Anxiety	free:	stop	worrying	and	quieten	your	mind
	
Published	by:	ButeykoDVD.com
Loughwell,	Moycullen,	Co	Galway
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www.ButeykoDVD.com
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©	Patrick	McKeown	2010
Cover	design	by	Aurora	Pérez	Machío
Illustrations	by	Timm	from	www.TimmJoyStudios.org.uk
	
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published	and	without	similar	condition,	including	this	condition,	being
imposed	on	the	publisher. The	information	contained	in	this	book	is	not	intended	to	serve	as	a
replacement	for	professional	medical	advice. Any	use	of	the	information	in
this	book	is	at	the	reader’s	discretion. The	author	and	the	publisher
specifically	disclaim	any	and	all	liability	arising	directly	or	indirectly	from	the
use	of	application	of	any	information	contained	in	this	book. Consult	a	health
care	professional	regarding	your	specific	situation.Contents
	
Prologue
	
Chapter	1	–	What	determines	your	happiness? Control	your	mind	or	allow	your	mind	to	control	you
Quietening	the	mind
	
Chapter	2	–	The	Buteyko	Method
Normal	Breathing	Volume
Chronic	over	breathing
What	increases	breathing	volume? How	to	recognize	habitual	over	breathing
Carbon	dioxide
Over	breathing	causes	depression,	stress	and	anxiety
What	is	the	fat	file	syndrome? Stress,	anxiety	and	anger	causes	over	breathing
How	many	of	the	following	symptoms	of	hyperventilation	do	you	have? Chapter	3	–	Applying	Buteyko	Breathing
How	to	interpret	breathing	exercises
Measure	Breathing	Volume	–	Your	Control	Pause
Three	steps	to	increasing	your	CP
Compare	our	lifestyles
Note	of	Caution
Cleansing	reactions
How	to	stop	panic	attacks,	anxiety	and	stress	with	Many	Small	Breath	Holds
Nasal	Breathing	for	good	health
Correcting	breathing	volume	(easy	approach)
Correcting	breathing	volume	(a	more	detailed	approach)
The	diaphragm
Relaxation	of	respiratory	muscles
A	formal	routine	for	correcting	your	breathing	(easy	and	detailed	approaches)
Informal	routine	for	correcting	your	breathing	volume	(easy	and	detailed
approach)
Bringing	reduced	breathing	into	your	way	of	life
	
Chapter	4	–	Physical	exercise	to	still	the	mind
The	importance	of	exercise
Nasal	breathingFeel	the	need	for	air	and	do	enough	exercise	to	create	a	sweat
Feel	relaxed	throughout
How	to	determine	if	you	are	breathing	correctly	during	physical	exercise
People	who	exercise	are	more	relaxed
Breath	Hold	During	Exercise
Maintain	control	of	your	breathing	throughout
	
Chapter	5	–	Further	stilling	the	mind
Connect	with	the	inner	body
Are	you	connected	to	the	wonders	of	life? Going	for	a	walk	but	missing	out	on	everything
Taking	ownership	of	the	mind
Simple	things	that	life	has	to	offer
	
Chapter	6	–	How	to	have	a	great	night’s	sleep
Sleeping
Closing	your	mouth	at	night
	
Chapter	7	–	Know	thyself
How	your	thoughts	determine	your	reality
Who	is	the	real	you? You	are	not	your	mind
Watch	your	thoughts
Is	the	mind	the	absolute	truth? Chapter	8	–	Individual	madness
Are	you	always	seeking	the	future? Is	this	his	life? What	is	your	life	story? Stop	complaining
	
Chapter	9	–	Society	madness
Prozac	me
Spiritualize	me
Educate	me
	
Chapter	10	–	Can	you	afford	not	to	have	a	still	mind? Creativity
A	still	or	noisy	mind	in	the	workplace
Concentration	
Chapter	11	–	You	know	all	of	this! Accept	it	as	if	you	had	chosen	it	so
Shut	the	door	to	the	past	and	move	on! Stop	stirring	the	problem
The	bullying	child
Your	enemies
Positive	thinking	is	limited	at	best
Happiness	cannot	be	bought
Are	you	generating	peace	or	misery	within	yourself? Chapter	12	–	Going	forward
Choose	life	or	choose	thought
Old	tensions	dissolve
We	all	need	help	from	life
Let	go	of	the	wheel	of	life
	
Chapter	14	–	The	result
No	more	anger? Take	responsibility	for	your	own	life
	
Chapter	15	–	What	to	do
Gentle	approach:	Not	well,	elderly	or	have	a	CP	of	less	than	10	seconds
Teenager	approach
An	adult	with	a	very	busy	lifestyle
My	Direct	Experience
Appendix	one—A	history	of	Buteyko	in	North	America
Appendix	two—Websites	to	visit
Appendix	three—References
Appendix	four—Acknowledgements
Diary	of	progressPrologue
	
This	book	is	for	any	person	who	wishes	to	have	clearer	functioning	of	his	or
her	mind	and	not	to	be	bogged	down	with	useless	thinking. Within	three
weeks	the	result	will	be	more	control	over	thoughts,	better	concentration,
more	energy,	more	joy,	happiness	and	appreciation	for	life. This	is	a	simple
and	straightforward	self-help	book	approached	from	two	different	and	yet
related	perspectives. The	first	is	about	correcting	breathing	volume	using	a	physician	developed
programmed	known	as	the	Buteyko	Breathing	Method. Chronic	over
breathing	is	a	habit	present	with	any	person	who	experiences	stress,	anxiety,
panic	attacks	and	depression. It	causes	both	a	constriction	of	blood	vessels
and	reduced	delivery	of	oxygen	to	tissues	and	organs,	most	notably	the	brain. The	Buteyko	Method	is	a	simple	approach	that	significantly	improves
oxygenation	of	the	brain,	resulting	in	far	less	brain	cell	excitability. The	second	aspect	deals	with	recognizing	the	activity	of	the	mind,	the	nature
of	thought	and	how	to	step	out	of	thought. This	too	is	essential	to
understanding	your	mind	and	taking	control. The	mind	is	regarded	as	the	most	important	capability	of	the	human	species. Yet,	most	people	have	little	control	over	it	as	it	races	from	thought	to	thought. Mind	activity,	stress,	depression	and	anxiety	are	nothing	more	than	the
absence	of	control. How	much	control	do	you	have	over	your	mind? For	how
long	can	you	choose	to	stop	thinking? A	quiet	mind	is	one	that	you	have	control	over. Quite	simply,	you	can	choose
to	think	or	not	to	think. You	don’t	get	lost	in	trains	of	useless	thinking. Most
of	the	time,	you	know	what	is	taking	place. Without	control	over	our	minds,
we	have	nothing. It	is	the	one	part	of	us	that	determines	our	quality	of	life	on
earth,	yet	it	receives	little	attention	from	our	educational,	religious	and
medical	institutions. How	insane	is	that? If	only	you	had	a	chance	to	look	inside	people’s	minds,	you	would	see	the
same	turmoil	that	goes	on	in	your	own	head. Hidden	behind	the	nice	white
smile	is	fear	of	the	future	and	regrets	from	the	past. A	racing	and	repetitive
mind	is	just	below	the	surface. It	might	not	have	reached	the	depths	that
someone	in	depression	has	reached,	but	at	the	same	time,	you	will	see
common	traits. In	fact,	all	of	us	are	just	a	few	stressful	events	away	frommental	problems. Cumulative	stressful	events	take	their	toll	on	everybody
unless,	of	course,	we	have	some	understanding	of	thought	processes	and	can
better	oxygenate	our	brain. In	our	sophisticated	Western	world	with	its	emphasis	on	intelligence	and	the
stigma	on	mental	problems,	normal	healthy	people	who	go	through	periods	of
being	down	or	depressed	have	few	outlets	through	which	to	seek	help. Addressing	this	deficit	early	on	is	the	key	to	reversing	it. My	interest	in	this	area	stems	from	having	both	asthma	and	a	racing	mind	for
many	years. By	using	the	Buteyko	Method	to	reverse	my	asthma	and	by
improving	my	awareness,	I	also	addressed	my	racing	mind. Thousands	have
attended	my	courses	in	Ireland	and	abroad	for	asthma	and	other	conditions. Those	who	have	attended	for	panic	attacks,	depression,	stress	and	anxiety
have	reported	very	good	feedback;	hence,	this	book. This	book	can	be	read	by	someone	with	poor	concentration,	or	a	clouded	and
depressed	mind. It	contains	nothing	complicated	and	through	constant
repetition,	the	reader	can	apply	the	guidance	provided.Chapter	1
	
	What	determines	your	happiness? “Thinking	is	the	unhealthy
thinking	in	the	word,	and	people
die	of	it	just	as	they	die	of
any	other	disease
Oscar	WildeP
sychologists	estimate	that	we	have	sixty	thousand	thoughts	each	day. Moreover,	95%	of	these	thoughts	are	repetitive	and	useless. Not	knowing	the
content	of	our	own	mind,	we	are	literally	at	its	mercy	and	unconsciously
follow	its	instruction	to	the	letter. The	habit	of	excessive	thought	and,	more	importantly,	lack	of	awareness	are
the	results	of	the	inherited	human	mind. Its	individual	content	is	created	from
our	past	experiences	and	from	influences	from	societal,	educational	and	social
environments,	and	is	kept	alive	through	repetition. In	the	Western	world,	thinking	is	viewed	as	good	and	not	thinking	is	viewed
as	a	reflection	of	laziness	or	dullness. We	often	hear	about	the	“brilliant
thinkers”	who	make	profound	discoveries	or	realizations. Truth	be	told,
eureka	moments	are	made	not	during	thought	but	during	a	cessation	of
thought. Our	educational	system	teaches	us	how	to	think. Through	school	and
university,	your	mind	is	developed	and	molded	into	a	superb	analytical	tool. Thinking	is	seen	as	the	solution	to	any	of	life	situations. If	we	have	a	problem,
we	believe	that	the	more	we	think	about	it	the	greater	the	chances	of	it	being
solved. As	a	child,	we	did	not	think. Thinking	is	a	learned	habit	developed
over	time. If	you	feel	that	it	is	good	to	think	a	lot,	take	a	look	at	the	stress	of	people	in
the	constant	grip	and	torture	of	their	minds. Often,	I	pass	by	a	man	on	Shop
Street	in	Galway. He	is	so	tormented	that	he	openly	voices	the	contents	of	his
mind	in	the	street. His	mind	has	completely	taken	him	over. He	is	pressed
down	with	thought. He	is	depressed. Many	of	us	are	similar	to	the	man	on	the	street,	except	that	we	don’t	talk	out
loud. Instead,	we	have	internal	mental	chatter. We	think	about	the	same	thing
day	in	and	day	out,	with	little	resolve	or	reduction	in	thinking. Watch	your
thoughts	and	you	will	have	no	doubt	that	the	Western	human	mind	is	truly
mad. Thinking	for	practical	purposes	is	fine,	as	it	serves	a	function. However,	most
of	our	thinking	is	not	for	practical	purposes. Most	thinking	is	spent	on	insane
repetitive	worry	and	anxiety. If	you	could	eliminate	your	repetitive	thought	activity	by	50%,	you	would	be
very	happy	indeed. If	you	could	eliminate	all	repetitive	and	useless	thinking,
you	would	live	a	life	of	bliss. Thinking	makes	you	unhappy. Less	thought	activity	makes	you	happy. Thinking	is	a	disease.Control	your	mind	or	allow	your	mind	to	control	you
	
H
uman	thinking	began	tens	of	thousands	of	years	ago. It	is	the	single	most
important	function	that	differentiates	our	ability	from	animals. Thinking	is	very	useful	for	practical	situations. We	need	to	remember	how	to
drive	a	car,	decide	what	choice	to	take,	determine	a	strategy,	plan	an	event,
deal	with	a	specific	situation. You	might	want	to	go	to	the	shop-	you	think
about	what	foods	are	not	in	the	cupboard. You	organize	flights-	you	think
about	best	dates,	price	and	destination. You	write	a	letter-	you	think	about
what	you	need	to	say. You	go	to	petrol	pumps	to	fill	your	car-	you	decide	on
what	pump,	how	much	money	to	spend. You	contact	a	supplier	you	think
about	what	you	need,	what	quantities,	what	price	and	when	it	will	be
delivered. Somebody	might	have	overcharged	you	decide	on	what	you	are
going	to	say	and	you	say	it	to	them. Thinking	when	used	in	this	instance	for
practical	purposes	is	fine. It	is	necessary	and	is	productive. However,	95%	of	our	thinking	is	not	used	to	deal	with	a	practical	situation. Most	thinking	is	unnecessary	and	repetitive. You	will	realize	this	as	you
observe	the	activity	of	your	mind. You	are	walking	in	a	beautiful	quiet	park	and	instead	of	experiencing	the	sun
at	the	back	of	your	head,	the	beautiful	sight	of	flowers	around	you	and	the
wonderful	sounds	of	children	at	play,	your	attention	is	wrapped	up	giving	out
about	your	neighbor	who	gave	you	a	lecture	yesterday,	or	your	boss	who	was
unhappy	with	your	work,	or	the	other	driver	who	blew	the	horn	at	you,	or	that
you	need	to	pay	your	mortgage	at	the	end	of	the	month. This	kind	of	thinking
is	torture. It	does	nothing	to	help	your	situation. It	does	nothing	to	help	you. Continuously	thinking	like	this	will	drive	you	into	depression. You	are	not	only	driving	yourself	insane,	you	are	missing	out	on	the	wonders
that	life	has	to	offer	you. Quietening	the	mind
R
egardless	of	the	extent	to	which	thoughts	have	taken	over,	everyone	has
the	capacity	to	take	back	control	of	his	or	her	mind. A	still	mind	is	just
covered	up	with	mental	noise;	therefore,	anything	that	helps	to	de-clutter	your
mind	will	allow	stillness	to	resurface. Your	choice	is	to	keep	running	the	thoughts	through	your	head	and	experience
the	consequences,	or	become	a	good	gardener	of	your	mind,	root	out	the
weeds	and	allow	only	the	flowers	to	grow. A	sleeping	gardener	is	not	attentive
and	will	soon	have	a	jungle	of	weeds. A	good	gardener	is	awake. He	knows
exactly	what	is	happening	and	will	guard	his	territory	with	a	keen	eye,
removing	the	weeds	as	soon	as	the	first	shoots	appear. Be	a	good	gardener	of	your	mind. A	mind	that	is	being	observed	is	an
unsuitable	environment	for	anxiety	and	depression	to	take	root. Both	require	a
lack	of	awareness	as	a	suitable	breeding	ground. A	still	mind	enables	us	to	relate	far	better	to	life	and	to	live	life	instead	of
paying	attention	to	useless	thinking. No	longer	is	so	much	of	our	energy
wasted	on	harmful	escapades	and	we	can	instead	focus	with	better
concentration	on	what	we	truly	choose. Although	learning	how	to	take	back
control	of	our	mind	is	very	simple,	just	like	the	good	gardener,	attention	is
required. Do	you	want	to	live	a	life	free	from	worry	and	unhappiness? The	next	section	lists	simple	self-help	breathing	and	awareness	practices	that
deal	with	the	physiological	and	psychological	aspects	of	depression,	anxiety
and	stress.Thinking	for	practical	situations	is	useful. Thinking	that	is
repetitive	and	unnecessary	is	a	hindrance.Chapter	2
	
