Sleep apnoea is characterised in the medical literature as “sleep-disordered breathing”. Although conditions such as obesity and anatomical changes within the upper airway have been identified as potential contributing factors for some people with sleep apnoea, the underlying aetiology and pathophysiology of sleep apnoea is unknown. Given the results of the 2010 BIBH survey on sleep apnoea, the Buteyko Institute contends that the relationship between disordered breathing patterns, hyperventilation and sleep apnoea warrants further study and that the role of breathing retraining using the Buteyko Institute Method for sleep apnoea needs to be scientifically evaluated.
For the following reasons, the Buteyko Institute of Breathing and Health considers that clinical trials of the Buteyko Institute Method of breathing retraining for people with sleep apnoea need to be conducted as soon as possible:
1. Based on over 11,000 clients, estimates from the 2010 BIBH survey suggest that breathing retraining using the BIM show significant improvement in sleep for >95 percent of clients with sleep apnoea who undertook BIM courses.
2. Estimates from the 2010 survey also suggest that approximately 80 percent of clients were able to cease using their CPAP machine.
3. Sleep medicine research suggests that breathing pattern disorder, i.e. intermittent or chronic hyperventilation, is common in people with sleep apnoea.
4. Independent clinical trials in the medical literature indicate that the Buteyko method of breathing retraining is successful in improving disordered breathing patterns and reducing hyperventilation.
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5. Although not explored in association with breathing retraining, research in the medical literature appears to support the Buteyko hypothesis on sleep apnoea.
6. Increasing numbers of people are currently being diagnosed with sleep apnoea and increasing numbers of people with sleep apnoea are attending Buteyko Institute courses. Therefore it is necessary to ascertain scientifically how effective the BIM is for sleep apnoea.
7. Currently, limited treatment options are available for many people with sleep apnoea. If validated scientifically, the Buteyko Institute method of breathing retraining would provide a further treatment option for people who cannot tolerate CPAP or oral appliances.
8. Sleep apnoea is a condition with serious co-morbidities, therefore further effective treatment options are urgently required, in light of significant non-adherence with currently available treatments.
9. Compared with existing treatments for sleep apnoea, the cost of the Buteyko Institute Method of breathing retraining is very economical. Buteyko Institute Method of breathing retraining course fees are estimated at approximately 25 percent of the cost of CPAP or oral appliances. In addition, there are no ongoing expenses in relation to the upkeep and maintenance of equipment or appliances.
10. The BIBH 2010 survey suggests that people suffering from sleep apnoea are likely to comply with Buteyko Institute Method of breathing retraining because this method of breathing retraining:
a. is effective
b. is safe and non-invasive
c. does not have side effects
d. is convenient in comparison with current treatment options
e. is economical in comparison with current treatment options
f. is an acceptable and appealing option compared with current treatment options
g. does not involve the use of equipment or devices
h. does not involve ongoing maintenance or upgrading of equipment.
Acknowledgements
On behalf of the Buteyko Institute of Breathing and Health, the writer would like to thank the BIBH practitioners who responded to the survey questionnaire and provided information and sleep studies for this report. In addition, the writer would like to thank consultant in breathing training, Tess Graham, and also Buteyko Institute CEO, Paul O’Connell, for their helpful comments on drafts of this report.
Sleep Apnoea & Breath Retraining Survey Results - Perhaps you don’t need the CPAP machine?
May 13th, 2012The Unrecognised 21st Century Epidemic? CHHV
April 25th, 2012If you can spare 24 minutes to learn about this problem it may be a turning point in your health & wellbeing. This video HERE takes you from the historical background, the science & physiology, the effects on our health, the relationship of CHHV to all modern diseases, why so little clinical research has been financed by the pharmaceutical companies, how to check your own breathing and finally what you can do to start improving your breathing and hence improve your health. The video forms the major part of the first module of a Buteyko Breathing course and although it will get you started, if your Control Pause is under 20 you are well advised to find a Buteyko Educator to take you through the full Buteyko training. Just as it is pretty difficult to teach oneself yoga or better posture so there comes a point when you will need the experience and support of a qualified Buteyko teacher to really change the old bad habits.
Hyperventilation Effect on Brain Oxygenation
Sleep disordered breathing & children’s behavioural problems
April 14th, 2012
A study of more than 11,000 children followed for over six years has found that young children with sleep-disordered breathing are prone to developing behavioral difficulties such as hyperactivity and aggressiveness, as well as emotional symptoms and difficulty with peer relationships, according to researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. FULL ARTICLE
This confirms the work of Dr Buteyko 50 years ago, that chronic hidden hyperventilation (CHHV), usually associated with persistent mouth breathing 24/7, leads to poor brain oxygenation and many other health problems in both children and adults. Snoring, sleep apnoea and mouth breathing are all routes to CHHV. The Buteyko training addresses this primary problem of CHHV in children & adults with great success. There is a tendency today to ameliorate or suppress the symptoms with medical interventions, drugs, appliances or operations. In cases where breath retraining fails, such intervention makes sense but it is best to begin with any mimimal intervention, non-invasive, safe approach first.
Buteyko on the NHS?
March 31st, 2012
Professor K P Buteyko
Could the NHS offer the Buteyko Method training for your asthma or other hyperventilation related health problem?
Yes! It would generate a net saving on medication costs for most patients, as some GPs have already discovered.
Will your GP offer this training? That depends on you and your GP!
The usual response to any call for a non-pharmaceutical approach to asthma has been poor. This is not based on clinical evidence, on practical anecdotal experience or any rational process but primarily on the established belief that the patient is not the best authority on what treatment or support they need. If the therapeutic approach is outside the established medical framework then it will be dismissed with little or no further consideration.
