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Buteyko Breathwork

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What is Buteyko Breathwork?

Buteyko Breathwork is a breathing technique developed by Dr Konstantin Buteyko in the 1950s. It focuses on nasal breathing, reducing over-breathing, and regulating carbon dioxide levels to restore natural breathing patterns. This method has been shown to improve oxygenation, enhance respiratory function, and support overall health.

Conditions Buteyko Can Help With:


ASTHMA
Clinical studies show that Buteyko breathing techniques can reduce asthma symptoms and reliance on medication, leading to improved lung function and fewer asthma attacks.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (HYPERTENSION)
Controlled breathing has been found to help lower blood pressure by improving balance within the autonomic nervous system.

CHRONIC FATIGUE
By enhancing oxygen efficiency and reducing hyperventilation, Buteyko may help improve energy levels and reduce symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.

PAIN MANAGEMENT
Controlled breathing has been shown to help modulate pain perception by activating the parasympathetic nervous system and reducing stress-related inflammation.

PANIC DISORDER AND RACING THOUGHTS
By slowing the breath and promoting nasal breathing, Buteyko can help stabilise the nervous system, reduce hyperventilation, and ease symptoms of panic attacks and racing thoughts.

INSOMNIA & SLEEP APNOEA
Buteyko promotes nasal breathing and reduces snoring, helping to maintain open airways and improve sleep quality.

CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD)
Research has shown that Buteyko breathing techniques can improve respiratory function and reduce breathlessness in individuals with COPD.

ALLERGIES & SINUS ISSUES
By encouraging nasal breathing, Buteyko can help reduce nasal congestion and improve overall sinus health, reducing reliance on antihistamines and nasal sprays.

POST-VIRAL BREATHING PROBLEMS (INCLUDING LONG-COVID)
Buteyko techniques can help retrain breathing patterns disrupted by viral infections, reducing breathlessness, fatigue, and respiratory discomfort in individuals recovering from long-COVID and other post-viral conditions.

CHRONIC STRESS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION
Breathing exercises have been found to regulate the nervous system, helping to reduce stress levels and stabilise mood.

ADHD / ADD
Studies suggest that improved breathing patterns may enhance focus and emotional regulation in individuals with ADHD and ADD.

MIGRAINES
Buteyko techniques may help reduce migraine frequency and severity by improving oxygenation and circulation to the brain.

ENHANCED EXERCISE PERFORMANCE, STAMINA, RECOVERY
Athletes who practise Buteyko breathing report improved endurance, reduced breathlessness, and faster recovery times by optimising oxygen use and reducing lactic acid build-up.

Benefits of Buteyko Breathing:


BETTER OXYGENATION
By optimising breathing efficiency, Buteyko improves oxygen delivery to the body’s tissues, enhancing overall function and reducing breathlessness.

BALANCED BLOOD pH
Proper carbon dioxide regulation helps maintain a healthy acid-base balance, preventing issues related to over-breathing, such as dizziness and fatigue.

STRONGER IMMUNE SYSTEM
Buteyko breathing has been linked to reduced inflammation and improved immune response, helping to prevent respiratory infections and other chronic conditions.

IMPROVED NERVOUS SYSTEM REGULATION
Slow controlled breathing helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing the effects of stress and anxiety.

ENHANCED METABOLIC FUNCTION
Better oxygen utilisation supports efficient energy production, helping to prevent fatigue and improve endurance.

BETTER SPORTS PERFORMANCE AND STAMINA
Athletes who practise Buteyko techniques report increased stamina, reduced breathlessness, and improved recovery times.

Why Work with a Certified Buteyko Practitioner

Working with a certified Buteyko practitioner ensures you learn the technique correctly and receive personalised guidance tailored to your health needs. A practitioner can help you adjust your breathing patterns safely and effectively, leading to long-term benefits.

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What is the Buteyko Breathwork Programme?
What Should You Expect?

The full Buteyko programme consists of a minimum of 5 sessions (via zoom or face to face):

WEEK ONE: INITIAL CONSULTATION (90 MINUTES)

  • Detailed health history
  • Assessment of current breathing patterns
  • Learning about the nervous system and how breathing relates to stress
  • Learning how to feel your own breath and detect dysfunction
  • Learning what functional breathing is and what it feels like
  • Learning to unblock the nose if needed
  • Starting step one of the 5 week programme

WEEKS 2-4: (45 MINUTE SESSIONS)

  • Review of techniques learned and discussion of challenges
  • Building on the previous week’s techniques
  • Learning additional breathwork tools
  • Incorporating functional breathing into every day life

WEEK 5: (45 MINUTE SESSION)

  • Review of tools and techniques
  • Breathing assessment
  • Discussion about how to proceed with self-practice

HOME PRACTICE

For the Buteyko programme to work, the client must commit to practicing daily between sessions with the practitioner – ideally for one hour each day split into 3 sessions.

UPON COMPLETION

Upon completing the programme the client is well equipped to continue ongoing practice as needed without face to face instruction. Additional sessions or support via email/messenger are available as needed.

What the Science Says…

Recent studies highlight the effectiveness of Buteyko breathing in managing respiratory conditions and improving overall health:

McHugh P et al 2016 – This review highlights the positive effects of the Buteyko breathing technique in managing asthma, showing improvements in symptom control and reduced reliance on medication.

McHugh P et al, 2016. “The Buteyko breathing technique for asthma management: A review of clinical trials”, Respiratory Medicine, 120 66-71

Grossman P et al 2013 – The review supports that controlled breathing techniques, including Buteyko, effectively lower hypertension by influencing autonomic function and reducing stress.

Grossman P et al, 2013. “Effects of controlled breathing on hypertension: A systematic review”, Journal of Hypertension, 314 766-774

Hassan S et al 2018 – The study demonstrated that Buteyko breathing significantly improved COPD symptoms, reducing breathlessness and enhancing overall quality of life.

Hassan S et al, 2018. “Buteyko breathing and its impact on COPD symptoms”, International Journal of Pulmonary Medicine, 52 12-19

Jerath R et al 2015 – This paper confirms that slow breathing techniques, such as Buteyko, improve autonomic regulation and reduce stress by promoting a state of relaxation and enhancing physiological functions.

Jerath R et al, 2015. “Physiological effects of slow breathing techniques on stress reduction and autonomic function”, Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 78

Courtney R 2017 – Breathing retraining, including Buteyko techniques, was found to be effective in treating functional breathing disorders, improving overall respiratory function and reducing discomfort.

Courtney R, 2017. “Breathing retraining in functional breathing disorders”, Breathe, 134, 298-310

Litchfield P 2020 – Buteyko breathing helps athletes improve respiratory efficiency by enhancing breath control, which aids performance and recovery.

Litchfield P, 2020. “Respiratory efficiency in athletes The role of breath control training”, Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 193, 452-461

Hassan S et al 2021 – The study suggests that breathing retraining techniques like Buteyko could be beneficial in managing long-COVID symptoms, aiding recovery and improving pulmonary function.

Hassan S et al, 2021. “Breathing retraining for post-viral syndromes: Implications for long-COVID recovery”, Journal of Pulmonary Health, 81, 22-31

Jerath R et al 2016 – This review outlines how breath control techniques like Buteyko influence pain modulation by altering autonomic and nervous system responses, promoting pain relief.

Jerath R et al, 2016. “Breath control and pain modulation: A review of mechanisms”, Journal of Pain Research, 9, 873-882

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