James Nestor's 6 Rules for Breathing Better #shorts

Breath by James Nestor is a great piece of deep dive journalism with interesting science and helpful useful information about breathing. Which it turns out is kind of important. :\

[cjbartoz]

The normal respiratory rate in adults at rest is 12 breaths/min. 
Normal resting tidal volume is 500ml which is just 8-14% of lung capacity. A 500ml tidal breath is just visible as a small outward movement at the level of the solar plexus.

Normal breathing is strictly characterized by three features:
- Nasal (in and out)
- mainly diaphragmatic (i.e., abdominal)
- slow (in frequency) and imperceptible (no feelings or sensation about one’s own breathing at rest).

The physiological and medical norm for respiratory minute ventilation at rest is 6 liters per minute for a 70 kg man (references: Guyton, 1984; Ganong, 1995; Straub, 1998; Castro, 2000; etc.).

These textbooks also provide the following numbers for normal breathing at rest: 
– normal TV (tidal volume or air volume breathed in during a single breath): 500 ml
– normal Rf (respiratory frequency or respiratory rate): 12 breaths per minute
– inspiration: about 1.5-2 seconds
– normal exhalation is 1.5-2 seconds, followed by an automatic pause (no breathing for 1-2 seconds)

Practice shows that 9 in 10 people in the Western world breathe too quickly and too deeply.

[balasaravanan]

Thank you very much for talking about the key points, I was about to buy that book this is a great kickstart to reading with more comprehension about what the author is trying to say.

[cjbartoz]

About The Buteyko Method: A Summary of the Pathophysiology of Chronic Hyperventilation by Ira Packman, M.D.

The fact that chronic hyperventilation (CHV) has an effect on the lungs is easily understood and explained. The systemic (whole body) effects however, are physically and physiologically distant from the lungs and therefore are more difficult to understand. The multi-system, wide spread systemic ramifications of chronic hyperventilation are numerous.

These effects are all caused by the initial effect of pulmonary hypocapnia (low CO2) which causes spasm of the airways leading to asthma. The loss of CO2 from the lung on a long term basis causes a compensatory response throughout the body. This concept is called homeostasis which means that the body is always trying to stay in balance and return to its most comfortable state.

A partial list of homeostatic controls would include:
- Constant body temperature
- Constant whole body water volume
- Glucose levels
- Mineral balance including sodium, potassium, magnesium, zinc etc.
- Acid base balance (Ph control)

The acid base/Ph control mechanisms are very sensitive and closely controlled, because the Ph of the body affects the function of every body system. It is this system that is activated when patients chronically hyperventilate.

Understanding this concept, we can follow what happens with CHV.

- The lungs continuously blow off too much CO2 causing local pulmonary hypocapnia (low CO2) and arterial hypocapnia.

- The arterial hypocapnia immediately changes the Ph of the circulating blood causing an increase in the Ph (alkalosis).

- The increase in the Ph causes a decrease in the delivery of Oxygen to all the bodies tissues due to the Bohr Effect (In an alkalotic environment, the hemoglobin molecules in the red cells hold onto the oxygen molecules more tightly and will not release the O2 to the tissues).

- The kidneys see the alkalosis/Ph change and know that it must correct the bodies Ph back towards neutral (neutral Ph is a Ph of 7.40). Once CHV becomes long standing the kidneys response becomes an ongoing process in which the kidneys excrete bicarbonate in an attempt to correct the alkalosis which was created by the CHV.

- The net result is a depletion of the bicarbonate buffers due to continuous over excretion of bicarbonate which also causes the loss of electrolytes including magnesium and phosphorous which are lost with the bicarbonate.

- The loss of phosphorous also decreases the production of ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate) and ADP which are the bodies’ main source of energy.

- This then causes a decrease in the functioning of many organs including the muscles, heart, lungs, bone marrow, immune system and liver.

- These functional changes, coupled with the arterial spasm that occurs directly due to the low CO2 levels in the blood, are expressed in the long term as muscle fatigue, hypertension due to arterial spasm, decrease in the oxygenation of the brain, migraine headaches due to arterial spasm, spasm of the arteries supplying the gut, decrease brain function with memory changes, alterations in the production of proteins and metabolism of lipids in the liver causing elevated cholesterol.

