The Breathing Cure: Develop New Habits for a Healthier, Happier, and Longer Life with a Foreword by Laird Hamilton

by Patrick McKeown, Laird Hamilton (Foreword)

Breathing impacts every aspect of wellbeing. Sleep, digestion, movement, mental health, disease, sports performance, recovery… It's an extraordinary resource with life changing potential. And it's simple, free and available to everyone. The Breathing Cure is a detailed guide to the power of the breath. It's dedicated to helping you take control of your own health. Learn from one of the world’s leading breathwork professionals. Discover breathing techniques tried and tested by Olympic athletes and elite military. Clear your blocked nose. Stress and relax your nervous system. Improve lung function. Prepare for competition and more… 500 pages of For use at home, in professional/amateur sports, by breathing instructors, dentists, doctors, physical therapists, strength and conditioning coaches, Pilates and yoga teachers, yogis and anyone interested in health and fitness. From everyday wellbeing through to sporting excellence. Praise for Patrick McKeown, The Oxygen Advantage Method and The Breathing Cure "The essential guidebook on how best to breathe."
- James Nestor, New York Times bestselling author of The New Science of a Lost Art "THE definitive book on breathing."
- Mim Biem, Australia’s leading naturopath and breathing coach

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Science, Medical, Fitness, Audiobook, Mental Health

434 pages, Hardcover

Published July 27, 2021

About the author

International best-selling author of The Oxygen Advantage and creator and master instructor of the Oxygen Advantage® technique, Patrick McKeown is widely regarded as one of the world's leading breathing re-education experts.

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is a well respected expert and he did his job in convincing me how important it is to breathe correctly and not to mouth breathe (even when exercising, sick or sleeping). I appreciate the exercises and he gives you all the info you need and more. He gives you the exercises in the front of the book because he says most people want to skip to them right away anyway and they are so important, but the result of this was after reading them and the first 100 or so pages about why it was so important to follow his advice, I wondered why I needed to keep reading and reading. It's such a deep dive and the basic advice can truly be summed up with breathe through your nose, practice air hunger a lot, breathe slower and fix breathing issues you have while you sleep. Breathing right will make all the difference in a huge variety of health issues including how easily you catch illnesses since the nose is designed to be the first line of your defense system.

I have adapted breathing through my nose since reading this and have lectured my family members on it (hubby just argued and ignored it completely), but I don't know if I can really keep up with the rest of the exercises for life as I dislike some of them so much. I really dislike being air hungry and the idea of having to do those exercises daily for life just makes me a bit stabby if I'm being honest. I still highly recommend the book, or at least the first half or so, and do plan to continue to try to keep up with at least some of the exercises.

I read a digital ARC of this book for review.

[Jan Peregrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Breathing Cure~~~

Patrick McKeown's latest book The Breathing Cure Tips for a Happier, Healthier, Longer Life builds on his previous nonfiction book The Oxygen Advantage, which I reviewed not too long ago. If you haven't read that book or my review, that's okay. You will easily grasp his latest book and why it's unpretentiously called The Breathing Cure. This is a book for literally everybody who can read.

I feel like my review of the former book lays a solid foundation for this review, but. I've also learned much more or at least understand his message even more now.

It first needs to be understood that nearly all of us are overbeathers. Babies are not, but they soon learn the bad habit of breathing too much and often through their mouths. This happens during times of great stress or when our nostrils are congested. McKeown advises that we keep breathing through our noses and they won't become more congested and inflamed. This is what I do in the very rare times my nose is congested. I am a nose breather at all times.

The typical number of breaths per minute is twice as much as necessary or healthful. When breathing so much the breath is usually quite shallow, from the chest, and audible as well as noticeable. Your breath should be light, slow, and deep (lsd).

You may wonder why we need breathing re-education. It's so simple, right?

Not really.