	The	Buteyko	Method
	
T
he	Buteyko	Method	was	developed	in	the	1950s	by	Russian	doctor
Konstantin	Buteyko. His	method	has	been	practiced	by	hundreds	of	thousands
of	people	for	a	variety	of	conditions	including	asthma,	blood	pressure,
sleeping	difficulties,	anxiety,	stress,	panic	attacks	and	depression. As	a	young	doctor,	Buteyko	spent	many	months	sitting	at	sick	patients’
bedsides	observing	their	states	of	health. He	noticed	that	each	person’s
breathing	got	heavier	as	his	or	her	health	deteriorated. As	their	illnesses	advanced,	he	saw	that	his	patients	breathing	movements
from	their	chests	and	tummies	increased,	that	their	breathing	became	more
audible,	that	their	breaths	became	faster	and	that	they	sighed	more	and
breathed	through	their	mouths. In	time,	he	was	able	to	predict	the	onset	of
death	just	by	observing	their	breathing. This	raised	a	fundamental	question	for	Buteyko:	was	it	his	patients’	sickness
that	contributed	to	their	heavy	breathing	or	was	it	their	heavy	breathing	that
contributed	to	their	sickness? At	the	time,	Buteyko	suffered	from	severe	hypertension	that	was	going	from
bad	to	worse. He	began	experimenting	by	breathing	less	and	quietening	his
breathing. Within	a	short	while,	the	pains	that	he	had	experienced	for	months
went	away. Over	the	following	decades,	Buteyko	extensively	researched	this	subject	and
had	a	dedicated	laboratory	to	further	his	findings. His	method	was	brought	to
the	West	in	1990	and	is	now	taught	in	many	countries. Breathing,	such	a	vital	factor	for	life,	must	meet	certain	conditions. Severe
over	breathing	can	be	fatal	if	sustained	over	a	short	period. Therefore,	it	is
plausible	to	accept	that	negative	health	effects	will	result	from	less	severe	but
still	excessive	breathing	over	a	long	period.Normal	breathing	volume
T
he	number	of	breaths	per	minute	during	normal	breathing	is	about	10	to
12. Each	breath	is	approximately	500	ml. This	provides	a	healthy	volume,	as
described	in	any	university	medical	textbook,	of	five	to	six	litres	of	air	per
minute. Normal	breathing	is	quiet,	still,	calm,	relaxed	and	regular. Persons	suffering	from	anxiety	and	depression	breathe	a	volume	greater	than
normally	accepted	amounts. For	example,	an	average	sized	person	with
anxiety	might	breathe	15	to	20	breaths	per	minute;	with	each	breath	larger
than	the	normal	500	ml. Interspersed	with	this	is	a	number	of	sighs. Assuming
that	each	breath	is	700	ml,	the	average	breathing	volume	for	this	person	is	10
to	15	litres	of	air	per	minute. In	food	terms,	this	is	akin	to	eating	six	to	nine
meals	each	day! Chronic	over	breathing
C
hronic	over	breathing	basically	means	that	we	habitually	breathe	more	air
than	what	our	bodies	require. In	many	ways,	this	is	similar	to	a	person
developing	the	habit	of	overeating. Breathing	is	similar. If	we	breathe	more	than	what	our	bodies	require	over	a
24-hour	period,	the	habit	takes	hold. Dr	Stephen	Demeter	confirms	this	when
he	states,	“Prolonged	hyperventilation	(for	more	than	24	hours)	seems	to
sensitize	the	brain,	leading	to	a	more	prolonged	hyperventilation.”	(1)
	What	increases	breathing	volume? B
reathing	increases	as	a	result	of	modern	living. Factors	such	as	strong
emotions,	time	urgency,	tension,	anger,	stress,	anxiety,	overeating,	processed
foods,	a	belief	that	taking	big	breaths	is	good,	and	lack	of	exercise,	excessive
talking	and	high	temperatures	within	the	home	all	contribute	to	over
breathing. How	to	recognize	habitual	over	breathing
At	this	point,	you	might	think	that	you	don’t	over	breathe. For	most	people,
over	breathing	is	subtle. It	is	hidden,	which	is	why	it	often	goes	undetected. The	typical	characteristics	of	people	attending	my	clinics	include:
	
Breathing	through	the	mouth;
Audible	breathing	during	rest;
Regular	sighs;
Regular	sniffing;
Irregular	breathing;
Holding	of	the	breath	(apnoea);
Taking	large	breaths	prior	to	talking;
Yawning	with	big	breaths;
Upper	chest	movement;
Movement	of	shoulders	while	breathing;
Lot	of	visible	movement;
Effortful	breathing;
Heavy	breathing	at	night. How	many	apply	to	you? Do	you	sigh? Do	you	breathe	through	your	mouth? Do	you	wake	up	with	a	dry	mouth	in	the	morning? Does	your	breathing	get
faster	or	chaotic	when	you	are	stressed?Carbon	dioxide
C
arbon	dioxide	or	CO
2
	is	a	gas	created	from	our	metabolic	process	as	an
end	product. The	human	lungs	require	5%	CO
2
	or	40	mmHg. If	we	breathe
too	heavily,	CO
2
	is	exhaled	or	washed	from	our	lungs. A	loss	of	CO
2
	from
lungs	results	in	a	reduction	of	CO
2
	in	the	blood,	tissues	and	cells. The	release	of	oxygen	from	red	blood	cells	depends	on	the	partial	pressure	or
quantity	of	carbon	dioxide	in	your	lungs/arterial	blood. When	one	is	over
breathing,	carbon	dioxide	is	removed	from	the	body,	causing	the	oxygen	to
“stick”	to	hemoglobin	within	the	red	blood	cells. This	prevents	its	release	into
tissues	and	organs. This	bond,	discovered	in	1904,	is	known	as	the	Bohr
Effect. It	is	worth	noting	that	during	normal	conditions,	75%	of	your	intake	of
oxygen	is	exhaled	while	breathing	a	healthy	volume	of	four	to	six	litres	per
minute. Even	during	intense	exercise,	it	is	estimated	that	25%	of	our	oxygen
intake	is	exhaled. Breathing	a	volume	greater	than	normal	does	not	increase
the	amount	of	oxygen	in	your	blood,	as	it	is	already	97–98%	saturated.The	Bohr	Effect
simply	explained
	
Healthy	people	have	quiet	and	unnoticeable	breathing. While	they	are	resting,
you	cannot	see	or	hear	their	breathing. Quiet	breathing	ensures	optimum	partial	pressure	of	carbon	dioxide	within
your	lungs,	blood,	tissues	and	cells. The	release	of	oxygen	from	your	blood
depends	on	the	presence	of	carbon	dioxide. Over	breathing	causes	a	loss	of	carbon	dioxide	from	your	lungs,	blood,	tissues
and	cells. This	results	in	less	oxygen	being	released	from	your	blood	into	your	tissues
and	organs. The	more	you	breathe,	the	more	your	body	is	being	starved	of
oxygen. Breathing	through	your	mouth,	sighs,	sniffing,	noticeable	breathing,	hearing
your	breathing	during	rest	or	having	a	low	Control	Pause	(explained	later)
indicates	that	you	are	starving	your	body	of	oxygen. Your	brain	is	being
starved,	resulting	in	anxiety,	depression	and	stress. The	calmer	and	quieter	you	breathe,	the	larger	your	blood	vessels	open,
enabling	better	circulation	and	distribution	of	oxygen	throughout	the
body,	including	the	brain. Oxygenate	your	brain—breathe	less. Dilation	of	blood	vessels	and	airways
C
arbon	dioxide	relaxes	the	smooth	muscles	that	surround	the	airways,
arteries	and	capillaries. With	a	normal	breathing	volume	of	5	litres	of	air	per	minute,	the	partial
pressure	of	carbon	dioxide	amounts	to	40mmHg. Each	1	mmHg	drop	of
arterial	CO
2
	reduces	blood	flow	to	the	brain	by	2%. (2)	In	other	words,oxygenation	of	your	brain	significantly	decreases	when	you	breathe	heavily. The	heavier	you	breathe,	the	more	you	feed	your	hyperventilation	or
overbreathing	related	problems. Have	you	ever	noticed	that	you	get	light-
headed	after	taking	a	number	of	big	breaths? Have	you	ever	noticed	being
very	tired	in	the	morning	after	a	night’s	breathing	through	the	mouth? How
tired	are	you	after	a	day’s	talking? Do	you	notice	that,	as	you	get	stressed,
your	breathing	gets	faster,	resulting	in	a	mental	block	and	difficulty	in	making
worthwhile	decisions? Heavy	breathing	feeds	anxiety	and	stress.Overbreathing	causes	depression,	stress	and	anxiety
L
ower	carbon	dioxide	within	the	blood	causes	a	constriction	of	the	carotid
artery,	the	main	blood	vessel	going	to	the	brain. The	extent	of	constriction
depends	on	genetic	predisposition	but	has	been	estimated	by	Gibbs	(1992)	to
be	as	much	as	50%	for	those	with	anxiety	and	panic	attacks. (3)	This	finding	is
also	supported	by
Ball	&	Shekhar	(1997). (4)
	
Other	researchers,	including	Balestrino	and	Somjen	(1988)(5)	and	Huttunen
et	al. (1999),(6)	have	demonstrated	that	CO
2
	reduces	cortical	excitability. Cited	in	Normal	Breathing:	the	key	to	vital	health,	“breathing	too	much
makes	the	human	brain	abnormally	excited	due	to	reduced	CO
2
concentrations. As	a	result,	the	brain	gets	literally	out	of	control	due	to
appearance	of	spontaneous	and	asynchronous	(‘self-generated’)	thoughts.”
Balestrino	and	Somjen	(1988)	in	their	summary	directly	claimed	that,	“The
brain,	by	regulating	breathing,	controls	its	own	excitability.”(7)
	
Dr	Robert	Fried,	professor	of	psychology,	states	that	“the	first	stage	of
chronic	graded	hypoxia	(insufficient	oxygen),	which	has	repeatedly	been
shown	in	the	case	of	chronic	hyperventilation,	is	depression	of	mood	and
activity.”(8)
	
Cardiologist	Claude	Lum	comments	that	“Hyperventilation	presents	a
collection	of	bizarre	and	often	apparently	unrelated	symptoms,	which	may
affect	any	part	of	the	body,	and	any	organ	or	any	system.”(9)	He	further	labels
hyperventilation	syndrome	as	the	fat	file	syndrome,	noting	that	patients	go
from	doctor	to	doctor	in	an	attempt	to	get	help	for	their	symptoms. However,
because	chronic	hyperventilation	is	overlooked	in	most	instances,	the	patient
might	be	told	after	a	series	of	tests	that	there	is	nothing	wrong	with	him	or
her,	thus	increasing	the	size	of	the	patients’	file	and	further	adding	to	his	or
her	anxiety. In	the	late	Professor	Buteyko’s	words,	“Exhaling	Carbon	Dioxide	from	the
organism	brings	about	spasms	in	bronchi,	vessels	and	intestines,	etc. This
reduces	oxygen	supply,	leading	to	oxygen	deficiency,	making	one’s	breath
heavier,	thus	completing	the	vicious	circle.”What	is	the	fat	file	syndrome? Louise’s	personal	account:
	
