seconds.
- Repeat this process for 2-3 minutes.
It is crucial that you always breathe using your diaphragm.
Why it works
- Hyperventilation leads to lower levels of carbon dioxide, which may lead to bad oxygenation of the body and blood vessel issues.
- This breathing exercise helps restore the balance between the oxygen and C02 levels in the body.
- This exercise helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps lower blood pressure, reduces stress and agitation.
Time Commitment
Up to 5 minutes
Suggested Frequency
At least 2 times per week
Time of Day
Any
Possible Side Effects
Headache, diarrhea, nausea, general discomfort.
It is not recommended for people with blood pressure problems.
Tips
- There’s scientific debate about this breathing technique.
- In some cases, it helps to reduce the symptoms of rhinitis.
- Identify how often you breathe so you know if you are breathing more than you need to.
- At rest, 8-12 breaths per minute is normal.
Supporting Studies and Articles
Expand Collapse- How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6137615/
- A randomised controlled trial of the Buteyko technique as an adjunct to conventional management of asthma. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18249107/
- Effect of two breathing exercises (Buteyko and pranayama) in asthma: a randomised controlled trial. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1746772/
- Systematic review of the effectiveness of breathing retraining in asthma management. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK85545/
- Buteyko breathing for asthma. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6513443/
- Systematic review of the effectiveness of breathing retraining in asthma management. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22082165/
- Breathing Exercises and/or Retraining Techniques in the Treatment of Asthma: Comparative Effectiveness [Internet]. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23101047/