I have to be conscious of my breath much of the time to make sure I'm not overbreathing, a yogic lifestyle that not only helps me to stay calm, think clearly, and process my feelings in a mature way, but it also distributes oxygen to my muscles, fills up my lungs, exercises my breathing muscles so I have more energy, and prevents neck and back pain as it strengthens my core.

Nasal breathing, which is what we're designed to do, creates tolerance of carbon dioxide. It is the mixture of oxygen and carbon dioxide (CO2) that allows us to function properly. Disordered breathing happens when we are not tolerant to carbon dioxide caused by shallow overbreathing.

McKeown starts out this book explaining the science and how he was an overbreather and asthmatic until his early twenties when he discovered the Butekyo method for proper breathing.

With breathing exercises clearly explained and shown, he very significantly helps us to improve our CO2 tolerance through the practice of breathholding that simulates high altitude training. Not only will this help other asthmatics, but people with panic attacks, anxiety, nasal congestion, insomnia, diabetes, depression, and even sexual dysfunction. Pregnant women, forced to overbreathe, must use caution, but women with PMS can benefit from the breathholding practice.

I still practice breathholding every morning and night. A breathhold on the exhalation after a slow, deep inhalation is best when held for 40 seconds. I'm still not quite there, but I have an incomplete spinal cord injury with poor posture too..

I also still lightly tape my mouth at night so my jaw doesn't fall open and I wake up refreshed.

Let me end by explaining that strenuous exercise will not exercise your breathing muscles. Usually an athlete breathes through their mouth and this causes muscle fatigue, exhaustion, pain, cramps, and sometimes injury. It is only through temporary oxygen deprivation that our breathing muscles (diaphragm, lungs, scalene) are exercised to become more efficient. McKeown has helped Olympians improve their performances.

I hope you'll check out McKeown's books and start changing your life for the better! There's so much more info in the book, such as the importance of nitric oxide created by proper nasal breathing to protect you from viruses like COVID-19.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who suffers from severe Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA), I am always interested to read more about breathing, even though OSA only effects you while you sleep, and the medulla oblongata - the part of the brain that controls/regulates your breathing plays such a crucial role in prompting us to breathe that we should know more about how it functions. There is a lot of insightful and accessible information throughout the book and not only does it help you to understand breathing, why the way you breathe is important and how to breath in a healthier fashion, it also provides practical tips and exercises to carry out, too. The evidence of how breathing can lead to or exacerbate certain illnesses or disorders is thoroughly absorbing and worth remembering. Overall, an interesting read on a subject people ought to know about. After all, it is closely linked to heart rate and even the mechanism that allows you to swallow. We all do it so we all ideally should try to understand it a little more than we currently do. This goes for all biological processes and bodily functions.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
The book claims that poor breathing patterns can significantly affect dysfunctions such as asthma, hay fever,snoring, sleep apnoea.
That it can improve debilitating conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy,lower back pain, PMS and high blood pressure.
Psychological conditions like anxiety, insomnia,and panic disorder.
As I suffer with several of the above I decided to take the opportunity to read up on breathing techniques.
The most common cause of breathing pattern disorders is said to be chronic hyperventilation.
It looks at 3 fundamental factors which impact on breathing functions.
My initial bolt score was 12 seconds which strongly suggests a breathing pattern disorder. I know that I am a mouth breather and regularly gasp for breath.
It has various sections for different conditions with studies which support the authors use of slow light breathing techniques. He also uses testimonials from people in each group. I know that the author is trying to demonstrate that the breathing techniques are grounded in sound research but the level shared I would equate to that of a breathing instructor rather than a lay person looking to rectify their breathing techniques.
Because of the difficulty of finding the breathing exercises in the kindle version I’ll write them down in a notebook. I don’t feel able to try the walking breathing exercises yet. I am finding the breathing exercises on their own challenging.
I am not sure about the practice of using tape over my mouth as I have sore and cracked lips, but I am going to try a chin strap to use in conjunction with my CPAP.
It suggests that it is important even using CPAP to use the correct breathing techniques and avoid mouth breathing in the treatment of sleep apnoea.
I have previously seen group therapy teaching these breathing exercises although they are very expensive. I do think it would be better to have more affordable group supervised sessions than for individuals to be trying this home a lone. Or even self help groups gathering for support.
As I have only just read the book, it’s too soon to be able to rate it on effectiveness. I can only rate it on user friendliness.
It is something that I would like to try to implement. I have tried before after watching videos, which to be honest is easier to follow than reading a book. It would be good if there were bar codes that linked you to to the relevant you tube breathing exercise videos ( like my cook book has ) and perhaps a link to an online support communities.
Previously I didn’t maintain it. It’s not easy experiencing air hunger and persevering without guidance and support.

