Breathing Recovery / (Stop an Asthma / Coughing / Panic Attack)

The Many Small Breath Holds Exercise

The Exercise

The Breathing Recovery exercise can help you to quickly recover from symptoms of coughing and wheezing or an asthma or panic attack. It is also an effective way to reduce stress levels, and to help control breathing during a hyperventilation episode. Use it at the first sign of symptoms because the sooner you begin the exercise, the easier it is to prevent symptoms. This exercise can also be used as part of your daily Buteyko practice, and is a useful alternative to the Breathe Light/Reduced Breathing exercise if you have a low Control Pause or if you don’t feel comfortable paying attention to your breathing.

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During an Asthma/Coughing Attack

If you have Asthma and your symptoms continue for more than 5 minutes, it is important to take your medication. If you experience a severe attack, take your rescue medication immediately, and if your symptoms do not respond within a few minutes, then please seek medical attention.

Sitting Variation (also known as the Many Small Breath Holds Exercise)

1. Sit or stand in a comfortable upright posture with your mouth closed and tongue resting in the roof of your mouth.

2. Take a normal, quiet breath in and out through your nose.

3. Pinch the nose with your fingers and hold your breath for 3–5 seconds.

4. Let go of your nose and breathe normally through your nose for 10–15 seconds.

5. Repeat for 5–10 minutes.

6. You can practice this exercise up to 10 minutes per hour, every hour.

You can increase your breath-hold length as your Control Pause increases. However, the length of the breath hold should be no longer than half the length of your control pause. Do not attempt to hold your breath for longer than this, as it may disrupt your breathing and trigger symptoms.

Walking Variation

In this variation, we hold the breath while walking, count in steps rater than seconds, and take longer rest periods between the holds.

1. Come into a standing position, make sure you have space to walk freely.

2. Keep your mouth closed for the duration of the exercise.

3. Exhale gently through your nose.

4. Pinch your nose with your fingers to hold your breath.

5. Walk for 5 to 10 paces while holding your breath.

6. Stop walking, release your nose and breathe in through it.

7. Rest for 30 to 60 seconds while standing still.

8. When your breathing is comfortable, repeat 6 times, up to 5 times a day.

General Guidance for Both Variations

• The breath before the breath hold is a normal, small, quiet breath with the mouth closed.

• The breath hold happens after the out breath. So, we breathe in, breath out, then hold.

• If you start to feel more out of breath or if your breathing muscles start to contract, then you are holding your breath for too long.

• Experiment with the length of the pause and the break in between to find a ratio that best meets your needs.

• If your control pause is low, then start with a shorter breath hold time and a longer rest.

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