The Buteyko method is a breathing technique used to reduce the symptoms of asthma. In this sheet, you will discover this technique in more detail, its principles, a typical exercise, its history, its benefits, how to train, some exercises and finally, the contraindications.

The Buteyko method is a technique developed to control asthma and certain other respiratory disorders. This technique essentially consists of breathing less. As amazing as it sounds, “breathing too much” could cause health problems. Asthma attacks are a defense mechanism to counteract the lack of CO2 in the body, says Dr. Buteyko. It is known that such a lack provokes the appearance of spasms in the smooth muscles of the bronchi, intestines and circulatory system. In addition, a minimum amount of CO2 is needed for hemoglobin – which carries oxygen in the blood and transfers it to cells – to do its job properly.

Thus, if there is a lack of CO2, the cells quickly find themselves in a shortage of oxygen. They therefore send a signal to the respiratory center of the brain which immediately gives the command to breathe more. The vicious circle therefore sets in: the person suffering from asthma breathes more and more deeply and quickly to obtain more oxygen, but loses more and more carbon dioxide, inhibiting the assimilation of oxygen, which the door to breathe more deeply… From where the conclusion of Dr. Buteyko that asthma would be the consequence of a deficit of CO2 caused by a chronic hyperventilation.

The main principles

Asthma is usually thought of as inflammation of the lungs for which the cause is unknown. Rather, according to Dr. Buteyko, it is a breathing disorder whose symptoms can be reduced by correcting the respiratory pattern. According to his theory, chronic hyperventilation is the cause of asthma and various other diseases, not just respiratory4. Buteyko is not talking about severe hyperventilation, but rather sneaky and unconscious hyperventilation, or excessive breathing (overbreathing).

A healthy individual breathes 3 to 5 liters of air per minute. The respiratory rate of an asthmatic is of the order of 5 to 10 liters per minute. This hyperventilation would not be serious enough to cause dizziness or loss of consciousness, but would result in an exaggerated expulsion of carbon dioxide (CO2), and consequently a deficit of CO2 in the lungs, blood and organs.

A typical exercise in the Buteyko method

1. Taking the initial pulse. Sit comfortably with your back straight in a quiet place. Take his pulse for 15 seconds, multiply the result by 4 and write it down. It simply serves to “monitor” the effects of practicing breathing exercises.

2. Control break. Breathe in quietly (through your nose and not through your mouth) for 2 seconds, then breathe out for 3 seconds. Then hold your breath, pinching your nose and counting the seconds. When you have the impression of running out of air (do not wait to suffocate!), Note the duration of the monitoring break. This exercise gives an assessment of the state of hyperventilation. According to Dr. Buteyko, an individual with normal breathing should be able to hold such a break for more than 40 seconds.

3. Very shallow breathing. Keep your back straight, slow down your breathing by relaxing your chest muscles and controlling your breath through the abdomen. Breathe like this for 5 minutes, being careful to maintain very fluid breathing. After a few sessions, this way of breathing can become part of everyday life: at work, driving the car, reading, etc.

4. Control break. Take a control break again and note its duration. She should be longer than that seen in step 2. After a few sessions, she should lie down again.

5. Taking the final pulse. Take his pulse and write it down. It should be lower than that seen in step 1. After a few sessions, it should also be slower from the initial step.

6. Observation of physical condition. Observe your physical condition, wondering if you feel heat in your body, if you feel calmer, etc. The effect of shallow breathing should be calming. If not, the exercise is probably done too extensively.

According to the results of certain scientific studies, this method would make it possible to:

Contribute to the treatment of asthma

The results of some clinical trials have shown that the Buteyko method can reduce asthma symptoms and the volume of air breathed per minute, improve quality of life and significantly reduce drug consumption. However, compared to the control groups, no significant effect was observed with regard to bronchial hyperresponsiveness and pulmonary functions (maximum expiratory volume in 1 second and peak expiratory flow). The authors concluded that one could not say with certainty about the effectiveness of the Buteyko method.

Since this review of the scientific literature, other studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of this technique in the treatment of asthma. For example, in 2008, a team of Canadian researchers compared the effectiveness of the Buteyko method to that of a physiotherapy program in 119 adults. The participants, randomly divided into 2 groups, learned either the Buteyko technique or physiotherapy exercises. They then had to practice their exercises daily. After 6 months, participants in both groups showed a similar improvement in their asthma control (from 2% initially to 40% for Buteyko, and from 79% to 44% for the physiotherapy group). In addition, participants in the Buteyko group significantly reduced their intake of medications (corticosteroids).

Improve the breath of individuals in order to prepare them for an effort

Dr Buteyko also claimed that his method could be useful for anyone who uses their breath intensely, whether it is singers, sportsmen or women during childbirth. None of these assertions, however, have been the subject of published scientific studies to date.

According to the specialists of the Buteyko method, various health problems could be caused by chronic hyperventilation and be attenuated by this method, this would be particularly valid for panic attacks, snoring, rhinitis, chronic sinusitis …

Training in the Buteyko method

There are very few teachers in French-speaking countries. For those who would like to learn the technique without attending a class or who live in an area where there is no therapist, it is possible to order an audio or video cassette that explains the method. The method is taught in 5 successive daily sessions lasting from 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. In addition to theoretical information, you learn how to control your breathing in all circumstances: by talking, walking, eating, exercising and even sleeping (with a microporous adhesive tape on the mouth to breathe through the nose during the night). Therapists recommend doing the exercises 3 times a day for the month following the course: 40 minutes each time for adults, 15 minutes for children. The frequency of the exercises gradually decreases thereafter. Usually, after 3 months, adults perform the exercises once a day for 1 minutes, and children for 15 minutes. Exercises can be incorporated into the daily routine while watching TV, in the car, or reading.

The different exercises of the Buteyko method

There are several simple exercises to perform, which can be done in sets. As described above, there is the control pause, the very shallow breathing, but also the maximum pause and the extended pause.

Maximum break: this exercise consists of holding your breath as long as possible without exaggerating too much. It is then advisable to gradually catch your breath.

Extended pause: here we take a control pause and then hold our breath according to the value of the control pause. If this is below 20, add 5, if it is between 20 and 30, add 8, between 30 and 45 add 12. If the control pause is above 45, 20 should be added.

Become a specialist

The Buteyko Institute of Breathing and Health Inc (BIBH) in Australia represents therapists who teach the Buteyko Method around the world. This non-profit association has developed teaching criteria for the method as well as a code of ethics.

In general, the training lasts 9 months, including 8 months of correspondence courses and 1 intensive month with an accredited supervisor. Therapists learn to help participants during the exercises. They are also studying the physiology of the respiratory system, the role of drugs and the effect of posture on breathing.

Contraindications of the Buteyko method

Some exercises are not suitable for people with high blood pressure, epilepsy or heart disease.

The technique was developed in Russia during the 1950s by Dr. Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko (1923-2003). This doctor observed during his practice that several asthmatics had a dysfunctional respiratory rhythm. At rest, they breathed faster and deeper than the average person, and during a seizure, they sought to inhale even more, which seemed to worsen their condition rather than improve it. Dr Buteyko therefore suggested that some of his patients reduce the frequency and volume of their breathing. Their asthma and hyperventilation symptoms significantly reduced, as did their medication use. The Russian doctor then created a method to teach asthmatics to breathe better and less.