[Kel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and educational book. Breathing properly can improve or alleviate a lot of health issues, eg. diabetes, high blood pressure, epilepsy, anxiety, inflammation, posture, etc...

Things to takeaway from book:
1. Do nasal breathing 100%. Mouth breathing is a no-no. Unless if one is an extreme athlete.
2. Most people do 10-12 breaths per minute. Optimal is 6 bpm.
3. Eg. 4 seconds inhale, 6 seconds exhale.
4. Increase your BOLT score if possible. Mine is 20 seconds. Optimal is 40 seconds.

Above notes are not applicable for those who are pregnant or with serious medical conditions. Consult your doctor if unsure.

I am going to write notes on certain exercises for me to improve my BOLT and overall health.

[Cozy Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. My review opinions are my own.

I appreciate the detail in this book and the remarkable breathing program the author has created. This comes at a time where we are all considerably more stressed and breathing incorrectly so it is a timely book to improve your breathing health. The program is time intensive yet easy to follow and incorporate into your daily routine. Breathing correctly makes all the difference in your health and this book is worth exploring and learning from.

I highly recommend this book .

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've known about Buteyko breathing techniques for a while thanks to my husband who has successfully used them to mean that he now no longer needs any inhalers for his asthma. I've tried to use the methods before but never been able to sustain the exercises for the long term.
This book is very comprehensive (at over 500 pages!) although being in ebook format is probably not the easiest way to access all the information. It is good that the main exercises come early on in the book and that the more in-depth scientific explanations come after. This is helpful if you want to get going quickly and not wade through all the detail at the outset. I will probably buy a hard copy of this book as it's easier to refer to this way and look up the bits that I need. I have bookmarked the exercises and written them down and plan to start using them soon. They seem a lot easier than the ones I've read about before so I'm hoping that I'm able to stick to them and experience more success this way.

[Julia Clavien]

Great book but a bit too technical and a bit too long for me. Probably excellent for any kind of health practitioner or if you have some kind of health condition. Anyway in short, make sure you breath only through your nose! Even when sleeping, even when ill, even when exercising. Close your mouth. It's really way better for you, that's the gist ;).

[Tove R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an extensive book about breathing, and how we can do it better. There is something for everyone, and I especially recommend this book to people with asthma, other respiratory problems, snorers, and people with stress and anxiety. I think this would be a helpful read to them, and many others. In fact, there are hardly any people left behind in this book. There is a lot to take in. It is extremely detailed, and it has to be read with thought.

I think we should all learn more about breathing, and different techniques. In the end we are talking about one of the most natural things we do, and we can easily work on it to get our body to function better.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although not explicitly written as such, this is effectively a book of two halves. The first is an introduction to functional breathing, with a collection of exercises and a description of why it works. This followed by a series of chapters about specific topics, some general but many relate to specific conditions. I should say that having been introduced to functional breathing several months ago, I'm a fan of the topic.

The good things are the author seems to be thorough, with plenty of citations, and specifically tends not to overstate his case. Where studies are only on a dozen people he says that. This can make the book heavy going at times, though as someone with little medical or even biology background I found much of it educational. And there's a transcript of an interview in an appendix which was more readable, and still very interesting.