“For	example,	because	I	am	prone	to	worry	and	overthink	things,	I	get
myself	worked	up	into	a	right	state	about	my	symptoms. At	different	times,
I	was	convinced	that	I	had	a	brain	tumor,	MS,	a	heart	problem,	bowel
cancer,	etc. I	had	blood	test	after	blood	test,	an	ECG	test,	a	scan,	and
nothing	was	found	to	be	wrong. My	whole	family	and	my	doctor,	and
probably	most	of	my	friends,	think	I’m	a	hypochondriac...	but	I	knew	that
something	was	not	right. I	just	didn’t	make	the	connection	to	my	breathing,
so	my	symptoms	went	on	and	on	and	I	felt	like	I	was	going	mad. For	lots	of
people,	reading	your	book	will	be	a	real	epiphany...	and	they	might	need
some	reassurance	early	on	that	they’re	not	alone	and	not	mad	after	all,	and
that	a	lot	of	their	symptoms	will	go	away. Not	worrying	about	the
symptoms	immediately	reduces	stress	levels	and	hence	breathing.”
	Stress,	anxiety	and	anger	causes	overbreathing
A
ccording	to	the	famous	physiologist	Walter	Cannon,	stress	activates	the
fight	or	flight	response. Meeting	deadlines,	financial	pressures,	time	urgency,
marital	issues,	the	pressure	of	rearing	children	and	wanting	to	do	well	in	our
work,	as	well	as	many	other	factors,	add	to	stress	levels. Stress	ensures	survival	of	the	species
S
tress	is	a	natural	reaction	that	we	have	developed	throughout	our	evolution
to	ensure	the	survival	of	our	species. Invariably,	stress	is	our	body	undergoing
chemical	change	in	response	to	environmental	conditions. Thousands	of	years
ago,	our	main	threat	was	from	wild	animals. When	confronted,	we	had	two	options	to	deal	with	it. The	first	was	that	we
fought	the	animal. The	second	was	that	we	ran	away	from	it	as	fast	as	we
could. As	our	bodies	were	required	to	perform	intense	physical	activity,	our
physiology	changed	in	the	following	ways:
Our	breathing	volume	increases;
Our	heart	rate	increases;
Adrenaline	is	pumped	into	our	system;
Our	pupils	dilate;
Blood	is	diverted	from	our	internal	organs	to	our	arms	and	legs;
Diarrhoea	may	occur	(lightens	our	weight	before	flight);
Our	blood	coagulates	in	case	of	injury. However,	today	our	society	and	environment	have	changed	at	a	far	greater
pace	than	what	our	bodies	can	adjust	to. We	respond	to	the	stresses	of	today
with	the	same	reaction	as	we	had	thousands	of	years	ago. We	are	in	a	traffic
jam	rushing	to	get	to	a	meeting. The	fight	or	flight	response	is	activated	but
there	is	no	need	for	it. Our	heart	rate	increases,	blood	is	diverted	to	our
skeletal	muscles,	our	breathing	increases—we	are	primed	for	physical	activity
yet	we	are	sitting	still. The	result	is	that	we	are	running	on	the	inside	and
sitting	on	the	outside. The	heavy	breathing	arising	from	the	fight	or	flight	response	results	in	a
washing	out	of	carbon	dioxide	from	the	lungs. This	causes	a	narrowing	of
blood	vessels,	thus	reducing	blood	flow	to	the	brain. In	addition,	the	release
of	oxygen	from	blood	cells	is	less;	the	resultof	an	inhibited	Bohr	Effect. This	in	turn	increases	self-generated,	and	more
random,	thoughts. With	uncontrolled	thought	activity,	we	feel	unable	to	cope
with	our	everyday	activities,	further	increasing	our	stress. A	vicious	circle	has
commenced,	with	stress	increasing	our	breathing	and	this	in	turn	increasing
our	stress. How	to	correct	it
	
Only	by	bringing	your	breathing	volume	to	normal	levels	can	you	deal	with
the	physiological	aspects	of	stress	and	anxiety. Long-term	stress	is	exhausting	and	is	known	to	result	in	many	illnesses. It
increases	breathing	volume,	causing	carbon	dioxide	to	be	washed	from	the
lungs. Remember:	The	more	you	breathe	in,	the	more	your	breathe	out. The	more	you	breathe	out,	the	more	CO
2
	is	washed	from	the	lungs. As	CO
2
	is	washed	from	the	lungs,	the	partial	pressure	of	CO
2
	is	reduced	in	the
blood,	tissues	and	cells. Prolonged	over	breathing	resets	the	respiratory	centre	in	the	brain	to	tolerate	a
lower	partial	pressure	of	CO
2
. Therefore,	even	when	the	initial	stress	is	removed,	the	heavy	breathing	habit
is	maintained	as	a	result	of	chemoreceptors	in	the	brain	being	reset. An	anxious	person	may	attend	many	psychotherapists,	counselors,
psychologists	and	psychiatrists	in	an	effort	to	get	to	the	root	of	his	or	her
condition. However,	unless	chronic	over	breathing	is	addressed,	he	or	she	will
be	at	a	significant	disadvantage	in	making	progress. Level	and	correct	breathing	volume	allows	normalization	of	the	partial
pressure	of	carbon	dioxide	within	the	lungs,	thus	improving	oxygenation	of
the	brain	and	resulting	in	far	less	brain	cell	excitability. How	many	of	the	following	symptoms	of	hyperventilation	do	you	have? Neurological:	light-headed	feeling,	poor	concentration,	memory	lapses,
faintness,	headache,	anxiety,	tension,	racing	mind,	numbness	and
tingling,	tremor,	depression,	apprehension,	irritability,	brain	fog,	panic
attacks,	disrupted	sleep,	detachment	from	reality	and	stress. Heart:	palpitations,	a	racing	heartbeat,	pain	in	the	chest	region	and	a
skipping	or	irregular	heartbeat. Respiratory	system:	wheezing,	breathlessness,	coughing,	chest	tightness,
frequent	yawning,	snoring	and	sleep	apnoea. Gastrointestinal:	Esophageal	reflux,	heartburn,	aerophobia. Other	general	symptoms	include	mouth	dryness,	fatigue,	bad	dreams,	sleep
disturbance,	nightmares,	dry	itchy	skin,	and	sweating,	cramping,	spasm,
increased	urination	such	as	bed	wetting	or	regular	visits	to	the	bathroom
during	the	night,	diarrhea,	constipation,	general	weakness	and	chronic
exhaustion.Chapter	3
	
	Applying	Buteyko	BreathingHow	to	interpret	breathing	exercises
	
A
ll	breathing	exercises	are	accompanied	by	a	line	diagram. To	interpret
each	diagram,	understanding	the	following	is	essential:
	
How	to	interpret	breathing	instructions
	
All	breathing	exercises	and	the	Control	Pause,	which	involves	holding	the
breath,	are	performed	after	an	exhalation. Measure	breathing	volume	–	your	Control	Pause
(A	free	video	of	this	exercise	is	available	from	
www.ButeykoDVD.com
.) T
o	measure	the	extent	of	your	relative	breathing	volume,	a	very	simple
breath	hold	test	called	the	Control	Pause	(CP)	is	used. The	Control	Pause
provides	feedback	on	your	symptoms	and,	more	importantly,	your	progress. Your	CP	measures	the	length	of	time	that	you	can	comfortably	hold	your
breath. Measuring	the	Control	Pause	(a)For	this	you	will	need	a	watch	or	clock	with	a	second	hand. 1
. Take	a	small,	silent	breath	in	and	a	small,	silent	breath	out. 2
. Hold	your	nose	with	your	fingers	to	prevent	air	from	entering	your	lungs. 3
. Count	how	many	seconds	until	you	feel	the	first	signs	of	air	hunger. 4
. Your	inhalation	at	the	end	of	the	breath	hold	should	be	no	greater	than
your	breathing	prior	to	taking	the	measurement. Release	your	nose	and	breathe	in	through	it. If	your	breath	in	is	disrupted,	then	you	have	held	it	for	too	long	and	have	an
inaccurate	CP. The	following	are	important	points	to	be	aware	of	before	we	start:
	
1
. The	breath	is	taken	after	gently	exhaling. 2
. The	breath	is	held	only	until	the	first	urges. It	is	not	a	measure	of	the
maximum	length	of	time	that	you	can	hold	your	breath. 3
. Your	CP	only	measures	your	breath	hold	time. It	is	not	an	exercise	to
correct	your	breathing. Remember	that	taking	your	CP	entails	holding	your	breath	only	until	the	first
urges. If	you	had	to	take	a	big	breath	at	the	end	of	the	breath	hold,	then	you
held	your	breath	for	too	long. The	most	accurate	CP	is	taken	first	thing	in	the
morning	after	waking	up. What	does	the	CP	(comfortable	breath	hold	time)	mean? T
he	lower	your	breath	holds	time,	the	greater	you’re	breathing	volume	and
symptoms	of	anxiety. Big	breathers	are	naturally	more	stressed	than	correct
volume	healthy	breathers. A	person	with	a	high	CP	is	a	lot	more	relaxed	and
calm	than	a	person	with	a	lower	CP. People	who	experience	panic	or
hyperventilation	attacks	are	invariably	big	breathers. The	objective	is	to	reach
a	CP	of	40	seconds. The	following	are	essential	rules	to	making	progress. You	will	feel	better	each	time	your	CP	increases	by	five	seconds. If	your	CP	does	not	change,	you	will	not	feel	better.Your	CP	should	increase	by	three	to	four	seconds	each	week. The	most	accurate	CP	is	taken	first	thing	after	waking. This	CP	is	most
accurate	since	you	cannot	influence	your	breathing	during	sleep,	and	it	is
based	on	your	breathing	volume	as	set	by	your	respiratory	centre. Taking	your	CP	throughout	the	day	will	give	you	feedback	on	your
symptoms	at	those	particular	times. Your	goal	is	to	have	a	morning	CP	of	40	seconds	for	six	months. Three	steps	to	increasing	your	CP
	
STEP	1:	Observe	your	breathing	throughout	the	day. To	stop	your	big
breathing:
a
. Close	your	mouth;
b
. Stop	sighing;
c
. Apply	gentle,	calm	breathing;
d
. Never	hear	your	breathing	while	resting. STEP	2:	Apply:	Gentle	reduced	breathing,	relaxation	and	still	your	mind. STEP	3:	Take	physical	exercise	with	correct	breathing. (Physical	exercise	is
necessary	to	increase	your	CP	from	20	to	40	seconds. More	details	on	this	are
further	on.) STEP	1	is	the	foundation. Make	the	change	to	nasal	breathing	on	a	permanent
basis,	suppress	your	sighs,	be	aware	of	your	breathing	and	ensure	that	it	is
quiet	throughout	the	day. A	regular	sigh	is	enough	to	maintain	chronic
hyperventilation;	therefore,	it	is	very	important	to	stop	sighing	by	swallowing
or	holding	your	breath. Unless	your	foundation	is	strong,	your	progress	will
be	inadequate. If	you	sigh	and	have	taken	a	large	breath,	then	hold	your
breath	for	ten	seconds	to	counteract	this. You	will	make	progress	by	keeping
your	mouth	closed	but	this	will	not	be	enough	by	itself. It	is	also	necessary	to
reverse	the	over	breathing	habit	that	you	have	developed	over	the	years.Compare	our	lifestyles
As	your	CP	increases,	your	breathing	volume	reduces	to	more
normal	levels. As	your	breathing	volume	reduces	to	more	normal	levels,	your
CP	increases. The	following	is	an	example	of	the	relationship	between	your	breathing
volume	and	CP. CP	of	10	seconds:	breathing	is	noisy,	loud,	irregular,	large,	heavy,	erratic	and
effortful. CP	of	20	seconds:	breathing	is	heavy	but	calmer	and	a	natural	pause	occurs
between	each	breath. CP	of	30	seconds:	breathing	is	calm	and	quiet	and	the	natural	pause	gets
longer. CP	of	40	seconds:	breathing	is	very	quiet,	regular,	calm	and	unnoticeable. How	to	know	if	you	are	practicing	breathing	exercises	correctly
	
U
ltimately,	all	exercises	are	designed	to	correct	your	breathing	and	reverse
chronic	hyperventilation. The	goal	is	for	your	breathing	to	become	quiet,gentle,	calm	and	regular,	as	characterized	by	a	high	CP. All	exercises	involve	one	thing	and
that	is	to	breathe	less	for	periods	of
time	to	reverse	the	bad	habit	of
overbreathing. When	you	practice	a	breathing	exercise,	it	is	necessary	that	you	feel	
a
tolerable	and	no	stressful	hunger	for	air
. This	is	good	feedback	and
essential	to	correcting	the	habit	of	overbreathing. Feeling	a	need	for	air	is	the
result	of	an	increase	in	CO
2
	in	your	blood. Your	respiratory	centre	is	reacting
to	this	increased	CO
2
	by	stimulating	your	breathing	to	keep	it	at	a	lower	level. After	nine	to	twelve	minutes	of	air	hunger,	the	increased	CO
2
	penetrates	the
blood–brain	barrier	and	resets	the	respiratory	centre	a	little. This	is	indicated
by	a	higher	CP	taken	a	few	minutes	after	completing	15–20	minutes	of
breathing	exercises. Feeling	the	need	for	air	is	not	a	result	of	your	body	being	deprived	of	oxygen. It	arises	because	you	are	breathing	less	than	you	normally	do. There	is	just	one	simple	rule	and	without	it,	you	will	make	little
progress:	the	only	way	that	you	know	that	you	are	reducing
your	breathing	is	when	you	feel	a	need	for	air. A	need	for	air	is	the	same	as	a	want	for	air. The	experience	of	breathlessness
is	similar	to	partaking	in	physical	activity. To	experience	and	understand	the	need	for	air,	perform	the	following	(the
degree	of	air	shortage	will	depend	on	the	exercises	you	are	undertaking):
	
