Unlike the other functions governed by the autonomic nervous system (heart rate, digestion, blood pressure, temperature, etc.) we have some control over our breathing. This means that a combination of misinformation (leading to bad habits) and external circumstances or environmental factors can cause it to malfunction. With the correct techniques put in place and a bit of practice, you can undo some of the negative patterns you have fallen into - whether they are recent or life-long.

Build an awareness around whether you breathe in or out through your mouth. It might be that your lips just sit slightly apart. Ask someone to observe you too and if you wake up with a dry mouth, it has probably been open overnight! Other indications will be that you experience some of the classic symptoms or craniofacial features.

Breathing retraining is suitable for all ages and levels of fitness, the programme and methodology is simply adapted. This is why we do a thorough assessment using our intake form.

Breathing can help with both chronic and acute conditions. The most common conditions to benefit from Buteyko are asthma, hayfever, allergies, insomnia, snoring, sleep apnoea, chronic fatigue, anxiety, panic attacks, and stress.

No two people are the same in terms of what has brought them to breathwork, but some motivations for taking up Buteyko breathing include:

• Better asthma control, less colds, chest infections, phlegm and post-nasal drip.

• Significantly less rhinitis.

• Improved sleep - both quality and duration.

• Calmer breathing and ability to cope with stressful situations.

• Reduced breathlessness during physical exercise.

• Calmer mind.

• Reduced anxiety or panic.

• Improved concentration, focus and productivity.

• Better public speaking.

Costs vary based on whether you want to book into the clinic (individual and group work), set up a talk or workshop for your team/school, or book a corporate presentation or masterclass. Please get in touch for a no-obligation chat or a copy of the Lab’s price sheet.

For those who are able to, we recommend in-person sessions or a mix of in-person and online consultations to get the most from the methods. However, in light of the current COVID situation, it is possible to conduct all sessions online.

Buteyko breathwork isn’t a ‘quick fix’. During the first few weeks you’ll need to do 40 minutes a day to really see a reduction in your symptoms. The good news is that you can do 10 minutes here and there whilst watching TV or waiting in a queue. Every breath whilst you’re awake is an opportunity to consciously change your breathing.

Your sessions will fall over the course of five or six weeks and after a couple of months you will be able to taper off your exercises. The frequency of further breathwork and/or sessions will depend on your improvement and the goals you have set. Many people set follow up appointments six months or a year down the line to ensure they’re not falling back into old habits. However, once you’ve shifted your breathing, it is usually long-lasting or permanent and you’ll have the toolkit to make changes along the way!

Generally, doctors and specialists have been trained to look at physical It is highly unlikely that your doctor has ever assessed your baseline breathing pattern to account for the role of chronic overbreathing in your symptoms.

On top of that, media has done a lot of damage in making breathing look like a woo-woo type of therapy, when in fact it’s purely science-based.

Many doctors who have done further study to expand their knowledge around treatments do in fact recommend Buteyko breathwork to all sorts of patients. The NHS and various other asthma charities/associations recognise it as an alternative or supplementary treatment for asthmatics.

Read more here. [LINK TO BLOG ONCE WRITTEN]

Unless you’re suffering from a recently acquired cold, chances are your nose is chronically blocked from a lifetime of mouth breathing.

This causes irritation, dehydration and inflammation of the nasal airways, but this will reduce within 24 hours of starting your breathing retraining. If you suffer from nasal polyps or narrow airways, there’s often still plenty that can be done.

Even those with inflamed airways and/or nasal polyps can reap the benefits of these breathing exercises.

A capnograph can be useful in showing how much CO2 is present at each phase of the respiratory cycle, as well as displaying the respiratory rate. However, from personal experience, I think people tend to get caught up on hitting certain figures or patterns rather than settling into a breath that feels right and works for their body and symptoms.

Breathing does not exist in a vacuum. Though I am trained as a Buteyko practitioner, I think it would be naive to overlook all other areas of health and wellbeing, as everything is so closely intertwined. During your course or masterclass, we will touch on various other areas - the five pillars of health and wellbeing.