However, while he doesn't overstate his case specifically, he probably does so generally. For most of these areas there is very little science. All too often it felt like "this affects your breathing and improving your breathing might improve this condition but all we have are these *small number of* people who felt a benefit in some very specific circumstances that may or may not be the same as others." His prior is functional breathing improved his asthma, so its a natural bias. But it did start to feel a bit repetitive as the same solution is proposed every time. And, as another reviewer noticed, his repeated promotion of his stuff for sale gets annoying.

Overall, if this is an area of interest then its a reasonable purchase. After about chapter 5, it may be better to just choose relevant topics rather than plough through the whole thing. Sadly, I feel like I'm still looking for the perfect book on the topic (this is my fourth).

[Valerie Thirkettle-Kayser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing book about breathing. We breathe so many times a day that we don’t think about it. But breathing techniques are so powerful. I practice yoga and meditation and I am not new to breathing techniques. But I found this book very interesting, supported by research, and providing a lot of information and techniques. Those I tried were indeed very helpful and they gave me new opportunities. This is not a quick fix book though, it is very detailed and requires some level of dedication to get the benefits. An audio accompaniment would be helpful and make it easier to work with. This book definitely brings breathing to a whole new level.

[Michelle Crowther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb book

I highly recommend this book. I had no idea that how you breathe had such wide ranging effects on your health. It is quite scientific but the layman can understood enough profit to be highly beneficial.

[Ruben Cools · Rating 5 out of 5]

The breathing bible. Clear, complete and scientific.

[Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

A deep dive into breathing and how it affects a plethora of physiological functions. As fascinating as some of these chapters were, all you really need to know is: breath through your nose.

[Mariko · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think some of the advice is helpful, but 90% of the books rants about how breathing correctly can cure everything.

[Healthypedia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick McKeown provides a life-improving breathing guide for a better, healthier and more enjoyable life – 'The Breathing Cure'.

Breathing is an innate and automatic process making it being overlooked and not being paid attention to. However, due to this carelessness, a lot of us suffer from snoring, sleep apnoea and have our asthma symptoms exacerbated.

The revolutionary book – ‘The Breathing Cure’ by Patrick McKeown – sheds light on the topic of improper breathing and how anyone can improve their life quality ranging from improved physical performance to better sex life and ADHD prevention.

This review will delve into the main insights, recommendations, topics covered, and the author’s credibility, offering a detailed overview of the book’s content.


Author’s background

Patrick McKeown is a highly respected authority in the field of health and breathing, focusing specifically on breathing and sleep. His expertise and passion for breath training stem from personal experience.

Throughout his life, he faced challenges with asthma and relied on medication and inhalers. At the age of 26, he discovered the Buteyko Breathing Method, which provided immediate relief from his asthma symptoms and allowed him to live without asthma.

To deepen his understanding, Patrick travelled to Moscow, Russia, where he studied under the guidance of Dr. Konstantin Buteyko himself. He became accredited to teach the Buteyko Method in 2002, enhancing his credentials and enabling him to share this life-changing breathing technique with others.

Now Patrick is renowned internationally and has established himself as a leading expert in this area. He holds several prominent roles, including being the creator, CEO, and Director of Education and Training at Oxygen Advantage®.


What is the book about?

In the book ‘The Breathing Cure’, McKeown aims to emphasise the importance of the way we breathe and how mouth breathing can negatively affect health. In contrast, nasal breathing is able to alleviate multiple diseases.

The book is divided into three sections:

The 1st section of ‘The Breathing Cure’ familiarises readers with the principles of breathwork by covering information about three aspects of breathing: psychologic, biochemical and biomechanics.

P. McKeown also explains the two pillars of breathwork – functional breathing and breath holding, which are based on learning how to manipulate CO2 and O2 while breathing to achieve optimal health benefits.