This is just a partial list of the systems, organs and bodily functions which are affected by CHV and the subsequent low CO2 levels in the lungs and blood.

This concept regarding the origins and causes of these diseases is very radically different from the way medical schools teach about these diseases. It is revolutionary and may be too simple for many academicians to accept or understand.

[cjbartoz]

Getting Started
by Peter Kolb

While the Buteyko method introduced into the west has been getting excellent results, it does not entirely accord with Professor Buteyko’s recommended practice. During two weeks he spent in New Zealand in December 2000, he demonstrated the Buteyko technique as it should be practiced.

Aim
Firstly, it needs to be understood that breathing too much is a bad habit that leaves you with a debilitating shortage of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate. It usually results from long term, undischarged stress. Any stress makes you breathe more. If this is sustained over a long time period it becomes a habit. The physiology behind this habituation process is well understood. Buteyko therapy aims at reversing this, by habituating to less breathing. You do this by developing and sustaining a feeling of a slight shortage of air over a long time period. This gradually restores your carbon dioxide and bicarbonate levels back to normal.

Maximum Pause
While it is possible to stifle an asthma attack with a long and uncomfortable breath hold know as a maximum pause (MP), this procedure does not reverse your asthma and does not retrain the respiratory center to pace your breathing correctly. Professor Buteyko is emphatic that the maximum pause has no therapeutic value in restoring healthy breathing, which is the aim of his therapy. It is also dangerous for people with various disorders such as hypertension, heart disease, epilepsy, kidney disease and diabetes. It can also destabilize your breathing, making it worse. Unfortunately the maximum pause has been introduced into a westernized version of the Buteyko technique, much to the annoyance of the Professor.

An understanding of the physiology behind the Bueyko method leaves no doubt that the maximum pause cannot improve your breathing.

DIY/Self-help
Professor Buteyko is firmly opposed to the DIY/self-help approach. The Buteyko technique relies 100% on patient compliance for effectiveness. Learning it from a script is like learning Yoga or martial arts from a book. Most people will experience changes in their bodies as their CO2 levels rise. These changes vary from one individual to another. Buteyko practitioners help you deal with these changes, keep you motivated and ensure that you do the breathing exercises correctly. Support for your Buteyko practitioner enables him to continue his work of bringing the technique to other sufferers.

Nevertheless, very few people around the world have access to a Buteyko practitioner. So here are some basics to help get you started.

Medication
Do not make any changes to medication. Steroids must be taken as prescribed. Because of carbon dioxide shortage asthmatics often don’t make enough Cortisol (natural steroid) and must have supplements. Steroids are not just anti-inflammatories but they are needed by the body and without the right amount it can be almost impossible to get breathing back to normal. Your doctor will be able to review your need for steroids when you stop having asthma symptoms.

Bronchodilators must be taken only when needed. As you progress, discuss with your doctor the possibility of weaning yourself off long acting bronchodilators and replacing them with short acting ones. That will give you more control over using them when needed. You should find that within days you will be able to overcome asthma attacks with reduced breathing and won’t need the bronchodilators. Nevertheless, you must always carry them with you for emergencies.

Nose breathing
Always breathe through your nose. If your nose is blocked perform the following exercise: After breathing normally (do not make any exaggerated breathing manoeuvre), hold your breath for as long as is comfortable, and then gradually resume very gentle breathing. It may help to pinch your nose, nod your head a few times or do some other form of exercise. In stubborn cases or when the blockage is due to a cold, you may have to try a few more times.

To avoid breathing through your mouth in your sleep, you might like to experiment with a little light medical paper tape to keep your mouth closed. Mouth taping at night is not recommended by Professor Buteyko, but most people find it extremely valuable. If you do, protect your lips with suitable cream, use a low tack tape (some are quite aggressive), and make sure you fold a tab or handle at each end for rapid and easy removal. Do not go to sleep with tape on your mouth if this causes any form of anxiety.

Comfort
Make sure you’re comfortable before starting the exercises. Remove unnecessary clothing since the improved blood carbon dioxide will dilate blood vessels in the skin, thereby warming you up.

