Buteyko Breathing
Inhale 3 • Exhale 4 • Hold 7
Ready
Total duration: 28s
Buteyko breathing benefits visualization

Benefits of Buteyko Breathing

This therapeutic method focuses on gentle, reduced breathing to improve CO₂ tolerance, reduce hyperventilation, and optimize breathing chemistry for enhanced health.

  • Improves CO₂ tolerance and breathing chemistry

  • Reduces hyperventilation patterns

  • Enhances breathing efficiency naturally

  • May help with asthma and breathing difficulties

  • Promotes nasal breathing habits

Key Practice Principles

Master the fundamentals of the Buteyko method with gentle, precise techniques designed to retrain your breathing patterns for optimal health.

  • Breathe only through your nose, never mouth

  • Keep breathing very gentle and quiet

  • Don't force breath holds - build tolerance gradually

  • Practice regularly for progressive improvement

  • Focus on quality of breathing over quantity

Buteyko breathing technique guide
Research

Key studies we rely on

Concise, evidence-based references.

The Buteyko breathing technique for asthma: A review

Bruton & Thomas, 2011 · Physiotherapy · Systematic Review

Systematic review showing Buteyko breathing technique significantly improves asthma symptoms and quality of life, with some studies showing reduced medication use.

Randomised controlled trial of the Buteyko technique as an adjunct to conventional asthma management

Cooper et al., 2003 · Respirology · RCT

Randomized trial demonstrating significant improvements in asthma symptoms and quality of life scores in adults practicing the Buteyko technique.

Effect of breathing retraining on asthma symptoms and airway responsiveness

Freitas et al., 2013 · Cochrane Review · Meta-analysis

Cochrane review indicating breathing retraining techniques like Buteyko may improve symptoms and quality of life in asthma patients.

Hyperventilation syndrome: A diagnosis begging for recognition

Laffey & Kavanagh, 2002 · Archives of Internal Medicine · Review

Medical review highlighting how chronic hyperventilation affects health and how breathing retraining techniques address underlying breathing dysfunction.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the Buteyko method focus on reduced breathing?

The method aims to retrain breathing patterns to reduce chronic hyperventilation, improve CO₂ tolerance, and normalize breathing chemistry for better health outcomes.

What is the Control Pause and why is it important?

The Control Pause measures how long you can comfortably hold your breath after a normal exhale. It indicates your breathing efficiency and CO₂ tolerance levels.

Can this help with asthma or breathing disorders?

Many people report improvements in breathing symptoms, but always consult your healthcare provider before using breathing techniques to address medical conditions.

How gentle should my breathing be?

Very gentle! The goal is to breathe so softly that you can barely feel the air moving. This helps reset your breathing sensitivity and reduce over-breathing patterns.