It also gives interesting insights into the history of CO2 and how this gas has been used for treatment purposes and is also thought of as being as toxic as uranium.

The 2nd section consists of 26 breathing exercises that target various breathing and health issues. The breath works are very thoroughly described and are backed with pictures and graphs where you can see the amplitude of breath and then it becomes quite intuitive to follow these exercises.

The 3rd section includes nine chapters that explain the scientific background of the effect of breathwork on core stability (functional movement), sleep, pain, children’s development, blood pressure, sex, female hormones throughout the menstrual cycle and life, seizures, and blood sugar regulation. By giving a deep scientific backing, the author again refers to the breathing exercises from the second section, showing how they can be applied practically.


Key takeaways from the book

1. Proper breathing is of utmost importance for a child’s optimal development

Not only ‘The Breathing Cure’ deals with problems directly connected with breathing disorders like hyperventilation or sleep apnoea but also addresses its importance in cognitive development.

In ‘The Breathing Cure’, the author brings attention to the significant impact of a congested nose on a child’s sleep and its potential ramifications on cognitive disorders like ADD and ADHD. The book stresses the importance for parents to be mindful of their children’s breathing patterns, as nasal obstruction can be a contributing factor to the development of ADD or ADHD. By highlighting this crucial aspect, the author underscores the need for proper breathing practices in promoting optimal development and well-being in children.

2. Proper breathing is a key to healthy blood pressure

Healthy blood pressure is one of the guarantees of health and proper nasal breathing can really help one to balance blood pressure levels. The act of breathing through the nose releases hormones that regulate our blood pressure and heart rate as a means of maintaining our bodies’ balance.

The book takes a comprehensive approach to health issues, recognizing that there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It explores the correlation between breathing and blood pressure and highlights additional steps that should be considered to improve and maintain healthy blood pressure. These measures include regular exercise, adopting a nutritious diet, and quitting smoking.

3. Breath work – an ultimate stress buster

‘The Breathing Cure’ profoundly explains the nature of stress and why constantly being in a flight-or-flight response has detrimental effects on all health aspects.

Practising breathing exercises have been proven to be an excellent stress bustler for centuries. Its ability to promote vagus nerve relaxation, slow down the heartbeat, improve sleep quality and even boost the mood, make breathwork an invaluable cure for stress.


Strengths and weaknesses according to readers’ reviews

Strengths:
• The author is highly qualified and credible in the field of breathing and health.
• The book covers a wide range of topics related to breathing and its impact on health.
• It presents valuable insights and challenges common beliefs.
• The author supports their claims with research and references from reputable sources.
• The writing style is engaging and includes personal stories.

Weaknesses:
• The scientific content may be difficult for readers without prior knowledge.
• Some readers may need to read the book multiple times to fully understand it.
• The book may appeal more to readers already interested in breathing techniques.
• The scientific references and information may be overwhelming.
• The practical recommendations may require further clarification.


Best quotes from ‘The Breathing Cure’

“Clear your blocked nose, stress and relax your nervous system, improve lung function, prepare for competition and more…”

“In terms of the widespread impact on general health, a 1998 study reported that patients with just fourteen common symptoms were responsible for almost half of all primary healthcare visits in the US. Of these complaints, which included abdominal pain, chest pain, headache and back pain, only 10 to 15 percent were found to be the result of organic illness. However, every one of these ailments is recognized as a common symptom of disordered breathing. Put simply, the quality of breathing has significant implications for health and longevity.”


Final takeaway

‘The Breathing Cure’ is a valuable tool for individuals seeking to enhance their breathing and overall health. The book is best suited for people who already have some knowledge about breathing and want to dig deeper into its science and are willing to improve all aspects of their health via proper breathing. With its clear and succinct writing style, along with Patrick McKeown’s extensive knowledge and expertise, this book serves as a crucial manual for those striving to improve their breathing and overall well-being. Highly recommend!

