Breath re-education- the Buteyko Method in London

What is Buteyko Breathing?

Buteyko Breathing is a series of simple, tailored exercises that improve breathing habits and make breathing easier. They optimise breathing volume, increase nasal breathing and improve the pace and ease of breathing.

The exercises are designed to help you develop more comfortable and efficient breathing patterns. Some people find this helpful for symptoms associated with dysfunctional breathing, including breathlessness, air hunger, nasal congestion, stress and anxiety.

Buteyko Breathing is one component of the wider Breath Body Mind Method, which integrates breath, somatic and cognitive approaches.

Breathing is the function we rely on the most for life- we can survive weeks without food, days without water but only a few minutes without breathing.

Improper breathing in the form of hyperventilation (breathing too fast, and too shallow- which is very common and usually undiagnosed) can become a bad habit.

Breathing is closely connected with the nervous system and can be consciously influenced. Learning to notice and modify breathing patterns can therefore be a useful practical tool for working with physical sensations, stress and arousal.

Hyperventilation can also make chronic pain worse. This article from The Buteyko Clinic goes into more detail.

A woman practicing yoga on a beach during sunset, balancing on one leg with hands raised above her head in a prayer position.

Buteyko Breathing aims to normalise dysfunctional breathing patterns through simple, guided, progressive breathing exercises, and can improve/ eliminate symptoms of breathlessness.

The exercises need to be done in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle to be effective. For example, if you smoke, you need to stop smoking before Buteyko Breathing will have any positive effect.

How do I know if my breathing is dysfunctional?

If you persistently experience any of the following, you probably have some level of dysfunctional breathing-

  • Feeling out of breath, like you can’t catch a breath

  • Feeling tired all the time

  • Unrefreshing sleep

  • Breathing through your mouth

  • Noisy breathing

  • Having a constantly dry mouth

  • Noticing that you are often breathing quite fast

  • Finding it hard to breathe through your nose

  • Breathing into your chest, not your abdomen

  • Constant sniffing or sighing

  • Holding your breath without realising

  • Snoring

  • Panic attacks

What can Buteyko Breathing help with?

Breath re-education may be useful where breathing patterns are contributing to symptoms such as:

  • Breathlessness or air hunger

  • Mouth breathing

  • Nasal congestion

  • Noisy or habitual over-breathing

  • Snoring

  • Stress-related breathing changes

  • Anxiety and panic symptoms

  • Sleep difficulties where dysfunctional breathing is a contributing factor

  • Exercise-related breathlessness

There is some evidence that breath retraining can improve quality of life and reduce symptoms for some people with asthma and other breathing-related difficulties. It is not a replacement for medical assessment or treatment of respiratory conditions.

The aim of our work is to help you develop breathing patterns that feel more comfortable, functional and sustainable in everyday life.

I will take a quick, effective assessment to check your breath function and will propose an effective, achievable exercise plan to get you breathing properly, day and night.

The NHS recommends slow breathing as one of 10 ways to reduce chronic pain.

I offer online lessons in Buteyko Breathing in London via Zoom.

Book a free call here

Find out more about Buteyko Breathing here.

  • Yes. Chronic overbreathing can affect carbon dioxide balance and keep the nervous system in a state of activation, contributing to symptoms such as anxiety, air hunger, dizziness, chest tightness and fatigue, which can in turn increase anxiety.

    Learning to recognise and modify unhelpful breathing patterns can be useful for some people.

  • Yes- Buteyko Breathing can help manage and reduce panic symptoms, by improving breathing efficiency, reducing overbreathing and supporting a calmer nervous system response.

    Many people find it helpful for overcoming air hunger, chest tightness and feelings of breathlessness associated with anxiety.

    The exercises focus on developing a slower, quieter and more comfortable breathing pattern.

  • Yes- by reducing the effort it takes to breathe, establishing consistently calm, slow and diaphragmatic breathing, and conserving the energy it takes to breathe, the Buteyko Method can be helpful for alleviating COPD symptoms.

  • Yes- by reducing/ eliminating snoring, encouraging nasal breathing and slowing the breath down to a functional pace, Buteyko Breathing can help you to sleep better.

“The Buteyko method was recommended to me for my breathlessness. From the beginning I had confidence in Ella, as she clearly knew the subject really well.

What I didn’t expect was how Ella is able to be motivating and give confidence that I was going to succeed- a great skill.”
— S.H

The Buteyko Method in London