However some GPs and respiratory specialists are taking Buteyko on board as a valuable adjunctive therapy since it was endorsed by the British Thoracic Society but they are few and far between. All we can suggest is you approach your doctor, specialist or asthma nurse and see if you can persuade them to help you in this matter.
I am certain the Buteyko Method will be a recognised part of the NHS care sometime in the future, if only because of the enormous cost savings it will generate and the well established health benefits for patients.
The hidden health epidemic & how you can help yourself.
March 18th, 2012
What else should we call a health problem: that afflicts millions in the UK alone, that gets worse every year, that does not respond well to medical treatment, that affects all ages from children to the elderly, that is, to varying degrees, responsible for over a hundred diseases, that is usually hidden and that usually goes undiagnosed and even when diagnosed is rarely treated?
Perhaps an Epidemic? What are the associated diseases that are part of this epidemic? The numbers below are for the UK alone.
Anxiety 1 million, Angina 2 million, Asthma 5 million, Depression 5 million, Hypertension 4 million, Sleep disorders 1 million, Panic attacks 0.5 million, Hay fever 12 million.
What is this epidemic called? Chronic hidden hyperventilation or in layman’s terms “habitual overbreathing” . Are you among the minority that don’t have this problem? Why not find out right away by checking your own breathing on this site? Go to “Check your own breathing” and if you find you too are suffering from chronic hidden hyperventilation start the road to better health with the Buteyko Method training or make a start by watching this short video Start breathing better. You may like to download the e-book “The Buteyko Guide to Better Breathing & Better Health” for £1.99 from Lulu HERE
The most important health factor in your life!
March 13th, 2012Here’s a little competition for you: rank the following factors in order of importance to your health & life.
a)Eating food/b)Exercising/c)Breathing/d)Drinking water
eg you might have: a), d), b), c) because you reckon you need good nutrition, adequate water, plenty of exercise and good breathing.
Well just ask yourself how long you could go without eating? A few weeks maybe?
How long without exercise? A couch potato could go a lifetime?
How long without water? A few days maybe?
How long would you survive without breathing? Three minutes ! ?
So why has this last factor been left out of the equation of health, fitness and longevity?
We all have been led to believe, as a matter of faith, that we all breathe normally because it’s automatic and unconsciously controlled isn’t it?
You learnt how to take your first breath when you were born and have been doing it pretty well ever since you presume. Yes it is automatically controlled thank goodness, wouldn’t it be a bore to have to think about it all the time to keep it on track?
When did your GP last check your breathing (unless you went to see him with a “breathing problem” ? OK probably never! Does it matter?
Well it appears that probably 90% of us have got into bad breathing habits that are doing damage to our health and causing or at least worsening most modern diseases.
It is true we have an automatic breathing control sysstem built into our brains but like any system it can go wrong. It seems that this has happened in most people to some degree largely due to the stresses and traumas of modern living. So if you want to be fit, healthy and live a long life sort your breathing out!
It’s easy to check for yourself whether you are among the elite 10% who breathe well. Check your breathing out HERE to learn more about “Number One Health Factor” HERE and if its not so good get on a Buteyko training course to sort your breathing out for life.
At the cost of a full car service you could set yourself up for life or take it in small stages & download “The Buteyko Guide to Better Breathing & Better Health” for only £1.99 HERE to get started on your own.
For Goodness Sake Keep Your Mouth Shut!
March 5th, 2012
From birth to death we all need to learn how to breathe normally and that’s not through your mouth but only through your nose. The nose was designed as the breathing tube for exactly that reason. You should breathe through your mouth as often as you eat through your nose! Why does this matter so long as you breathe? Well, the nose filters the air you breathe , warms it, moisturises it, acts as a bug barrier killing off most of the germs you breathe in and also nose breathing provides a natural supply of NO (Nitric oxide) that helps your immune system and circulation. It also reduces the volume of air per minute you can breathe which means you are less likely to over-breathe or hyperventilate. It’s even more important for a growing child as mouth breathing can lead to major orthodontic problems as well as repeated throat & chest infections. See “Shut Your Mouth & Save Your Life” article and “Beautiful children’s faces may be the result of good breathing habits.” blog here on this site.
Sleep apnoea is more dangerous than drink for many distance drivers.
February 17th, 2012
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is triggered by the collapse of soft tissue of the palate and enlarged tonsils. Central sleep apnea (CSA) is when the respiratory centre does not trigger the breathing mechanism. The means of treating sleep apnea are surgery (£1000s with a painful recovery and dubious results) dental appliances (£1000 and can misalign your jaw), and CPAP machines for OSA (£2500 with yearly replacement of mask and filter). Of those who buy CPAPs, 50% stop using them within a year. It has been described as “sticking my head out the car window at 100 k/hr for 8 hours”. There is no treatment for CSA.
So, what can one do naturally? Losing weight can be helpful for many. Exercising daily is another strategy. Eliminating drinking before bed can make some difference. But for most, that is not enough. Before the sleep apnea, before the snoring, there was poor breathing. In order to improve a chronic condition in a real and permanent way, one must change the circumstances in which the condition arises. If you retrain your breathing, this improves airway function. Tonality returns and airways stop collapsing. Healthy breathing will reset the respiratory centre so that proper functioning is re-established. The best way to do this is the Buteyko Breath Retraining Method. It was developed in the 1950s by a Ukranian medical doctor. It is a series of breathing exercises done 3 – 4 times a day. A restful sleep can happen within days of starting the course. Snoring can be reduced by 75% within 2 weeks.
Take control of your asthma in 2012 with less medication.
February 11th, 2012
For a more informed viewpoint of asthma care
Visit our other site AsthmaCareKent HERE
Don’t leave this site without checking your own breathing!
January 23rd, 2012
Don't leave without checking your breathing!