Posture
To get your posture right stand with your back to a wall, heels, shoulders head and bottom touching the wall. Now drop your shoulders. Keep this upper body posture when sitting.

Relaxation
While maintaining your posture, relax all the muscles in your chest, neck, shoulders, arms, tummy and particularly the diaphragm. It’s a good idea to tense them up a bit first before relaxing them so that you can properly identify them and make sure they are all relaxed.

Normal Breathing
Take off your shirt and stand in front of a full length mirror. Watch your chest and tummy for breathing movement. Make sure that your chest does not move at all, and only the upper part of the tummy moves, between navel and breast bone. The second thing to check for is that the tummy moves out with each in breath and not the other way around. Many people get this wrong. Your out-breath must be free, relaxed and unforced.

Reduced breathing (RB)
Your aim is to develop a feeling of slight hunger for air, sustain this over a period and do this frequently. In fact, this should become a habit so that you do it all the time until you have achieved your health goal.

Try to feel your breathing and become aware of your breathing pattern. Now try to maintain this pattern while taking in just a little less air on each breath so that you develop a slight hunger for air. Initially try to sustain this for two minutes, then five and then ten.

If you follow all the steps correctly, then you should feel really calm, good and even a little sleepy. If you already practice relaxation techniques, yoga etc, you can combine them with reduced breathing.

Measuring your breathing
Hyperventilators breathe more than normal in order to achieve lower than normal blood carbon dioxide levels. It follows that if you have to breathe more than normal, then you will also not be able to hold your breath as long as you should. Professor Buteyko has cunningly used this principle to measure your blood carbon dioxide by testing how long you can hold your breath.

You start the pause somewhere in your normal breathing cycle. This is how you start the pause: Look up with your eyes and at the same time pinch your nose and start a stop watch. Just before it starts to get uncomfortable, stop the stop watch and resume normal breathing. You should be able to resume normal breathing without any effort and without taking deeper or more frequent breaths.

Some precautions:
- Do not take a deeper breath before the pause.
- Do not make any attempt to empty the lungs before the pause.
- Do not worry about which phase of the respiratory cycle you happen to be in before starting the pause. A pause is just an interruption of normal breathing.

The time in seconds is called a Control Pause (CP). Asthmatics typically have a CP of 5 - 15 seconds. (But not everyone with such a low CP has asthma.) Your aim is to achieve a CP greater than 40 seconds, although for perfect health Professor Buteyko recommends a CP of at least 60 seconds.

Doing a Set
When at rest, correctly seated, comfortable and relaxed and after breathing normally for at least five minutes you are ready to do a set. A set consists of
Pulse - CP - Reduced breathing - 3min normal breathing - Pulse - CP

First measure your pulse and then do a CP. Record the results on a table. Then do reduced breathing for ten minutes. Breathe normally for three minutes, then take your pulse again and take another CP. If you’ve done your reduced breathing correctly your pulse should go down and your CP should go up. Sometimes the pulse remains the same. If it goes up you’re not doing it correctly.

After three days you should be able to do around 8 to 10 sets a day. You can then start integrating reduced breathing into your daily life. Ideally you should aim at doing reduced breathing all day.

That takes care of the exercises. Here are a few helpful hints to help your recovery.
- Don’t eat unless you are hungry. Only eat until you have had enough. Eating increases breathing; eating excessively increases breathing excessively.
- Don’t dress too warmly. Be careful not to overdress children. If you are worried about them being cold, check their ears, nose, hands and feet. If these are warm, they’re OK.
- Make sure you get plenty of vigorous exercise. But don’t exercise to the point where you have to open your mouth to breathe.

If any of these recommendations make you dizzy, sick, anxious or give you palpitations, stop immediately. If possible see a Buteyko practitioner.

[estebong]

Perfect, I catch myself not breathing all the time. Thinking huh, how long has it been? I should probably breath now, feels like it's been awhile

[shelleycharlesworth]

good video but you say there are 6 rules and you spoke about 4 -

Breathe slowly
Breathe thru your nose
Breathe LESS
Chew


what are rules 5 & 6?

[ginab]

It is spelled "BREATHE".
You take a breath to breathe

[alexanderwindh]

Why is 5.5 good for you? Like why is that number healthier

[christine]

You usually mean breathe, not breath.