How To Use Physical Exercise To Control Breathing Problems

Physical Activity Is Important To Maintain High Levels Of CO2 

This is an excerpt from Breathe To Heal book, a part written by A. Novozhilov M.D., the co-founder of the Buteyko Clinic in Moscow.

Physical exercise is very important in helping to normalize your level of CO2. However, unless you are careful to control your breathing while exercising it may worsen your condition, especially if your Positive Maximum Pause is less than 20 seconds. If your PMP or CP is low, you should take particular care while exercising and avoid very vigorous exercise. Your aim should be to raise your PMP/CP through exercising.

The key principles to observe are as follows:

Measure your CP immediately before you start exercising.
Perform the exercise, being careful to control your breathing while exercising by:
– Maintaining a slight feeling of shortage of air all the time;
– Breathing through your nose all the time. If your PMP is greater than 20 seconds, you can breathe through your mouth briefly during strenuous phases of the exercise.

Measure your CP/PMP after exercising. If the exercise is not too strenuous, for example after a long walk or doing some housework, then you can measure your CP/PMP about 15 minutes after you have finished the activity. But if you have been exercising vigorously, then you should wait 30 minutes or even up to one or two hours before taking your CP or PMP again. Your Control Pause or Positive Maximum Pause after the exercise must be greater than it was before you started. If it is lower, the exercise has decreased your level of CO2. In this case, you need to reduce the level of your exercise to a level where you find it easier to control your breathing.

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