Untangling the essence of the Buteyko Breathing Method

Healthy breathing

Decades ago, there was a man named Konstantin Buteyko. Born in Kiev in 1923, he lived through the Second World War. Afterward, he moved to Moscow to study medicine. But what does this man have to do with breathing? Well, Buteyko became interested in the connection between breathing and health. He noticed that sick people were breathing too heavily. Instead of assuming that sickness causes heavy breathing, he wondered if it might be the other way around. The Buteyko Breathing Method was born. In this blog I’m going to outline some exercises you can easily do at home. Are you with me?

Big breaths, or not?

While many believe that taking big breaths boosts oxygen delivery, science tells us otherwise. Breathing too deeply can actually cause the body to lose too much carbon dioxide. Due to something called the Bohr Effect, which was first described by the Danish biochemist Christian Bohr in 1904. This causes our red blood cells to hold onto oxygen instead of releasing it. That’s where the Buteyko Breathing Method comes in. It’s about developing a subtle, calm, and nasal breathing pattern, making sufficient use of the diaphragm.

Unblock your nose!

I cannot stress enough how important nasal breathing is, also when taking your daily ice bath. It's definitely not advisable to step into the cold water with a stuffy nose. But what if your nose is congested? Of course, you can try clearing your nose by blowing, rinsing, steaming, or spraying. But for a change, try this exercise: sit up straight and follow your normal breathing, close your mouth, gently exhale through your nose, and pinch both nostrils closed. Hold your breath, nod yes and no until you really feel the urge to breathe! Release your nose, optionally place a hand over your mouth, and inhale through your nose. Maintain a calm breathing for at least 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat the steps when needed.

Comfortable breath hold time

After clearing the nose, you can also measure your Control Pause (CP). It’s a simple test to assess overall respiratory health and breathing progress. Do not take this test in an ice bath! Prepare a timer, sit upright, and breathe normally in and out through the nose. After an exhale, pinch your nose, pause your breathing, and simultaneously start the timer. Do you feel the urge to breathe? Then calmly inhale through your nose, stop the timer simultaneously, and write down this time. If your breathing changes afterwards, like becoming deeper or faster, the pause was too long. Wait a few minutes and try again.

Outcome

If the outcome is consistently shorter than about 20 seconds, it's advisable to examine your breathing. Where do you breathe? How (much) do you breathe? Is your breathing audible or not? Do you experience symptoms consistent with conditions like (chronic) hyperventilation? In that case, it's helpful to pay a visit to your general practitioner, speech therapist, or physiotherapist. However, please note that not every healthcare professional specializes in breathing issues.

Breathing less

The core of the Buteyko Breathing Method is to breathe less. A simple breathing exercise involves introducing a short pause between your exhales and inhales. Do this for five or ten minutes, three times a day. You can also try breathing through one nostril by using the knuckle of your index finger to cover the nostril that is most stuffed. You might feel a bit of air hunger, which is normal because you’re breathing less. Try to ignore feelings like yawning and sighing. Gradually build up these exercises, it shouldn't feel extremely uncomfortable. If you have a low CP, it's highly recommended to perform these exercises with the guidance of a breathing specialist, such as a speech therapist or physiotherapist.

Curious to learn more? Keep an eye out for my upcoming blogs where I'll explore the intriguing realm of breathing in greater depth!

Enjoy the cold,

‍

Iris de Kock

Speech therapist, breathing and vocal coach

Follow me on: @iris.dekock

‍