Take	a	small	breath	in;
Gently	breathe	out;
Hold	your	nose	and	wait	until	you	feel	a	distinct	but	non	stressful	need	to
breathe	in. To	Breathe	Less	–	Feel	Breathless	
Panicking	while	reducing	your	breathing
I
t	can	be	quite	common	for	people	with	anxiety	to	panic	a	little	when	they
first	practice	reduced	breathing	exercises. Depending	on	your	individual	health,	you	might	have	experienced	periods	of
anxiety	and	hyperventilation	attacks	in	the	past. During	these	past	attacks,	as
your	breathing	got	faster	and	more	chaotic,	you	probably	experienced	a
feeling	of	suffocation	or	hunger	for	air. The	following	exercises,	through	creating	a	need	for	air,	may	make	you	feel
discomfort. However,	know	that	there	is	a	significant	difference	between	the
hunger	for	air	from	your	attacks	in	the	past	and	the	hunger	for	air	that	is
created	through	reduced	breathing	exercises. This	time,	you	have	complete
control	over	your	air	hunger	and	can	alter	it	at	will. To	help	with	this,	practice	the	exercises	gently	and	feel	a	need	for	air	no
greater	than	what	you	would	experience	during	a	mild	walk. Having	air
hunger	while	relaxing	should	not	create	tension. If	the	air	shortage	is	too
much,	tension	will	be	created. In	addition,	don’t	be	disheartened	if	your	progress	is	not	as	quick	as	you
would	like. Often,	persons	with	anxiety	have	perfectionist	tendencies.They	set
high	standards	for	themselves	and,	in	their	effort	to	strive	for	perfection;	they
get	upset	if	progress	is	not	according	to	their	liking. Breathing	is	a	beautiful	ingredient	of	life	that	should	be	gently	coaxed	instead
of	forced	into	place. I	can	assure	you	that	you	will	make	progress	as	long	as
you	understand	the	concept	of	reduced	breathing	and	are	able	to	put	it	into
practice. However,	progress	does	not	always	occur	in	a	straight	line. If	you	find	reduced	breathing	while	doing	sitting	exercises	too	difficult,	begin
with	exercises	that	involve	distraction,	such	as	walking	with	your	mouth
closed,	any	of	the	small	breath	hold	exercises	or	bringing	your	attention	to
your	inner	body. These	are	explained	in	detail	further	on. Note	of	caution
W
hile	breathing	exercises	are	perfectly	safe	for	most,	they	are	not
recommended	for	a	number	of	people. If	you	are	unsure,	do	not	attempt
breathing	exercises. Instead	contact	me	via	the	contact	information	in
appendix. Category	1. Do	not	attempt	any	of	the	breathing	exercises	if	you	have	or
are	undergoing	any	of	the	following:
Cancer	treatment
Type	1	diabetes
Thrombosis
Epilepsy
Schizophrenia
Unsatisfactory	blood	pressure	levels
Chest	pains	or	pain	in	the	heart	region
Sickle	cell	anemia
Arterial	aneurysm
Any	heart	problems	in	the	past	six	months
Uncontrolled	hyperthyroidism
A	known	brain	tumor	or	kidney	disease.Cleansing	reactions
A
bout	two	thirds	of	the	people	who	undergo	reduced	breathing	experience	a
detox	or	cleansing	reaction. Better	volume	breathing	improves	blood	flow	and
the	oxygenation	of	all	tissues	and	organs. Cleansing	reactions	take	place	when
the	CP	moves	through	10,	20	and	40	seconds. It	can	also	occur	when	the	CP	is
two,	four	and	six	times	its	initial	value. Note:	if	you	experience	an	increased	feeling	of	coldness	as	you	apply	reduced
breathing,	cease	the	exercise	and	consult	with	an	experienced	practitioner. An
increased	sensation	of	coldness	can	indicate	a	drop	in	blood	sugar	levels	and	a
snack	is	recommended. Generally,	cleansing	reactions	are	an	aggravation	of	your	usual	symptoms,	are
mild	and	can	last	from	several	hours	to	several	weeks. For	most	people,	these
reactions	last	just	one	to	two	days. Depending	on	the	person,	typical	symptoms	include:
Females	may	be	emotional
Males	may	be	depressed
Diarrhea
Slight	aches	and	pains
Mucus	from	the	nose	or	lungs
More	frequent	visits	to	the	bathroom
Loss	of	appetite
Increased	yawning	and	fatigue
General	feeling	of	un	wellness
Short-term	headache
Increased	irritability	or	anxiety
More	saliva
Metallic	or	coppery	taste	in	the	mouth	and	increased	demand	for	water. Don’t	worry;	it	is	highly	unlikely	that	you	will	experience	every	reaction. If
you	do	undergo	a	strong	cleansing,	your	body	has	gone	through	a	major
physiological	change	and	you	will	feel	much	better	from	it. To	help	reduce	the	intensity	and	duration	of	cleansing	reactions,	drink	warm
water	regularly	throughout	the	day	and	continue	with	reduced	breathing	by
relaxation. (Drink	¼	teaspoon	of	sea	salt	dissolved	in	hot	water	to	help	restoreessential	minerals)
	
During	the	cleansing,	your	Control	Pause	will	decline	and	your	pulse	will
increase. Both	your	pulse	and	control	pause	will	normalize	when	the
cleansing	has	passed,	and	you	will	feel	much	better. An	integral	part	of	the
cleansing	is	a	loss	of	appetite,	therefore	reduce	your	food	intake	and	increase
fluid	intake. On	a	positive	note,	everyone	will	experience	improvements	in	their	health,
including:	increased	calmness	and	concentration;	less	anxiety,	stress	and
uncontrolled	thought	activity;	better	moods,	better	sleep,	more	energy	and
improved	well-being.Cleansing	Reactions
	
By	intensively	applying	reduced	breathing,	you	will	make	quicker	progress
but	may	experience	a	stronger	cleansing	reaction. By	gently	applying	reduced	breathing,	you	will	make	slower	progress	but	will
experience	a	more	gentle	cleansing	reaction. Cleansing	reactions	are	an	aggravation	of	your	symptoms. During	cleansing,
you	may	experience	anxiety,	depression,	emotions,	a	racing	mind,	fatigue,
headaches,	tummy	upset,	insomnia,	a	runny	nose	and	more. Having	a	cleansing	reaction	is	not	negative. It	is	positive	as	your	body	is
becoming	healthier. For	the	first	time	in	your	life,	you	are	dealing	with	the
root	cause	of	your	condition. Work	your	way	through	the	cleansing. It’s	not	easy,	but	boy	is	it	worth	the
effort! Historical	symptoms	in	reverse
As	your	CP	increases,	you	may	experience	symptoms	in	reverse. As	your	health	condition	improves,	your	immune	system	frees	up	to	focus	on
dormant	conditions. Historical	health	issues	can	come	to	the	surface	for	a	little	while,	until	your
immune	system	deals	with	them. Your	health	is	not	getting	worse. You	are	now	getting	better.How	to	stop	panic	attacks,	anxiety	and	stress	with	Many	Small	Breath
Holds
(A	free	video	of	this	exercise	is	available	from	
www.ButeykoDVD.com
	.) T
his	exercise	is	very	useful	to	stop	panic	and	anxiety	attacks	and	stress. It
will	produce	results	similar	to	the	old	brown	paper	bag	routine	but	is	a	lot
safer,	as	it	allows	you	to	maintain	your	oxygen	levels. The	objective	of	this
exercise	is	to	keep	your	breathing	calm. In	addition	to	stopping	attacks,	
Many	Small	Breath	Holds	
can	be	practiced
hundreds	of	times	per	day. If	you	feel	that	you	are	not	making	progress	with
reduced	breathing	exercises,	then	I	encourage	you	to	practice	this	exercise	all
day	and	into	the	night. It	is	gentle,	suits	everybody	and	will	dramatically
reduce	your	symptoms. If	you	panic	while	practicing	any	of	the	remaining
reduced	breathing	exercises,	you	will	find	that	beginning	with	this	exercise	is
easier. Many	Small	Breath	Holds	
to	reduce	symptoms:
Do	
Many	Small	Breath	Holds	
of	two	to	five	seconds	each,	as	follows. Breathe	in,	breathe	out	and	hold	your	breath. Hold	your	breath	for	two	to	five	seconds. Do	not	attempt	to	hold	your
breath	for	longer	than	this,	as	this	will	only	increase	your	breathing	and
possibly	aggravate	your	symptoms. Your	maximum	breath	hold	should
be	no	greater	than	half	your	Control	Pause	at	that	time. For	example,	if
your	CP	is	four	seconds,	then	do	small	breaths	hold	for	only	two
seconds. After	each	breath	hold,	breathe	normally	for	10	to	15	seconds. Don’t
interfere	with	your	breathing. Continue	to	do	a	small	breath	hold	followed	by	normal	breathing	for	10
to	15	seconds	until	your	symptoms	have	passed. When	you	experience	the	first	symptoms	of	a	panic	attack,	anxiety	or
stress,	immediately	do	
Many	Small	Breath	Holds
. Don’t	wait	until	the
symptoms	worsen,	as	getting	your	breath	under	control	will	be	a	lot	more
difficult. If	you	wake	up	during	the	night	with	attacks,	then	sit	up	in	bed
and	do	
Many	Small	Breath	Holds	
to	calm	your	breathing. Very	important:	
these	techniques	are	to	be	used	in	conjunction	with	normalday-to-day	treatments.Nasal	Breathing	for	good	health
(A	free	video	of	this	exercise	is	available	from	
www.ButeykoDVD.com
	.) A
ll	of	your	breathing	should	only	be	through	your	nose. Do	not	breathe
through	your	mouth. Nature	has	provided	us	with	a	wonderful	instrument,	our
nose,	to	help	make	our	breathing	more	regular,	filter	incoming	air	and	help
retain	moisture	in	the	body. Many	humans	sleep,	walk,	rest	and	work	with
their	mouth	open,	as	if	their	nose	is	nothing	more	than	an	ornament! Mouth	breathing	generates	chaotic	and	upper	chest	breathing	that	stimulates
the	sympathetic	nervous	system. On	the	other	hand,	nasal	breathing	and
correct	posture	help	promote	regular	and	diaphragmatic	breathing,	thus
generating	calmness. Just	watch	a	healthy	baby	breathe	for	an	example	of
good	breathing. Note:
	