[Lorena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick McKeown is a prominent teacher of the Buteyko Breathing Method. In The Breathing Cure, he summarizes a great deal of research on breathing and describes exercises to improve breathing efficiency.

Although the language is generally understandable for the layperson, the book is densely detailed and exhaustively comprehensive. Fortunately, all you really need to read is the introduction and relevant portions of the first two chapters. That is enough to understand the reasoning for and benefits of this breathing method and to learn the exercises.

I appreciate that the author provides suggested training programs to resolve different breathing issues, as well as recommended resources such as downloadable apps, mouth tape, and nasal dilators. However, many of these suggested programs involve an hour or more of breathing exercises each day, and the author states that it may take months of diligent exercise to resolve some problems. During the short time that I have been working with these exercises and using the recommended mouth tape, I have noticed slight improvements, but it is too soon to say if this program will work for me.

Additional chapters provide more detailed discussions of how to optimize breathing and work with various medical conditions, such as stress and anxiety, sleep-disordered breathing, high blood pressure, diabetes, epilepsy, and sexual dysfunction. Most people should find something of interest here.

I wouldn’t read this for entertainment, but if you or someone you love snores or has sleep apnea, asthma, anxiety, or other breathing-related issues, this should be helpful assuming you have the patience and persistence to practice the exercises.

I was provided an unproofed ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't really enjoy this book but that is irrelevant. It was still quite good because of a few things: clear instructions on how to use your breath to your advantage, the in-depth explanations on the science backing these exercises, and the special maladies with their own chapters that the author focuses on. While many people might enjoy a book like this, for most, it's probably just a collection of breathing exercises with a lot of scientific details and reporting on studies to back it all up. That might be exactly what you are looking for--because the large majority of us have some degree of "disordered" breathing which oftentimes affects our health experience. But there's a lot to chew through here and I uncustomarily skimmed some chapters that weren't relevant to my body. Better editing would've improved my reading of it as well: typos, repeats of points already made, and the droning of study after study and fact after fact could've been stitched together better.

One personal note of support for the book: all the books I read come through my local library system. But this is one that I bought only a couple dozen pages in because I knew it had the potential to be a life-changer for me and I needed to be able to read it and then go back and delve deeper into the exercises and the summaries of the science. Doing that, I aim to turn a book into a personal crossroads.

[R Bhatia · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Breathing Cure" by Patrick McKeown is a comprehensive guide that offers a practical and effective approach to breathing for improved health and well-being. The book provides an in-depth exploration of the importance of proper breathing techniques and how they can be used to alleviate a wide range of health issues.

The book begins with an overview of the science of breathing and the connection between proper breathing and overall health. McKeown goes on to discuss common breathing problems, such as asthma, allergies, snoring, and sleep apnea, and offers practical solutions for each condition.

One of the most helpful aspects of the book is the range of practical exercises and techniques provided. McKeown offers a wide range of exercises and techniques that are suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels. The exercises are easy to follow and can be incorporated into daily life to help improve breathing and overall health.

Overall, "The Breathing Cure" is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their breathing and overall health. McKeown's clear and concise writing style, combined with his wealth of knowledge and expertise, make this book an essential guide for anyone looking to improve their breathing and overall well-being. Highly recommended!

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to the author, publishers Humanix Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I did not finish this book, although I don’t regard it as a typical DNF. My interactions with this book were to use it more as a work of reference material, rather than a book that I would read from cover to cover.

The nasal breathing COVID-19 related content was topical, while as an avid runner I was looking for tips that I might be able to glean that might make my aerobic engine work more efficiently. The chapter describing how to breathe properly was very interesting, while the different breathing exercises given to help you physically, mentally, and emotionally in different areas of life were very useful.

Other areas of the book that went a bit deeper into topics such as how breathing can affect you physiologically and can impact on your blood pressure and hormones were not relevant for me so I did not read them, however I have no doubt that the author deals with those topics with the same level of detail and care that went into those that I did read, and that other readers would find them equally as useful.

