Light breathing
Soften the breath until it is inaudible. Nasal, diaphragmatic, silent.
Asthma & breathlessness
Asthma and breathlessness
The Buteyko Method first became widely used for asthma. Australian clinical trials were where that began.
Familiar signs
Breathlessness on exertion
Coughing at night or early morning
Chest tightness
Difficulty breathing cold air
Frequent reliance on an inhaler
Why does this happen?
Breathing too much and too fast lowers the carbon dioxide in your body. CO₂ dilates blood vessels and airways, so losing it narrows the bronchi.
Mouth breathing sends air straight to the lungs without warming, humidifying or filtering it. Cold dry air irritates the airway.
Nasal breathing produces nitric oxide in the sinuses, which opens the airway and acts against bacteria.
What changes?
- Episodes of breathlessness become less frequent
- Better tolerance of cold air
- Less night-time coughing
- Improved capacity under exertion
Which exercises?
Short breath holds
Hold briefly after exhaling to raise carbon dioxide gradually.
Nose-clearing sequence
The short breath-hold sequence used to open a blocked nose.
Related video
Other topics
This is educational information, not medical advice, and it does not replace treatment.
A good life starts with breathing well.
Join the next class?
The four-hour course runs online over Zoom at 99,000₮. You get instructions as soon as you register.