If	your	CP	is	less	than	10	seconds,	then	refrain	from	holding	your	breath	for
too	long. Your	nose	gets	blocked	as	a	result	of	breathing	too	much. Blood
vessels	become	inflamed	and	larger	amounts	of	mucus	are	secreted,	making
breathing	through	your	nose	more	difficult. A	vicious	circle	ensues	because,	as	your	nose	becomes	blocked,	you	switch	to
mouth	breathing. This	involves	an	even	greater	loss	of	CO
2
,	resulting	in	even
more	congestion. The	following	exercise	is	very	effective	for	decongesting	your	nose	in	just	a
few	minutes. Sit	up	straight. Take	a	small	breath	in	through	your	nose	if	possible,	and	a	small	breath
out. If	your	nose	is	quite	blocked,	take	a	tiny	breath	in	through	the	corner
of	your	mouth. Pinch	your	nose	with	your	fingers	and	hold	your	breath. Keep	your
mouth	closed.Gently	nod	your	head	or	sway	your	body	until	you	feel	that	you	cannot
hold	your	breath	any	longer. Hold	your	nose	until	you	feel	a	strong
desire	to	breathe. When	you	need	to	inhale,	let	go	of	your	nose	and	breathe	gently	through
it,	in	and	out,	with	your	mouth	closed. Calm	your	breathing	as	soon	as	possible. If	your	nose	does	not	become	totally	unblocked,	wait	about	30	seconds	until
your	breathing	has	recovered	before	performing	this	exercise	again. You	will
need	to	do	this	exercise	a	number	of	times	before	your	nose	is	completely
unblocked. Doing	this	exercise	many	times	will	unblock	your	nose. You	might	also	feel
warm	and	more	alert	given	the	dilatation	of	your	blood	vessels. This	exercise
is	also	useful	for	shifting	mucus	from	the	airways	and	for	removing
constipation. To	remove	constipation,	perform	this	breath	hold	exercise	many
times	while	sitting	on	the	loo!A	low	CP	indicates	that	you	are	breathing	big,	and	your	nose	will	become
blocked	again. Your	nose	will	remain	clear	only	when	your	morning	CP	is
over	20	seconds. Perform	this	exercise	each	time	that	your	nose	becomes	blocked. Even	if	you
have	a	cold,	make	sure	to	breathe	through	your	nose. You	might	think	that
you	cannot	clear	your	nose	when	you	have	a	heavy	cold,	but	you	can. If	you
do	have	a	head	cold,	close	your	mouth	and	reduce	your	breathing	throughout
the	day. Your	nostrils	are	smaller	and	thus	create	more	resistance	than	breathing
through	your	mouth. As	a	result,	you	may	feel	that	you	are	not	getting	enough
air. This	sensation	will	last	for	a	short	time. In	a	few	days,	your	respiratory
centre	will	become	accustomed	to	the	more	correct	volume	that	you	are
breathing. Whatever	you	do,	keep	your	mouth	closed. Your	body	may	begin	to	play
tricks	and	convince	you	to	breathe	more	by	inducing	yawning,	sighing,
regular	sniffing	or	the	odd	mouth	breath. Do	not	increase	your	breathing	at
this	point. When	you	feel	a	need	to	breathe	big	arises,	for	example	during	a	sigh,
swallow	immediately. If	you	need	to	yawn,	avoid	taking	the	big	breath	that
accompanies	a	yawn. Instead,	stifle	the	yawn	by	keeping	your	mouth	closed
or	by	swallowing. It	takes	just	a	few	days	for	a	habitual	mouth	breather	to	change	into	a
permanent	nasal	breather. Increased	observation	of	your	breathing	and
practicing	to	breathe	less	are	important	elements	to	making	this	change. Nasal
breathing	should	be	enshrined	at	all	times	and	during	every	activity. Remember	that	when	you	mouth	breathe	for	periods	of	time,	you	are	reducing
oxygenation	of	your	brain! Correcting	breathing	volume	(easy	approach)
T
here	are	two	approaches	to	learning	how	to	return	your	breathing	volume
to	normal	levels. The	following	is	the	easier	version. Sit	up	straight. Bring	your	attention	to	your	breathing. Concentrate	on	the	air	flowing	into	and	from	your	nostrils. Feel	the	air
going	in	and	coming	out	of	the	nose. Watch,	feel	and	listen	to	this	for	a
few	minutes. Can	you	feel	the	air? You	might	feel	cold	air	on	the	inner	part	of	your
nostrils	as	it	enters	your	body. You	might	feel	warm	air	leaving	your
nostrils. You	might	feel	the	air	moving	over	the	top	of	your	lip. Just	follow	your	breath. If	a	thought	comes	in,	as	it	will,	just	bring	your
attention	back	to	the	air	passing	through	your	nostrils. Keep	bringing	your	attention	back	to	your	breath,	over	and	over	again. Don’t	get	upset	if	your	mind	wanders. This	will	happen	and	is	the	nature
of	thought. Keep	bringing	your	attention	back	to	your	nostrils,	over	and
over	again.When	you	notice	your	mind	wandering,	you	are	waking	up. Before	this,	you
might	not	have	noticed. You	might	not	have	known	what	thoughts	you	were
thinking. You	might	not	have	known	the	effect	from	these	thoughts. After	a	few	minutes,	proceed	to	the	next	stage. Relax. Imagine	tension	dissolving	from	your	chest	and	tummy	while	you
reduce	your	breathing. As	you	relax,	your	breathing	will	reduce
automatically. When	you	can	follow	your	breathing,	place	your	finger	under	your	nose
in	a	horizontal	position. Your	finger	should	lie	just	above	your	top	lip,
close	enough	to	your	nostrils	so	that	you	can	feel	the	air	flowing	but	not
so	close	that	you	block	the	air	flow. Monitor	the	amount	of	air	flowing	through	your	nostrils. Now,	breathe	air	slightly	into	the	tip	of	your	nostrils. For	example,	just
take	in	enough	air	to	fill	your	nostrils	and	no	more. Breathe	in	a	flicker
of	air	(maybe	1	cm)	with	each	breath. As	you	exhale,	pretend	that	your	finger	is	a	feather. Breathe	out	gently
onto	your	finger	so	that	the	feather	does	not	move. When	you	breathe	out,	the	more	warm	air	you	feel,	the	bigger	you	are
breathing. Concentrate	on	calming	your	breath	to	reduce	the	amount	of
warm	air	you	feel	on	your	finger. As	you	reduce	the	amount	of	warm	air	onto	your	finger,	you	begin	to
feel	a	need	or	want	for	air. Maintain	the	need	for	air	for	about	four	minutes. It	should	be	distinct
without	being	stressful. You	are	taking	in	a	small	breath	in	(1	cm)	and	allowing	out	a	relaxed
breath. The	overall	movements	of	your	breathing	should	have	reduced	by
about	30%	to	40%. Minimize	the	movement	of	your	chest	and	tummy. The	need	for	air	during	this	exercise	should	be	no
greater	than	at	the	end	of	the	Control	Pause.A
nother	way	to	describe	the	feeling	you	want	is	that	it	is	like	the	same	level
of	breathlessness	that	you	feel	during	a	mild	walk. The	only	difference	now	is
that	you	are	sitting	still. Knowing	this	will	help	reduce	any	panicky	feelings
that	you	may	experience. Your	need	for	air	should	be	distinct	but	not	stressful. If	your	need	for	air	is	not	distinct,	then	further	reduce	your	breathing. If	your
need	for	air	is	too	stressful,	then	breathe	a	little	more	and	allow	your	body	to
relax. If	you	feel	that	you	cannot	grasp	this	exercise	or	if	you	feel	too	much
discomfort,	then	concentrate	on	practicing	
Many	Small	Breath	Holds	
or
simply	walk	with	your	mouth	closed	and	generate	the	feeling	of	needing	or
wanting	air. As	you	practice	this	exercise,	you	should	start	to	feel	warmer	as	the
carbon	dioxide	increases	in	your	blood. This	is	good	feedback	and
indicates	improved	blood	flow	and	oxygenation. If	you	don’t	feel	warmer,
ensure	that	you	have	air	shortage	and	that	you	are	able	to	sustain	it	for	four
minutes	at	a	time. Many	people	also	feel	their	anxiety	decrease	after
commencing	this	exercise. Their	minds	become	sharper	and	their	tension
eases. Every	now	and	again,	your	mind	may	wander. As	soon	as	you	notice	this,
gently	bring	your	attention	back	to	your	breathing	and	reduce	it. Since	this
can	happen	every	five	or	ten	seconds,	don’t	give	out	to	yourself	if	it	is
frequent. Your	ability	to	keep	your	attention	on	your	breathing	will	greatly
improve	with	practice. Feel	a	tolerable	but	distinct	need	for	air	throughout	the	four	minutes. In
addition	to	improved	oxygenation,	each	time	you	bring	your	attention
back	to	your	breath	you	are	helping	to	tame	your	mind. You	are
dissolving	your	thought	patterns	and	the	more	you	watch	your	breath
throughout	the	day,	the	more	frequently	your	thought	activity	subsides
and	stillness	takes	over.Correcting	breathing	volume	(a	more	detailed	approach)
	
T
he	following	exercise	is	the	essence	of	the	Buteyko	Method. The	merging
of	diaphragmatic	breathing	is	my	own	work	based	on	feedback	from	people
attending	my	clinic. This	is	back	to-	basics	learning	to	correct	the	volume	and
use	our	diaphragm. This	is	how	we	should	be	breathing	every	minute,	every
hour,	every	day. This	exercise	is	the	Left	Hand	Rule	of	Buteyko	and	is	defined	as	“reduction
of	breathing	volume	by	relaxation	of	the	muscles	involved	in	respiration	to
create	a	need	for	air.”	(The	Right	Hand	Rule	is	correct	posture	with	the	mouth
closed.) In	other	words,	our	breathing	volume	decreases	when	our	breathing
muscles	are	relaxed. There	are	three	parts	to	this	exercise,	and	they	all	fit	together. Learn	the	first
part	then	move	to	the	second,	and	finally	the	third. If	you	feel	that	you	cannot
master	this	exercise,	practice	the	easier	version	instead. In	time,	as	your	CP
increases,	you	can	return	to	this	exercise. Part	1. Relaxation	of	respiratory	muscles. Part	2. Learning	to	tummy	breathes. Part	3. Bringing	reduced	and	diaphragmatic	breathing	together. Since	food	affects	your	breathing,	it	is	best	to	practice	this	exercise	on	an
empty	stomach	or	at	least	not	straight	after	eating. This	is	by	far	the	most	important	exercise,	as	it	trains	you	to	be	aware	of	your
breathing	volume,	to	permanently	change	your	CO
2
	levels	and	to	relax	the
muscles	involved	with	respiration. Adopt	a	correct	but	comfortable	posture. Correct	posture	involves	sitting	up
straight	with	both	feet	under	your	chair. Sit	in	the	horse	rider	position	at	the
edge	of	the	chair	with	your	back	straight	and	your	knees	lower	than	your	hips. Correct	posture	is	very	important	in	helping	to	reduce	your	breathing. If	you
are	slouched,	you	will	compress	your	diaphragm,	increase	the	tension	that	you
experience	and	increase	your	breathing	volume. For	example,	the	following	exercise	illustrates	just	how	posture	affects	our
breathing:
	
Bend	forward;
Feel	how	you	are	breathing	for	a	couple	of	minutes;
Sit	up;
Now	feel	how	you	are	breathing. You	will	find	that	it	is	a	lot	easier	to	breathe	while	sitting	up. The	diaphragm
T
he	diaphragm	is	our	main	breathing	muscle. It	is	a	dome	shaped	sheet	of
muscle	that	separates	our	thorax,	which	houses	the	heart	and	lungs	from	our
abdomen,	which	holds	the	intestines,	stomach,	liver	and	kidneys. Diaphragmatic	breathing	is	more	efficient	because	the	amount	of	blood	flow
in	the	lower	lobes	of	the	lungs	is	greater	than	in	the	upper. The	fast,	shallow
breaths	of	people	who	chronically	hyperventilate	results	in	less	oxygen
transfer	to	the	blood	and	a	greater	loss	of	CO
2
. Fast,	shallow	breaths	also
activate	thesympathetic	nervous	system,	resulting	in	more	tension. The	good	news	is	that
diaphragmatic	breathing	can	be	easily	learned. Part	1:	Relaxation	of	respiratory	muscles
Sit	up	straight. Lengthen	the	distance	between	your	naval	and	sternum
(chest). Forcing	yourself	into	a	“straight	position”	is	not	necessary,	as
this	only	increases	tension. Place	one	hand	on	your	tummy	(just	above	your	navel)	and	one	hand	on
your	chest. Place	attention	on	the	movements	of	your	lower	hand. While	sitting	up
straight,	gently	push	your	tummy	outwards. Don’t	make	any	changes	to
your	breathing	at	this	point. This	exercise	is	primarily	to	encourage
diaphragmatic	movement. Alternatively,	you	can	lie	on	your	back	with
both	knees	bent. Draw	in	your	tummy	and	watch	your	hand	move	inwards. Do	this	simple
exercise	for	a	few	minutes	to	help	activate	a	“dormant”	diaphragm. Recap
Gently	push	your	tummy	out. Watch	your	hand	move	outwards. Gently	draw	your	tummy	in. Watch	your	hand	move	inwards. At	this	point,	don’t	be	concerned	about	how	you	are	breathing. Continue	to	do
this	for	just	a	few	minutes. When	you	feel	you	can	move	your	tummy	in	and	out	easily	at	will,	proceed	to
the	next	stage,	which	is	to	incorporate	tummy	movements	with	breathing. The
above	exercise	is	very	helpful	in	releasing	tension	from	the	area	around	your
tummy. When	your	mind	is	stressed,	your	tummy	muscles	get	very	tense. Stress	in	the	mind	almost	always	appears	in	the	tummy. Your	mind	might	tell
you	that	you	are	not	stressed	but	your	body	will	be	honest	with	you. Deliberate	tensing	and	relaxing	of	these	muscles	by	drawing	in	the	tummy
and	gently	pushing	it	out	are	great	for	relaxing	this	area. It	is	of	vital
importance	to	have	a	relaxed	tummy. In	addition,	encourage	the	area	around
your	tummy	to	relax	by	imagining	the	tension	and	stress	dissolving. Part	2:	learning	to	tummy	breathe
Place	one	hand	on	your	chest	and	the	other	hand	on	your	tummy. As	you	breathe,	allow	your	shoulders	fall	to	their	natural	position. Raised
or	tense	shoulders	increase	the	volume	of	your	chest	cavity	and	thevolume	of	air	inhaled. Tension	increases	breathing,	while	relaxation
decreases	it. With	your	hand	on	your	chest,	exert	gentle	guidance	using	your	mind
and	hand	to	reduce	your	chest	movements. At	the	same	time,	coordinate	your	tummy	movements	with	your
breathing. As	you	breathe	in,	gently	push	your	tummy	outwards	at	the	same	time. Breathe	as	if	you	are	breathing	into	your	belly. Do	not	let	your	tummy
get	too	big	as	this	might	cause	dizziness. As	you	breathe	out,	gently	draw	your	tummy	in.Recap
Breathe	in. Gently	push	your	tummy	out. Breathe	out. Gently	pull	your	tummy	in. Note	that	they	move	in	opposite	directions	from	each	other. The	reason	why
the	tummy	moves	outwards	with	an	in-breath	is	because	the	diaphragm
pushes	downward	and	exerts	gentle	force	on	the	abdomen. On	the	other	hand,
the	tummy	moves	inward	during	an	exhalation	because	the	diaphragm	moves
upward	and	takes	pressure	from	the	abdomen. Part	3	NB:	Bringing	reduced	and	diaphragmatic	breathing	together
. W
hen	patients	ask	me	what	is	more	important,	I	say	that	reduced	breathing
is	primary	and	tummy	breathing	is	secondary. At	the	same	time,	the	two	work
together	as	it	is	a	lot	easier	to	reduce	breathing	volume	by	changing	the
breathing	pattern	to	diaphragmatic. To	bring	the	two	together:
Sit	up	straight,	as	described	above. Place	one	hand	on	your	chest	and	one	hand	on	your	tummy. Bring	attention	to	your	breathing. As	you	breathe	in,	gently	guide	your	tummy	out. Use	your	mind	and
awareness	to	keep	your	chest	movements	to	a	minimum. As	you	breathe	out,	gently	pull	your	tummy	in,	again	keeping	your	chest
movements	quiet. As	you	breathe	with	your	tummy,	concentrate	on	making	your	in-breath
smaller. With	each	breath,	take	in	less	air	than	what	you	would	like	to. Make	the
in-breath	smaller	or	shorter. Feel	the	shorter	breath	with	your	hands	or
imagine	your	chest	as	a	large	glass. Only	breathe	in	enough	air	to	fill	the
glass	three	quarters	full. Reduce	your	volume	of	breathing	by	encouraging	your	entire	body	to
relax. As	you	feel	your	body	relaxing,	your	breathing	will	reduce
automatically. Breathe	out	with	a	relaxed	exhalation. While	breathing	out,	allow	the
natural	elasticity	of	your	lungs	and	diaphragm	to	play	their	role	in	the
exhalation. Imagine	a	balloon	deflating	by	its	own	accord. As	your	in-breath	is	smaller	and	your	out-breath	is	relaxed,	visiblemovements	will	slow	down. Aim	to	quieten	your	breathing. A	typical
session	may	involve	reducing	your	breathing	movement	by	30%	to	40%. If	your	stomach	gets	tense,	jerky	or	“hard,”	then	the	degree	of	air
shortage	is	too	great. Instead,	relax	for	a	moment. When	your	tension
dissolves,	return	to	gentle	reduced	breathing. You	must	feel	a	need	for	air	that	is	tolerable. Maintain	this	tolerable	“air
hunger”	for	three	to	five	minutes	at	a	time. I	am	often	asked	whether	a	person	is	doing	the	exercise	properly. The	answer	to	this	is:
	
“You	are	reducing	your	breathing	when	you	feel
a	distinct	but	non-stressful	need	for	air.”
	
Sometimes,	to	reinforce	this	point,	I	say:
	
“
Unless	you	feel	a	tolerable	need	for	air,
you	will	not	make	progress.”
	
