What is Buteyko Method?
The Buteyko Method (also known as Buteyko Breathing Technique or BBT) is a system of breathing exercises designed to normalize breathing patterns by reducing respiratory volume, encouraging nasal breathing, and using controlled breath holds. Developed in 1952 by Ukrainian Dr Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko, the method is grounded in the principle that many chronic health conditions—particularly asthma, anxiety, and sleep disorders—stem from chronic hyperventilation and the resulting depletion of carbon dioxide in the lungs and blood.
Unlike breathing practices that emphasize deep, full breaths, the Buteyko Method teaches practitioners to breathe less. In 1952, Konstantin Buteyko discovered that the real cause of asthma and other related diseases is a radical depletion of CO2 – carbon dioxide – in the lungs. The method rests on the Verigo-Bohr effect, a biochemical principle established around 1900, which demonstrates that carbon dioxide levels affect oxygen delivery to cells. Lower CO2 causes oxygen to bind more tightly to hemoglobin, paradoxically reducing oxygen availability to tissues despite adequate oxygen saturation in the blood.
Origins & Lineage
Konstantin Buteyko was born on 27th January 1923 in Ivanitsa, near Kiev. After serving in the Russian armed forces during World War II, he enrolled as a medical student in Moscow in 1946. During his medical studies, he was assigned to observe patients’ breathing rates in relation to illness severity and prognosis. While working in the clinical therapy group, he noticed that individuals with respiratory problems exhibited rapid, labored breathing, and that as they recovered, their breathing rates normalized.
He himself had suffered from hypertension for some time. By measuring his carbon dioxide levels, Buteyko discovered that his body’s carbon dioxide level was lower than recommended. It was known that over-breathing lowered carbon dioxide levels in the body. He theorized that if his low levels were caused by overbreathing, then by correcting his breathing he may be able to cure his disorder. Experimenting on himself, he trained himself to breathe more shallowly and successfully resolved his hypertension.
In 1958-1959 Dr. Buteyko conducted clinical studies on nearly 200 patients. All of these confirmed his discovery. For several years in the 1960’s Dr. Buteyko was a director of a respiratory laboratory in Novosibirsk. Assisted by a team of two hundred qualified medical personnel and using the most up to date technology he was able to receive physiological information about the relationships between respiration and other factors.
Despite decades of research, Buteyko faced significant resistance from the Soviet medical establishment. In April 1980, following trials in Leningrad and at the First Moscow Institute of Pediatric Diseases directed by the Soviet Ministry’s Committee for Science and Technology, the Buteyko Breathing Method was officially recognized. The Soviet Health Ministry officially acknowledged Buteyko’s discovery in 1983. Buteyko died on May 2nd, 2003.
How It’s Practiced
The Buteyko Method consists of several core practices:
Nasal Breathing: All breathing is done through the nose, both during rest and physical activity. Mouth breathing is avoided as it encourages over-breathing and bypasses the nose’s natural filtration and humidification functions.
Reduced Breathing Exercises: Practitioners learn to consciously breathe less—taking smaller, shallower breaths—to raise carbon dioxide levels in the body. This involves relaxing the diaphragm and breathing muscles to allow the breath to become lighter and quieter.
Control Pause (CP): The Control Pause is a simple breath-hold measurement that measures the number of seconds you can comfortably hold your breath after an exhalation. It serves both as a diagnostic tool to assess breathing dysfunction and as a marker of progress. A higher CP indicates better carbon dioxide tolerance and healthier breathing patterns. Less than 10 seconds indicates health problems. Less than 25, health needs attention. 30-40 seconds is satisfactory, while 60+ seconds is excellent.
Breath Holds: Short, comfortable breath holds are used therapeutically to build tolerance to carbon dioxide and retrain the respiratory center’s sensitivity. These are always performed gently, stopping at the first urge to breathe.
Lifestyle Modifications: The method includes recommendations for nasal breathing during sleep (sometimes using mouth tape), avoiding over-eating, and maintaining proper posture.
A typical practice session involves sitting quietly, measuring the Control Pause, then performing cycles of gentle breath reduction followed by relaxed breathing, gradually building carbon dioxide tolerance over weeks and months.
Buteyko Method Today
In 1990 Alexander Stalmatski (who had worked with Professor Buteyko in Russia for 14 years) introduced the Buteyko Method to Australia – the first time the method had reached the western world. Stalmatski taught a large number of Buteyko courses around Australia. The method was introduced to New Zealand in 1994, by Russell and Jennifer Stark. They developed an education program that provides drug-free management to help people with asthma. This program has spread across the world and is taught in the U.S. since 1999.
Today, the Buteyko Method is taught worldwide through certified practitioners, online courses, workshops, and books. Patrick McKeown, founder of Buteyko Clinic International, has been instrumental in popularizing the method through books like The Oxygen Advantage and training programs for practitioners. The method is primarily sought by individuals with asthma, anxiety, sleep apnea, chronic rhinitis, and panic disorders, though athletes also use Buteyko-inspired techniques to improve performance.
Practitioners can work one-on-one with certified Buteyko instructors, attend group classes, or follow self-directed programs using books and video instruction. Clinical trials conducted in the UK, Australia, and Russia have demonstrated the method’s efficacy for asthma symptom reduction and medication use.
Common Misconceptions
It’s Not About Taking Bigger Breaths: The Buteyko Method explicitly contradicts the widespread belief that deep breathing is healthy. For individuals with chronic over-breathing patterns, deep breathing worsens the problem by further depleting carbon dioxide.
It’s Not Breath Retention Training: While breath holds are used, the method is not about maximally holding the breath or developing extreme breath-hold capacity. Holds are brief, gentle, and used to recalibrate breathing chemistry.
It’s Not a Cure-All: Though Buteyko can significantly improve symptoms of hyperventilation-related conditions, it is not a replacement for emergency medication (such as asthma rescue inhalers) or treatment for conditions unrelated to breathing dysfunction.
Carbon Dioxide is Not Waste: A core teaching of the method is that CO2 is not merely a waste product but a crucial regulator of oxygen delivery, blood pH, and smooth muscle tone. This runs counter to common assumptions.
Not the Same as Pranayama: While both involve breath control, Buteyko focuses specifically on correcting pathological over-breathing through breath reduction, whereas classical pranayama encompasses a broader range of techniques for various purposes.
How to Begin
Begin by measuring your Control Pause to establish a baseline. Sit comfortably, breathe normally through your nose for 30 seconds, then after a normal exhale, pinch your nose and count the seconds until you feel the first urge to breathe. Release and resume normal nasal breathing—your breath should not be labored afterward.
For self-study, Patrick McKeown’s books Close Your Mouth and The Oxygen Advantage provide accessible introductions with step-by-step exercises. The official Buteyko Clinic International offers online courses and maintains a directory of certified instructors. Beginners should start with simple practices: committing to nasal breathing throughout the day and night, practicing gentle breath holds for a few minutes twice daily, and avoiding sighing or yawning when possible.
Work with a certified Buteyko instructor if dealing with moderate to severe asthma or other respiratory conditions, as guidance ensures safe progression and proper technique. Progress is gradual—most practitioners see measurable improvements in Control Pause and symptoms within 2-4 weeks of consistent practice.