[Carol Bakker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another author my primary physician recommended, relative to insomnia and borderline hypertension. I like McKeown's book because it opened my eyes (nostrils?) to ideas I had never before considered.

Big takeaway: the mouth is for eating (and kissing, I would add!) and the nose is for breathing.

Breathing should be LSD: light, slow, and deep. It seems counterintuitive to me, but creating air hunger is .... good?! Check out McKeown on YouTube. The book has many exercises to improve your breathing.

Here's a quote to ponder:

I have no doubt that the single best thing I ever did to improve my sleep was to tape my mouth at night.

Next up: James Nestor's Breath

Reading intersections: my thoughts about breath are eddying in my subconscious; then I read in Habakkuk about idols, "For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. ... Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.”

[Rena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded for 3.75 stars. I wanted to read this book to learn more breathing techniques, exercises to use for various health issues. I am familiar with Buteyko breathing method from other books and The Breathing Cure included interpretations of the technique as well as few exercises that were new to me. Overall I found this book a good resource for health care professionals, however when I tried using it to help manage breathing issues caused by COVID, it wasn't as helpful as I hoped it would be. I will be using some of the techniques I learned from this book and will recommend it as needed for clients with respiratory issues.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the book was framed as - ‘hey I’ve got this great hypothesis that we can improve our lives by breathing better’ I’d feel more comfortable.

Too often I found myself saying - “really are you sure? You’re pitching this breathing thing as a cure for life very hard!”

A very different experience to the confidence I had in Peter Attia with his incredibly well researched book, Outlive.

I also thought it could have been shorter. Way shorter!

Nevertheless, I learnt plenty and am keen to experiment.

[Chris M]

Very interesting and informative. I practice the breathing exercises daily. Hate it when I sleep without my mouth tape each night. When I sleep with the mouthtape I do not have to get up to pee as often. When I have trouble sleeping I do the breathe exercises and 9 out of 10 times I will fall asleep before I can count to 10. I put these exercises right in there with fasting:
free, convenient, simple, very good return on your time.

[Tabitha Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. I am so much more aware of my breathing after reading this and have myself and my kids doing the breathing exercises. I've been working on making my baby stop mouth breathing, but this has made me focus more on the other kids as well. A lot of it is very technical and boring to read though. I felt like I had to persevere through chapters 3-7(ish?) and some of them near the end also seemed to go on forever. Overall, I wouldn't read it again, but will be referencing parts of it.

[D.S. Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found The Breathing Cure by Patrick McKeown interesting. The topic of breath work seems to be very popular at the moment. The author describes various types of breathing and the associated benefits. I’m not sure I’ll put much of this into practice, but I did enjoy reading how breathing can affect things like stress and our overall health.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book.

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely a scientific read that is for a niche audience. I picked it up because recently my asthma has gotten worse to where now I need a daily inhaler instead of a rescue inhaler. I appreciate the exercises being so close to the front of the book because it can be hard to get by the reasoning when all you want it the technique. I'll be certain to keep reading the explanations, but slowly.

I got a free ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Vytas · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading a book I got impression that Patric put all his life studies in The Breathing Cure. For beginners the writers approach might be too complicated but scientific reasoning of Buteyko method is so important for healthcare community. I liked the structure of the book and easily found chapters important to me. Will recommend this book to my doctor :)

[Miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a while to read this and I didn’t get to finish it all by the time the book was removed from my list, but boy was this good ! I will be buying this and also sharing this with those I know need it. I learned so much from the chapters i was able to read and it’s really changed the way I see myself throughout the day

[Jennifer Darci · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why just ok? Format - some things are maybe better explained in formats other than a book. This is probably one of those. Organization - what when, tack this on, go back to this, and now I'm lost. Authority - References? Proof? Studies? Writing - lets take all the commercial quips, the As Seen On TV scripts and throw them into a book. Were there exercises in the book? Yes, I think?