Your	need	for	air	should	be	distinct	but	not	stressful. If	your	need	for	air	is	not
distinct,	then	reduce	your	movements	further. If	your	need	for	air	is	too
stressful,	then	breathe	a	little	more	and	allow	your	body	to	relax. Now	you	have	mastered	relaxing	your	diaphragm	combined	with	a	reduced
need	for	air. Every	breath	that	you	take	throughout	the	day	should	be
diaphragmatic	and	quiet. Remember,	this	is	how	we	breathed	when	we	were
healthy	young	babies. Our	lips	were	together,	and	our	little	tummies	moved	in
and	out	with	each	breath. Healthy	breathing	is	all	about	going	back	to	basics. Anger,	anxiety	and	stress	originate	from	chaotic	and	fast	breathing. In	Japan,
children	are	taught	from	a	young	age	to	diaphragmatically	breathe	and	keep
their	breathing	calm	when	they	get	angry. When	you	are	under	stress,
immediately	pay	attention	to	your	breathing. If	you	keep	your	breathing	level,
calm	and	quiet,	stress	will	not	manifest. Stress	and	anger	require	heavy	and
irregular	breathing. To	observe	this,	watch	your	breathing	the	next	time	youget	stressed	or	are	angry. Recap
	
Small	breath	in. Relaxed	breath	out. Small	breath	in. Relaxed	breath	out. Small	breath	in. Relaxed	breath	out. A	small	breath	simply	means	taking	a	smaller	or	shorter	breath	than	what	you
would	normally	take. A	relaxed	breath	out	tends	to	be	slow. Don’t	worry	too	much	about	your	rate. Ideally,	it	should	not	increase	but	it
may	when	your	CP	is	less	than	20	seconds. If	your	rate	increases,	calm	and
slow	you’re	breathing. As	your	CP	increases,	your	rate	will	naturally
decrease. Change	your	breathing	from	this:
Noisy,	loud,	big,	erratic,	irregular,	effortful,	tense,	inefficient	breathing. To	this:
Quiet,	silent,	small,	level,	regular,	effortless,	relaxed,	efficient	breathing. A
formal	routine
	A	formal	routine	for	correcting	your	breathing(easy	and	detailed
approaches)
	
Worksheets	are	provided	towards	the	end	of	book. Measure	your	pulse. Take	your	Control	Pause. Reduced	your	breathing	for	four	minutes. Wait	two	minutes	and	take	your	Control	Pause. Reduced	your	breathing	for	four	minutes. Wait	two	minutes	and	take	your	Control	Pause. Reduced	your	breathing	for	four	minutes. Wait	two	minutes	and	take	your	Control	Pause. Reduced	your	breathing	for	four	minutes. Wait	two	minutes	and	take	your	Control	Pause. Measure	your	pulse. Your	CP	taken	at	the	end	of	the	four	sets	should	be	about	25%	higher	than	the
one	taken	at	the	start. Your	pulse	as	measured	at	the	end	of	the	20	minutes	should	be	a	couple	of
beats	per	minute	lower	than	your	pulse	measured	at	the	start. If	your	pulse	is
higher,	then	rest	for	a	few	minutes	and	re-measure. If	it	is	still	high,	then	this
is	a	sign	that	you	were	stressed	during	the	exercise. The	next	time	you
practice,	ensure	that	you	experience	a	shortage	of	air	but	place	more	emphasis
on	relaxation. The	normal	resting	pulse	for	an	adult	should	be	between	60	and	80	beats	per
minute. A	child’s	pulse	will	be	higher	than	this	and	will	decrease	as	he	or	she
gets	older. Twenty	to	thirty	minutes	first	thing	in	the	morning	is	an	excellent	way	to
reverse	the	heavy	breathing	from	the	night	before. Repeat	the	same	process
during	the	day	and	as	the	last	thing	that	you	do	at	night. Reducing	your
breathing	before	going	to	bed	will	ensure	a	calm	and	restful	sleep	and	will
give	you	very	good	energy	levels	when	you	wake	in	the	morning. While	doing	your	four	sets	of	four	minutes,	experience
an	air	shortage	for	the	
entire	four	minutes. Reducing
your	breathing	for	the	first	30	seconds	andthen	breathing	heavily	for	the	remaining	three
and	a	half	minutes	is	not	useful. You	might	find	it	difficult	to	set	aside	twenty	minutes	three	times	a	day;	do
your	best. Know	that	every	minute	of	reduced	breathing	is	also	a	minute	that
you	give	your	mind	to	rest	from	its	normal	activity. Your	mind	also	needs	a
rest	from	its	incessant	and	repetitive	thoughts. Watching,	feeling	and	reducing
your	breath	create	quiet	time	for	your	mind. (Please	note:	To	assist	with	continuous	relaxation,	the	enclosed	CD	is	slightly
different	to	the	above	approach	as	it	runs	without	any	interruptions)
	Informal	routine	for	correcting	your	breathing	volume	(easy	and	detailed
approach)
	
If	you	feel	that	you	can	practice	reduced	breathing	as	part	of	your	daily	life,
then	reduce	your	breathing	and	create	an	air	shortage	for	blocks	of	about	four
or	five	minutes	several	times	throughout	the	day. Reducing	your	breathing	for	90	minutes	throughout	the	day	helps	restore	your
breathing	volume	to	normal	levels. This	is	easier	done	than	you	may	think. If
you	like	walking,	then	breathe	through	your	nose	and	reduce	your	breathing
for	the	entire	walk. If	you	like	to	meditate,	reduce	your	breathing	during
meditation. If	you	like	to	drive,	reduce	your	breathing	while	driving. If	you
watch	TV	or	read,	reduce	your	breathing	while	doing	these	activities. If	you
work	on	a	computer,	reduce	your	breathing. Placing	your	finger	under	your
nose	to	reduce	your	breathing	is	not	a	requirement. All	that	is	required	is	that
you	relax	your	chest	and	diaphragm	and	breathe	less	than	what	you	normally
do. You	are	breathing	less	when	you	feel	a	tolerable	air
shortage. Sustain	this	feeling	for	blocks	of	four
minutes	several	times	throughout	the	day	(informally)
or	during	four	four-minute	blocks	(formally). If	your	tummy	gets	tense	or	jumpy,	then	your	air	shortage	is	too	great	and	can
create	tension. If	this	happens,	distract	yourself	for	a	few	seconds	and	return
to	gentle	reduced	breathing. With	practice,	your	breathing	will	become	calm,
quiet	and	still. Your	other	option	is	to	continue	with	the	heavy	breathing,	have
all	of	your	attention	in	your	head	and	deprive	your	brain	of	oxygen,	resulting
in	increased	thought	activity.
_OceanofPDF.com_Anxiety_Free__Stop_worrying_and_quieten_yo_-_McKeown_Patrick.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Anxiety	free:	stop	worrying	and	quieten	your	mind
	
Published	by:	ButeykoDVD. com
Loughwell,	Moycullen,	Co	Galway
Web:	
www. ButeykoDVD. com
Email:	
info@ButeykoDVD. com
	
©	Patrick	McKeown	2010
Cover	design	by	Aurora	Pérez	Machío
Illustrations	by	Timm	from	www. TimmJoyStudios. org. uk
	
All	rights	reserved. No	part	of	this	publication	may	be	copied,	reproduced	or	transmitted	in	any
form	or	by	any	means	without	permission	in	writing	from	the	publishers. This
book	is	sold	subject	to	the	condition	that	it	shall	not,	by	way	of	trade	or
otherwise,	be	lent,	resold	or	otherwise	circulated	without	the	publishers’	prior
consent	in	any	form	of	binding	or	cover	other	than	that	in	which	it	is
published	and	without	similar	condition,	including	this	condition,	being
imposed	on	the	publisher. The	information	contained	in	this	book	is	not	intended	to	serve	as	a
replacement	for	professional	medical	advice. Any	use	of	the	information	in
this	book	is	at	the	reader’s	discretion. The	author	and	the	publisher
specifically	disclaim	any	and	all	liability	arising	directly	or	indirectly	from	the
use	of	application	of	any	information	contained	in	this	book. Consult	a	health
care	professional	regarding	your	specific	situation. Contents
	
Prologue
	
Chapter	1	–	What	determines	your	happiness. Control	your	mind	or	allow	your	mind	to	control	you
Quietening	the	mind
	
Chapter	2	–	The	Buteyko	Method
Normal	Breathing	Volume
Chronic	over	breathing
What	increases	breathing	volume. How	to	recognize	habitual	over	breathing
Carbon	dioxide
Over	breathing	causes	depression,	stress	and	anxiety
What	is	the	fat	file	syndrome. Stress,	anxiety	and	anger	causes	over	breathing
How	many	of	the	following	symptoms	of	hyperventilation	do	you	have. Chapter	3	–	Applying	Buteyko	Breathing
How	to	interpret	breathing	exercises
Measure	Breathing	Volume	–	Your	Control	Pause
Three	steps	to	increasing	your	CP
Compare	our	lifestyles
Note	of	Caution
Cleansing	reactions
How	to	stop	panic	attacks,	anxiety	and	stress	with	Many	Small	Breath	Holds
Nasal	Breathing	for	good	health
Correcting	breathing	volume	(easy	approach)
Correcting	breathing	volume	(a	more	detailed	approach)
The	diaphragm
Relaxation	of	respiratory	muscles
A	formal	routine	for	correcting	your	breathing	(easy	and	detailed	approaches)
Informal	routine	for	correcting	your	breathing	volume	(easy	and	detailed
approach)
Bringing	reduced	breathing	into	your	way	of	life
	
Chapter	4	–	Physical	exercise	to	still	the	mind
The	importance	of	exercise
Nasal	breathingFeel	the	need	for	air	and	do	enough	exercise	to	create	a	sweat
Feel	relaxed	throughout
How	to	determine	if	you	are	breathing	correctly	during	physical	exercise
People	who	exercise	are	more	relaxed
Breath	Hold	During	Exercise
Maintain	control	of	your	breathing	throughout
	
Chapter	5	–	Further	stilling	the	mind
Connect	with	the	inner	body
Are	you	connected	to	the	wonders	of	life. Going	for	a	walk	but	missing	out	on	everything
Taking	ownership	of	the	mind
Simple	things	that	life	has	to	offer
	
Chapter	6	–	How	to	have	a	great	night’s	sleep
Sleeping
Closing	your	mouth	at	night
	
Chapter	7	–	Know	thyself
How	your	thoughts	determine	your	reality
Who	is	the	real	you. You	are	not	your	mind
Watch	your	thoughts
Is	the	mind	the	absolute	truth. Chapter	8	–	Individual	madness
Are	you	always	seeking	the	future. Is	this	his	life. What	is	your	life	story. Stop	complaining
	
Chapter	9	–	Society	madness
Prozac	me
Spiritualize	me
Educate	me
	
Chapter	10	–	Can	you	afford	not	to	have	a	still	mind. Creativity
A	still	or	noisy	mind	in	the	workplace
Concentration	
Chapter	11	–	You	know	all	of	this. Accept	it	as	if	you	had	chosen	it	so
Shut	the	door	to	the	past	and	move	on. Stop	stirring	the	problem
The	bullying	child
Your	enemies
Positive	thinking	is	limited	at	best
Happiness	cannot	be	bought
Are	you	generating	peace	or	misery	within	yourself. Chapter	12	–	Going	forward
Choose	life	or	choose	thought
Old	tensions	dissolve
We	all	need	help	from	life
Let	go	of	the	wheel	of	life
	
Chapter	14	–	The	result
No	more	anger. Take	responsibility	for	your	own	life
	
Chapter	15	–	What	to	do
Gentle	approach:	Not	well,	elderly	or	have	a	CP	of	less	than	10	seconds
Teenager	approach
An	adult	with	a	very	busy	lifestyle
My	Direct	Experience
Appendix	one—A	history	of	Buteyko	in	North	America
Appendix	two—Websites	to	visit
Appendix	three—References
Appendix	four—Acknowledgements
Diary	of	progressPrologue
	
This	book	is	for	any	person	who	wishes	to	have	clearer	functioning	of	his	or
her	mind	and	not	to	be	bogged	down	with	useless	thinking. Within	three
weeks	the	result	will	be	more	control	over	thoughts,	better	concentration,
more	energy,	more	joy,	happiness	and	appreciation	for	life. This	is	a	simple
and	straightforward	self-help	book	approached	from	two	different	and	yet
related	perspectives. The	first	is	about	correcting	breathing	volume	using	a	physician	developed
programmed	known	as	the	Buteyko	Breathing	Method. Chronic	over
breathing	is	a	habit	present	with	any	person	who	experiences	stress,	anxiety,
panic	attacks	and	depression. It	causes	both	a	constriction	of	blood	vessels
and	reduced	delivery	of	oxygen	to	tissues	and	organs,	most	notably	the	brain. The	Buteyko	Method	is	a	simple	approach	that	significantly	improves
oxygenation	of	the	brain,	resulting	in	far	less	brain	cell	excitability. The	second	aspect	deals	with	recognizing	the	activity	of	the	mind,	the	nature
of	thought	and	how	to	step	out	of	thought. This	too	is	essential	to
understanding	your	mind	and	taking	control. The	mind	is	regarded	as	the	most	important	capability	of	the	human	species. Yet,	most	people	have	little	control	over	it	as	it	races	from	thought	to	thought. Mind	activity,	stress,	depression	and	anxiety	are	nothing	more	than	the
absence	of	control. How	much	control	do	you	have	over	your	mind. For	how
long	can	you	choose	to	stop	thinking. A	quiet	mind	is	one	that	you	have	control	over. Quite	simply,	you	can	choose
to	think	or	not	to	think. You	don’t	get	lost	in	trains	of	useless	thinking. Most
of	the	time,	you	know	what	is	taking	place. Without	control	over	our	minds,
we	have	nothing. It	is	the	one	part	of	us	that	determines	our	quality	of	life	on
earth,	yet	it	receives	little	attention	from	our	educational,	religious	and
medical	institutions. How	insane	is	that. If	only	you	had	a	chance	to	look	inside	people’s	minds,	you	would	see	the
same	turmoil	that	goes	on	in	your	own	head. Hidden	behind	the	nice	white
smile	is	fear	of	the	future	and	regrets	from	the	past. A	racing	and	repetitive
mind	is	just	below	the	surface. It	might	not	have	reached	the	depths	that
someone	in	depression	has	reached,	but	at	the	same	time,	you	will	see
common	traits. In	fact,	all	of	us	are	just	a	few	stressful	events	away	frommental	problems. Cumulative	stressful	events	take	their	toll	on	everybody
unless,	of	course,	we	have	some	understanding	of	thought	processes	and	can
better	oxygenate	our	brain. In	our	sophisticated	Western	world	with	its	emphasis	on	intelligence	and	the
stigma	on	mental	problems,	normal	healthy	people	who	go	through	periods	of
being	down	or	depressed	have	few	outlets	through	which	to	seek	help. Addressing	this	deficit	early	on	is	the	key	to	reversing	it. My	interest	in	this	area	stems	from	having	both	asthma	and	a	racing	mind	for
many	years. By	using	the	Buteyko	Method	to	reverse	my	asthma	and	by
improving	my	awareness,	I	also	addressed	my	racing	mind. Thousands	have
attended	my	courses	in	Ireland	and	abroad	for	asthma	and	other	conditions. Those	who	have	attended	for	panic	attacks,	depression,	stress	and	anxiety
have	reported	very	good	feedback;	hence,	this	book. This	book	can	be	read	by	someone	with	poor	concentration,	or	a	clouded	and
depressed	mind. It	contains	nothing	complicated	and	through	constant
repetition,	the	reader	can	apply	the	guidance	provided. Chapter	1
	
