Frequently asked questions

Yes, there have been many randomised controlled studies looking at Buteyko breathing for asthma. Buteyko breathing has been listed in the BTS/SIGN Guideline on the Management of Asthma since 2008. There is some published data on sleep apnoea too.

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What will I need to do to improve my breathing with Buteyko?

You will learn Buteyko breathing exercises and simple tips to help you to improve the way you breathe. Nasal breathing is promoted and lifestyle changes recommended. The exercises take about 10 minutes and need to repeated several times a day. They involve normalising breathing rate and volume and optimizing biomechanics, so how you breathe and how much you breathe. The Buteyko exercises should be practised until the new way of breathing eventually become automatic. This usually takes from 1 to 3 months and then can be tapered off. Most people notice an improvement in their symptoms within a week or so.

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What will my doctor think?

Buteyko breathing can be used alongside conventional drug management of asthma. The BTS/SIGN Guideline on the Management of Asthma mentions Buteyko breathing as a breathing normalisation technique. Doctors and asthma nurses should be familiar with this guideline and it should guide their practice. Tell your doctor that you are taking the course so that he/she may monitor your progress. Most doctors are pleased to see their patients’ reliance on drugs of any kind reduced or diminished. You are advised not to alter medications without the consent of a registered physician

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The more I breathe the better for me, as I am getting more oxygen. Is this correct?

No. If you breathe more air than ideal, you will actually get less oxygen into the body cells, not more. When you breathe too much, your CO2 levels drop and this means oxygen sticks to the haemoglobin in the blood (Bohr effect) and cannot be utilised by the body where it is needed.

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Why breathe through the nose and not the mouth, does it matter?

Yes, nasal breathing is best; air is warmed, humidified and filtered. When you breathe out through your nose water can be reabsorbed so you dehydrate less. Nitric oxide is produced in the sinuses and if you breathe in through the nose this can destroy microbes in the air, and when it gets into the lungs the NO helps oxygen transfer into the bloodstream.

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My condition is severe, will the Buteyko method help me?

Often, the more severe the problem the more dramatic the improvement.

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Is Buteyko a cure for asthma?

Buteyko is conditional cure for asthma. The majority of people who practice the method regularly are able to change their breathing pattern and thus experience no symptoms. Some people use the method as a substitute of their reliever medication. If you get back to old bad breathing habits, the asthma is likely to return.

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How will the Buteyko method improve my sporting performance?

Yes, as optimum breathing is necessary for optimum physical performance. Breathing will be more efficient, and more oxygen will be available for the muscles.

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I sing regularly so I know how to breathe don’t I?

Not necessarily, it is possible to hyperventilate with excessive mouth breathing while singing. Again it depends what you are doing for the rest of the time.

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I do breathing exercises in yoga class so I have breathing covered don’t I?

Not necessarily, it depends how breathing is taught as some yoga and pilates teachers actually promote hyperventilation. Even if they understand good breathing, this may only be “on the mat” and not for the rest of the 24 hours a day. Buteyko can be very different to the breathing exercises taught in hospital wards, Pilates, yoga, martial arts, singing and fitness classes or when using a breathing-exercise gadget. The aim is to restore physiologically normal breathing 24/7

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I take deep breaths when I am stressed, the more the better to get out the CO2 isn’t it?

No, you can overbreathe or hyperventilate, causing CO2 to be blown off and levels in the body to drop. As with all things you need a balance of blood gasses; too little CO2 means the body tissues will get too little oxygen.

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Do I have to exercise?

No, you won’t be asked to do strenuous workouts. The breathing exercises are not physically taxing, and mostly are done sitting comfortably in a chair. However, increasing your fitness with regular walking will help better breathing. You will learn how to incorporate correct breathing into any physical activity.

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You are supposed to expand the whole rib cage for efficient breathing aren’t you?

No, only when exercising vigorously when the accessory muscles come into play. Good breathing is low, quiet and invisible and efficient.

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I know you should not move the upper chest excessively, I use my diaphragm to push out my belly, belly breathing is correct isn’t it?

Not just the belly which is the point of least resistance. There should be lower rib expansion all the way round, and especially at the back.

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Should I breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth?

No, in and out of the nose, there are many reasons, but one is dehydration when you breathe out through the mouth. The nose efficiently reabsorbs water on the outbreath.

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How will Buteyko breathing change my life?

Correct breathing is essential to good health. Buteyko breathing aims to normalise the breathing and balance blood gases for more efficient delivery of oxygen to all the cells of the body. If you are an asthmatic, a Buteyko breathing course will give you a better understanding of what causes asthma and how the drugs work, as well as the ability to reduce your dependency on drugs. It is likely to reduce your need for medication and improve your quality of life- see success stories. (Medications are only reduced with your doctor’s agreement).

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