Buteyko Many Small Breath Holds
A gentle Buteyko breathing exercise designed to accumulate mild air hunger and restore normal breathing volume. It involves taking normal breaths followed by brief, comfortable breath holds to calm the nervous system and reduce hyperventilation.
- 1Sit upright in a comfortable position, relax your shoulders, and breathe normally through your nose.
- 2Take a normal, quiet inhalation through the nose, followed by a normal, relaxed exhalation.
- 3Pinch your nose with your fingers and hold your breath on the exhale for 3 to 5 seconds.
- 4Release your nose and breathe normally through your nose for 10 to 15 seconds (about 2 to 3 normal breaths).
- 5Repeat this cycle of a small breath hold followed by normal breathing for up to 5 minutes, ensuring you never feel severe air hunger.
This technique leverages the Bohr effect by gently increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the blood through frequent, short breath holds. The mild hypercapnia dilates smooth muscles in the airways and blood vessels, improving oxygen offloading to tissues while shifting the autonomic nervous system toward a parasympathetic state to interrupt hyperventilation and panic loops.
Treats Symptoms
Target Metrics
Generally safe for all populations. Individuals with severe cardiovascular conditions, COPD, or who are pregnant should ensure the breath holds remain very brief and do not cause significant air hunger.
Verified Sources
Keep TryBreathing Free.
We are building the open-source Wikipedia of the human nervous system. No paywalls, no ads, no subscriptions. If this protocol helped you today, consider supporting the servers.
Support the MissionRecommended Reading & Tools
Deepen your understanding of respiratory physiology. These verified texts and tools form the foundational science behind many of the protocols in our directory.
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
By James Nestor
The Oxygen Advantage
By Patrick McKeown
The Breathing Cure
By Patrick McKeown
The Breather
Clinical Inspiratory Muscle Trainer (IMT)
TryBreathing is a free, community-supported resource. We may earn a small commission if you purchase through these verified clinical links, which directly funds our server costs.