	What	determines	your	happiness. “Thinking	is	the	unhealthy
thinking	in	the	word,	and	people
die	of	it	just	as	they	die	of
any	other	disease
Oscar	WildeP
sychologists	estimate	that	we	have	sixty	thousand	thoughts	each	day. Moreover,	95%	of	these	thoughts	are	repetitive	and	useless. Not	knowing	the
content	of	our	own	mind,	we	are	literally	at	its	mercy	and	unconsciously
follow	its	instruction	to	the	letter. The	habit	of	excessive	thought	and,	more	importantly,	lack	of	awareness	are
the	results	of	the	inherited	human	mind. Its	individual	content	is	created	from
our	past	experiences	and	from	influences	from	societal,	educational	and	social
environments,	and	is	kept	alive	through	repetition. In	the	Western	world,	thinking	is	viewed	as	good	and	not	thinking	is	viewed
as	a	reflection	of	laziness	or	dullness. We	often	hear	about	the	“brilliant
thinkers”	who	make	profound	discoveries	or	realizations. Truth	be	told,
eureka	moments	are	made	not	during	thought	but	during	a	cessation	of
thought. Our	educational	system	teaches	us	how	to	think. Through	school	and
university,	your	mind	is	developed	and	molded	into	a	superb	analytical	tool. Thinking	is	seen	as	the	solution	to	any	of	life	situations. If	we	have	a	problem,
we	believe	that	the	more	we	think	about	it	the	greater	the	chances	of	it	being
solved. As	a	child,	we	did	not	think. Thinking	is	a	learned	habit	developed
over	time. If	you	feel	that	it	is	good	to	think	a	lot,	take	a	look	at	the	stress	of	people	in
the	constant	grip	and	torture	of	their	minds. Often,	I	pass	by	a	man	on	Shop
Street	in	Galway. He	is	so	tormented	that	he	openly	voices	the	contents	of	his
mind	in	the	street. His	mind	has	completely	taken	him	over. He	is	pressed
down	with	thought. He	is	depressed. Many	of	us	are	similar	to	the	man	on	the	street,	except	that	we	don’t	talk	out
loud. Instead,	we	have	internal	mental	chatter. We	think	about	the	same	thing
day	in	and	day	out,	with	little	resolve	or	reduction	in	thinking. Watch	your
thoughts	and	you	will	have	no	doubt	that	the	Western	human	mind	is	truly
mad. Thinking	for	practical	purposes	is	fine,	as	it	serves	a	function. However,	most
of	our	thinking	is	not	for	practical	purposes. Most	thinking	is	spent	on	insane
repetitive	worry	and	anxiety. If	you	could	eliminate	your	repetitive	thought	activity	by	50%,	you	would	be
very	happy	indeed. If	you	could	eliminate	all	repetitive	and	useless	thinking,
you	would	live	a	life	of	bliss. Thinking	makes	you	unhappy. Less	thought	activity	makes	you	happy. Thinking	is	a	disease. Control	your	mind	or	allow	your	mind	to	control	you
	
H
uman	thinking	began	tens	of	thousands	of	years	ago. It	is	the	single	most
important	function	that	differentiates	our	ability	from	animals. Thinking	is	very	useful	for	practical	situations. We	need	to	remember	how	to
drive	a	car,	decide	what	choice	to	take,	determine	a	strategy,	plan	an	event,
deal	with	a	specific	situation. You	might	want	to	go	to	the	shop-	you	think
about	what	foods	are	not	in	the	cupboard. You	organize	flights-	you	think
about	best	dates,	price	and	destination. You	write	a	letter-	you	think	about
what	you	need	to	say. You	go	to	petrol	pumps	to	fill	your	car-	you	decide	on
what	pump,	how	much	money	to	spend. You	contact	a	supplier	you	think
about	what	you	need,	what	quantities,	what	price	and	when	it	will	be
delivered. Somebody	might	have	overcharged	you	decide	on	what	you	are
going	to	say	and	you	say	it	to	them. Thinking	when	used	in	this	instance	for
practical	purposes	is	fine. It	is	necessary	and	is	productive. However,	95%	of	our	thinking	is	not	used	to	deal	with	a	practical	situation. Most	thinking	is	unnecessary	and	repetitive. You	will	realize	this	as	you
observe	the	activity	of	your	mind. You	are	walking	in	a	beautiful	quiet	park	and	instead	of	experiencing	the	sun
at	the	back	of	your	head,	the	beautiful	sight	of	flowers	around	you	and	the
wonderful	sounds	of	children	at	play,	your	attention	is	wrapped	up	giving	out
about	your	neighbor	who	gave	you	a	lecture	yesterday,	or	your	boss	who	was
unhappy	with	your	work,	or	the	other	driver	who	blew	the	horn	at	you,	or	that
you	need	to	pay	your	mortgage	at	the	end	of	the	month. This	kind	of	thinking
is	torture. It	does	nothing	to	help	your	situation. It	does	nothing	to	help	you. Continuously	thinking	like	this	will	drive	you	into	depression. You	are	not	only	driving	yourself	insane,	you	are	missing	out	on	the	wonders
that	life	has	to	offer	you. Quietening	the	mind
R
egardless	of	the	extent	to	which	thoughts	have	taken	over,	everyone	has
the	capacity	to	take	back	control	of	his	or	her	mind. A	still	mind	is	just
covered	up	with	mental	noise;	therefore,	anything	that	helps	to	de-clutter	your
mind	will	allow	stillness	to	resurface. Your	choice	is	to	keep	running	the	thoughts	through	your	head	and	experience
the	consequences,	or	become	a	good	gardener	of	your	mind,	root	out	the
weeds	and	allow	only	the	flowers	to	grow. A	sleeping	gardener	is	not	attentive
and	will	soon	have	a	jungle	of	weeds. A	good	gardener	is	awake. He	knows
exactly	what	is	happening	and	will	guard	his	territory	with	a	keen	eye,
removing	the	weeds	as	soon	as	the	first	shoots	appear. Be	a	good	gardener	of	your	mind. A	mind	that	is	being	observed	is	an
unsuitable	environment	for	anxiety	and	depression	to	take	root. Both	require	a
lack	of	awareness	as	a	suitable	breeding	ground. A	still	mind	enables	us	to	relate	far	better	to	life	and	to	live	life	instead	of
paying	attention	to	useless	thinking. No	longer	is	so	much	of	our	energy
wasted	on	harmful	escapades	and	we	can	instead	focus	with	better
concentration	on	what	we	truly	choose. Although	learning	how	to	take	back
control	of	our	mind	is	very	simple,	just	like	the	good	gardener,	attention	is
required. Do	you	want	to	live	a	life	free	from	worry	and	unhappiness. The	next	section	lists	simple	self-help	breathing	and	awareness	practices	that
deal	with	the	physiological	and	psychological	aspects	of	depression,	anxiety
and	stress. Thinking	for	practical	situations	is	useful. Thinking	that	is
repetitive	and	unnecessary	is	a	hindrance. Chapter	2
	
	The	Buteyko	Method
	
T
he	Buteyko	Method	was	developed	in	the	1950s	by	Russian	doctor
Konstantin	Buteyko. His	method	has	been	practiced	by	hundreds	of	thousands
of	people	for	a	variety	of	conditions	including	asthma,	blood	pressure,
sleeping	difficulties,	anxiety,	stress,	panic	attacks	and	depression. As	a	young	doctor,	Buteyko	spent	many	months	sitting	at	sick	patients’
bedsides	observing	their	states	of	health. He	noticed	that	each	person’s
breathing	got	heavier	as	his	or	her	health	deteriorated. As	their	illnesses	advanced,	he	saw	that	his	patients	breathing	movements
from	their	chests	and	tummies	increased,	that	their	breathing	became	more
audible,	that	their	breaths	became	faster	and	that	they	sighed	more	and
breathed	through	their	mouths. In	time,	he	was	able	to	predict	the	onset	of
death	just	by	observing	their	breathing. This	raised	a	fundamental	question	for	Buteyko:	was	it	his	patients’	sickness
that	contributed	to	their	heavy	breathing	or	was	it	their	heavy	breathing	that
contributed	to	their	sickness. At	the	time,	Buteyko	suffered	from	severe	hypertension	that	was	going	from
bad	to	worse. He	began	experimenting	by	breathing	less	and	quietening	his
breathing. Within	a	short	while,	the	pains	that	he	had	experienced	for	months
went	away. Over	the	following	decades,	Buteyko	extensively	researched	this	subject	and
had	a	dedicated	laboratory	to	further	his	findings. His	method	was	brought	to
the	West	in	1990	and	is	now	taught	in	many	countries. Breathing,	such	a	vital	factor	for	life,	must	meet	certain	conditions. Severe
over	breathing	can	be	fatal	if	sustained	over	a	short	period. Therefore,	it	is
plausible	to	accept	that	negative	health	effects	will	result	from	less	severe	but
still	excessive	breathing	over	a	long	period. Normal	breathing	volume
T
he	number	of	breaths	per	minute	during	normal	breathing	is	about	10	to
12. Each	breath	is	approximately	500	ml. This	provides	a	healthy	volume,	as
described	in	any	university	medical	textbook,	of	five	to	six	litres	of	air	per
minute. Normal	breathing	is	quiet,	still,	calm,	relaxed	and	regular. Persons	suffering	from	anxiety	and	depression	breathe	a	volume	greater	than
normally	accepted	amounts. For	example,	an	average	sized	person	with
anxiety	might	breathe	15	to	20	breaths	per	minute;	with	each	breath	larger
than	the	normal	500	ml. Interspersed	with	this	is	a	number	of	sighs. Assuming
that	each	breath	is	700	ml,	the	average	breathing	volume	for	this	person	is	10
to	15	litres	of	air	per	minute. In	food	terms,	this	is	akin	to	eating	six	to	nine
meals	each	day. Chronic	over	breathing
C
hronic	over	breathing	basically	means	that	we	habitually	breathe	more	air
than	what	our	bodies	require. In	many	ways,	this	is	similar	to	a	person
developing	the	habit	of	overeating. Breathing	is	similar. If	we	breathe	more	than	what	our	bodies	require	over	a
24-hour	period,	the	habit	takes	hold. Dr	Stephen	Demeter	confirms	this	when
he	states,	“Prolonged	hyperventilation	(for	more	than	24	hours)	seems	to
sensitize	the	brain,	leading	to	a	more	prolonged	hyperventilation. ”	(1)
	What	increases	breathing	volume. B
reathing	increases	as	a	result	of	modern	living. Factors	such	as	strong
emotions,	time	urgency,	tension,	anger,	stress,	anxiety,	overeating,	processed
foods,	a	belief	that	taking	big	breaths	is	good,	and	lack	of	exercise,	excessive
talking	and	high	temperatures	within	the	home	all	contribute	to	over
breathing. How	to	recognize	habitual	over	breathing
At	this	point,	you	might	think	that	you	don’t	over	breathe. For	most	people,
over	breathing	is	subtle. It	is	hidden,	which	is	why	it	often	goes	undetected. The	typical	characteristics	of	people	attending	my	clinics	include:
	
Breathing	through	the	mouth;
Audible	breathing	during	rest;
Regular	sighs;
Regular	sniffing;
Irregular	breathing;
Holding	of	the	breath	(apnoea);
Taking	large	breaths	prior	to	talking;
Yawning	with	big	breaths;
Upper	chest	movement;
Movement	of	shoulders	while	breathing;
Lot	of	visible	movement;
Effortful	breathing;
Heavy	breathing	at	night. How	many	apply	to	you. Do	you	sigh. Do	you	breathe	through	your	mouth. Do	you	wake	up	with	a	dry	mouth	in	the	morning. Does	your	breathing	get
faster	or	chaotic	when	you	are	stressed. Carbon	dioxide
C
arbon	dioxide	or	CO
2
	is	a	gas	created	from	our	metabolic	process	as	an
end	product. The	human	lungs	require	5%	CO
2
	or	40	mmHg. If	we	breathe
too	heavily,	CO
2
	is	exhaled	or	washed	from	our	lungs. A	loss	of	CO
2
	from
lungs	results	in	a	reduction	of	CO
2
	in	the	blood,	tissues	and	cells. The	release	of	oxygen	from	red	blood	cells	depends	on	the	partial	pressure	or
quantity	of	carbon	dioxide	in	your	lungs/arterial	blood. When	one	is	over
breathing,	carbon	dioxide	is	removed	from	the	body,	causing	the	oxygen	to
“stick”	to	hemoglobin	within	the	red	blood	cells. This	prevents	its	release	into
tissues	and	organs. This	bond,	discovered	in	1904,	is	known	as	the	Bohr
Effect. It	is	worth	noting	that	during	normal	conditions,	75%	of	your	intake	of
oxygen	is	exhaled	while	breathing	a	healthy	volume	of	four	to	six	litres	per
minute. Even	during	intense	exercise,	it	is	estimated	that	25%	of	our	oxygen
intake	is	exhaled. Breathing	a	volume	greater	than	normal	does	not	increase
the	amount	of	oxygen	in	your	blood,	as	it	is	already	97–98%	saturated. The	Bohr	Effect
simply	explained
	
Healthy	people	have	quiet	and	unnoticeable	breathing. While	they	are	resting,
you	cannot	see	or	hear	their	breathing. Quiet	breathing	ensures	optimum	partial	pressure	of	carbon	dioxide	within
your	lungs,	blood,	tissues	and	cells. The	release	of	oxygen	from	your	blood
depends	on	the	presence	of	carbon	dioxide. Over	breathing	causes	a	loss	of	carbon	dioxide	from	your	lungs,	blood,	tissues
and	cells. This	results	in	less	oxygen	being	released	from	your	blood	into	your	tissues
and	organs. The	more	you	breathe,	the	more	your	body	is	being	starved	of
oxygen. Breathing	through	your	mouth,	sighs,	sniffing,	noticeable	breathing,	hearing
your	breathing	during	rest	or	having	a	low	Control	Pause	(explained	later)
indicates	that	you	are	starving	your	body	of	oxygen. Your	brain	is	being
starved,	resulting	in	anxiety,	depression	and	stress. The	calmer	and	quieter	you	breathe,	the	larger	your	blood	vessels	open,
enabling	better	circulation	and	distribution	of	oxygen	throughout	the
body,	including	the	brain. Oxygenate	your	brain—breathe	less. Dilation	of	blood	vessels	and	airways
C
arbon	dioxide	relaxes	the	smooth	muscles	that	surround	the	airways,
arteries	and	capillaries. With	a	normal	breathing	volume	of	5	litres	of	air	per	minute,	the	partial
pressure	of	carbon	dioxide	amounts	to	40mmHg. Each	1	mmHg	drop	of
arterial	CO
2
	reduces	blood	flow	to	the	brain	by	2%. (2)	In	other	words,oxygenation	of	your	brain	significantly	decreases	when	you	breathe	heavily. The	heavier	you	breathe,	the	more	you	feed	your	hyperventilation	or
overbreathing	related	problems. Have	you	ever	noticed	that	you	get	light-
headed	after	taking	a	number	of	big	breaths. Have	you	ever	noticed	being
very	tired	in	the	morning	after	a	night’s	breathing	through	the	mouth. How
tired	are	you	after	a	day’s	talking. Do	you	notice	that,	as	you	get	stressed,
your	breathing	gets	faster,	resulting	in	a	mental	block	and	difficulty	in	making
worthwhile	decisions. Heavy	breathing	feeds	anxiety	and	stress. Overbreathing	causes	depression,	stress	and	anxiety
L
ower	carbon	dioxide	within	the	blood	causes	a	constriction	of	the	carotid
artery,	the	main	blood	vessel	going	to	the	brain. The	extent	of	constriction
depends	on	genetic	predisposition	but	has	been	estimated	by	Gibbs	(1992)	to
be	as	much	as	50%	for	those	with	anxiety	and	panic	attacks. (3)	This	finding	is
also	supported	by
Ball	&	Shekhar	(1997). (4)
	
Other	researchers,	including	Balestrino	and	Somjen	(1988)(5)	and	Huttunen
et	al. (1999),(6)	have	demonstrated	that	CO
2
	reduces	cortical	excitability. Cited	in	Normal	Breathing:	the	key	to	vital	health,	“breathing	too	much
makes	the	human	brain	abnormally	excited	due	to	reduced	CO
2
concentrations. As	a	result,	the	brain	gets	literally	out	of	control	due	to
appearance	of	spontaneous	and	asynchronous	(‘self-generated’)	thoughts. ”
Balestrino	and	Somjen	(1988)	in	their	summary	directly	claimed	that,	“The
brain,	by	regulating	breathing,	controls	its	own	excitability. ”(7)
	
Dr	Robert	Fried,	professor	of	psychology,	states	that	“the	first	stage	of
chronic	graded	hypoxia	(insufficient	oxygen),	which	has	repeatedly	been
shown	in	the	case	of	chronic	hyperventilation,	is	depression	of	mood	and
activity. ”(8)
	
Cardiologist	Claude	Lum	comments	that	“Hyperventilation	presents	a
collection	of	bizarre	and	often	apparently	unrelated	symptoms,	which	may
affect	any	part	of	the	body,	and	any	organ	or	any	system. ”(9)	He	further	labels
hyperventilation	syndrome	as	the	fat	file	syndrome,	noting	that	patients	go
from	doctor	to	doctor	in	an	attempt	to	get	help	for	their	symptoms. However,
because	chronic	hyperventilation	is	overlooked	in	most	instances,	the	patient
might	be	told	after	a	series	of	tests	that	there	is	nothing	wrong	with	him	or
her,	thus	increasing	the	size	of	the	patients’	file	and	further	adding	to	his	or
her	anxiety. In	the	late	Professor	Buteyko’s	words,	“Exhaling	Carbon	Dioxide	from	the
organism	brings	about	spasms	in	bronchi,	vessels	and	intestines,	etc. This
reduces	oxygen	supply,	leading	to	oxygen	deficiency,	making	one’s	breath
heavier,	thus	completing	the	vicious	circle. ”What	is	the	fat	file	syndrome. Louise’s	personal	account:
	
“For	example,	because	I	am	prone	to	worry	and	overthink	things,	I	get
myself	worked	up	into	a	right	state	about	my	symptoms. At	different	times,
I	was	convinced	that	I	had	a	brain	tumor,	MS,	a	heart	problem,	bowel
cancer,	etc. I	had	blood	test	after	blood	test,	an	ECG	test,	a	scan,	and
nothing	was	found	to	be	wrong. My	whole	family	and	my	doctor,	and
probably	most	of	my	friends,	think	I’m	a	hypochondriac. but	I	knew	that
something	was	not	right. I	just	didn’t	make	the	connection	to	my	breathing,
so	my	symptoms	went	on	and	on	and	I	felt	like	I	was	going	mad. For	lots	of
people,	reading	your	book	will	be	a	real	epiphany. and	they	might	need
some	reassurance	early	on	that	they’re	not	alone	and	not	mad	after	all,	and
that	a	lot	of	their	symptoms	will	go	away. Not	worrying	about	the
symptoms	immediately	reduces	stress	levels	and	hence	breathing. ”
	Stress,	anxiety	and	anger	causes	overbreathing
A
ccording	to	the	famous	physiologist	Walter	Cannon,	stress	activates	the
fight	or	flight	response. Meeting	deadlines,	financial	pressures,	time	urgency,
marital	issues,	the	pressure	of	rearing	children	and	wanting	to	do	well	in	our
work,	as	well	as	many	other	factors,	add	to	stress	levels. Stress	ensures	survival	of	the	species
S
tress	is	a	natural	reaction	that	we	have	developed	throughout	our	evolution
to	ensure	the	survival	of	our	species. Invariably,	stress	is	our	body	undergoing
chemical	change	in	response	to	environmental	conditions. Thousands	of	years
ago,	our	main	threat	was	from	wild	animals. When	confronted,	we	had	two	options	to	deal	with	it. The	first	was	that	we
fought	the	animal. The	second	was	that	we	ran	away	from	it	as	fast	as	we
could. As	our	bodies	were	required	to	perform	intense	physical	activity,	our
physiology	changed	in	the	following	ways:
Our	breathing	volume	increases;
Our	heart	rate	increases;
Adrenaline	is	pumped	into	our	system;
Our	pupils	dilate;
Blood	is	diverted	from	our	internal	organs	to	our	arms	and	legs;
Diarrhoea	may	occur	(lightens	our	weight	before	flight);
Our	blood	coagulates	in	case	of	injury. However,	today	our	society	and	environment	have	changed	at	a	far	greater
pace	than	what	our	bodies	can	adjust	to. We	respond	to	the	stresses	of	today
with	the	same	reaction	as	we	had	thousands	of	years	ago. We	are	in	a	traffic
jam	rushing	to	get	to	a	meeting. The	fight	or	flight	response	is	activated	but
there	is	no	need	for	it. Our	heart	rate	increases,	blood	is	diverted	to	our
skeletal	muscles,	our	breathing	increases—we	are	primed	for	physical	activity
yet	we	are	sitting	still. The	result	is	that	we	are	running	on	the	inside	and
sitting	on	the	outside. The	heavy	breathing	arising	from	the	fight	or	flight	response	results	in	a
washing	out	of	carbon	dioxide	from	the	lungs. This	causes	a	narrowing	of
blood	vessels,	thus	reducing	blood	flow	to	the	brain. In	addition,	the	release
of	oxygen	from	blood	cells	is	less;	the	resultof	an	inhibited	Bohr	Effect. This	in	turn	increases	self-generated,	and	more
random,	thoughts. With	uncontrolled	thought	activity,	we	feel	unable	to	cope
with	our	everyday	activities,	further	increasing	our	stress. A	vicious	circle	has
commenced,	with	stress	increasing	our	breathing	and	this	in	turn	increasing
our	stress. How	to	correct	it
	
Only	by	bringing	your	breathing	volume	to	normal	levels	can	you	deal	with
the	physiological	aspects	of	stress	and	anxiety. Long-term	stress	is	exhausting	and	is	known	to	result	in	many	illnesses. It
increases	breathing	volume,	causing	carbon	dioxide	to	be	washed	from	the
lungs. Remember:	The	more	you	breathe	in,	the	more	your	breathe	out. The	more	you	breathe	out,	the	more	CO
2
	is	washed	from	the	lungs. As	CO
2
	is	washed	from	the	lungs,	the	partial	pressure	of	CO
2
	is	reduced	in	the
blood,	tissues	and	cells. Prolonged	over	breathing	resets	the	respiratory	centre	in	the	brain	to	tolerate	a
lower	partial	pressure	of	CO
2. Therefore,	even	when	the	initial	stress	is	removed,	the	heavy	breathing	habit
is	maintained	as	a	result	of	chemoreceptors	in	the	brain	being	reset. An	anxious	person	may	attend	many	psychotherapists,	counselors,
psychologists	and	psychiatrists	in	an	effort	to	get	to	the	root	of	his	or	her
condition. However,	unless	chronic	over	breathing	is	addressed,	he	or	she	will
be	at	a	significant	disadvantage	in	making	progress. Level	and	correct	breathing	volume	allows	normalization	of	the	partial
pressure	of	carbon	dioxide	within	the	lungs,	thus	improving	oxygenation	of
the	brain	and	resulting	in	far	less	brain	cell	excitability. How	many	of	the	following	symptoms	of	hyperventilation	do	you	have. Neurological:	light-headed	feeling,	poor	concentration,	memory	lapses,
faintness,	headache,	anxiety,	tension,	racing	mind,	numbness	and
tingling,	tremor,	depression,	apprehension,	irritability,	brain	fog,	panic
attacks,	disrupted	sleep,	detachment	from	reality	and	stress. Heart:	palpitations,	a	racing	heartbeat,	pain	in	the	chest	region	and	a
skipping	or	irregular	heartbeat. Respiratory	system:	wheezing,	breathlessness,	coughing,	chest	tightness,
frequent	yawning,	snoring	and	sleep	apnoea. Gastrointestinal:	Esophageal	reflux,	heartburn,	aerophobia. Other	general	symptoms	include	mouth	dryness,	fatigue,	bad	dreams,	sleep
disturbance,	nightmares,	dry	itchy	skin,	and	sweating,	cramping,	spasm,
increased	urination	such	as	bed	wetting	or	regular	visits	to	the	bathroom
during	the	night,	diarrhea,	constipation,	general	weakness	and	chronic
exhaustion. Chapter	3
	
	Applying	Buteyko	BreathingHow	to	interpret	breathing	exercises
	
A
ll	breathing	exercises	are	accompanied	by	a	line	diagram. To	interpret
each	diagram,	understanding	the	following	is	essential:
	
How	to	interpret	breathing	instructions
	
All	breathing	exercises	and	the	Control	Pause,	which	involves	holding	the
breath,	are	performed	after	an	exhalation. Measure	breathing	volume	–	your	Control	Pause
(A	free	video	of	this	exercise	is	available	from	
www.
The book claims to help the reader achieve a clearer functioning of their mind, resulting in increased happiness, energy, and a better quality of life.
What does the book "Anxiety Free: Stop Worrying and Quieten Your Mind" claim to help the reader achieve?
The author believes that excessive thinking is unnecessary and can lead to anxiety, depression, and unhappiness.
What is the author's opinion on the role of thinking in our lives?
The text mentions that factors such as stress, anxiety, anger, and overeating can increase breathing volume.
What are some factors that increase breathing volume?
The CP is used to measure the length of time that you can hold your breath, and it is used to provide feedback on the improvement of your breathing.
What is the purpose of the Control Pause (CP) exercise?
The book suggests that it is essential to reduce breathing volume and maintain a relaxed and calm breathing pattern, and it provides exercises and techniques to help the reader achieve this.
What is the recommended approach to correct breathing?