译者：记住用鼻子呼吸（合上嘴）

如何轻呼吸 - 减少呼吸的完整指南

布捷伊科（Buteyko）练习

轻呼吸

布捷伊科（Buteyko）呼吸的核心是轻呼吸练习，也称为减少呼吸。 它有多种变体（方法），但它们都有一个共同点：带有空气饥饿的概念。 当我们轻呼吸时，我们会通过柔化和/或减慢呼吸来减少吸入的空气量，从而产生一种（吸入）空气不足的感觉。 呼吸的减少会增加体内二氧化碳和一氧化氮的水平，从而带来许多好处，包括（但不限于）：

• 增强身体和大脑的血液循环和氧气输送。

• 支气管扩张作用——打开呼吸道并减轻咳嗽和喘息症状。

• 随着时间的推移，对二氧化碳的耐受性提高，减少呼吸困难并提高体育锻炼时的表现（成绩）。

• 刺激迷走神经并转向副交感神经（休息和消化）系统，从而减轻压力、焦虑、和恐慌的症状。

• 通过改善大脑供氧和前额皮质的注意力训练来提高注意力。

几种轻呼吸方法

轻呼吸——放松法

这是轻呼吸方法中最温和的一种。 对于每个人来说，这都是一个很好的起点，尤其是那些控制暂停程度较低或患有焦虑和恐慌症的人。

方法：

1. 舒适地坐着，背部挺直，双腿不交叉，膝盖分开与肩同宽。 让你的目光柔和或者闭上眼睛。

2. 将一只手放在胸部，另一只手放在上腹部（位于胸腔底部下方）。

3. 合上嘴，慢慢开始适应身体在双手下方呼吸的感觉。

4. 不需要以任何方式改变你的呼吸，只需让身体为你呼吸即可。

5. 无需大口呼吸。 让你的呼吸轻、柔、安静。

6. 开始特别注意你放在下面的手并跟随你身体呼吸的感觉。 注意吸气时上腹部如何轻微膨胀，以及呼气时如何收缩。【译者：横膈膜运动】

7. 放松肌肉：几分钟后，将上面的手放在膝盖上，慢慢地（在脑中）扫视你的身体，轻轻地让你的肌肉放松。 放松脸部、下巴、颈部、肩膀、手臂和手、腹部、臀部和腿部。 你可能会感到轻微的缺气感，这是锻炼有效的好迹象。

8. 如果缺气感觉太激烈，请休息 60 秒；然后返回练习、或选择其他轻呼吸方法。

9. 保持轻柔的呼吸，让身体放松大约3-5分钟，然后让呼吸恢复正常。 记住用鼻子呼吸，并注意呼吸时的轻盈感。

轻呼吸——羽毛式呼吸

在用这个方法时，我们关注鼻尖对呼吸的感觉。 鼻孔是身体中监测空气流动最敏感的地方。 当尝试这种方法时，你常常会惊讶地发现你实际上需要吸入的空气是如此之少！

方法：

1. 保持舒适的直立姿势，将脚底平放在地板上（坐着或站着都可以）。

2. 脸上露出温柔的微笑，让舌头停在上颚。 你应该合上嘴。

3. 慢慢地开始适应鼻尖的气流。 吸气时感觉稍微凉爽的空气流入，呼气时感觉稍微温暖的空气从鼻子流出。

4. 如果你难以感觉鼻孔处的空气流动，可以将食指的顶部放在鼻子下方，感受手指顶部的空气流动。

5. 让你的呼吸轻、柔、安静。

6. 如果你已经感到空气饥饿（即感觉没有获得足够的空气），请继续这样做。

7. 如果没有空气饥饿，那么开始柔化和/或减慢你的呼吸，这样你会感觉到鼻孔或手指上的呼吸变得更加微妙。 呼吸非常轻柔，几乎感觉不到空气的流动。 呼吸要轻，即使有一根羽毛放在你的鼻子下面，它也不会受到你呼吸的干扰。

8. 尝试找到一种平衡，即有轻微的空气饥饿感，但你的身体感到放松。 如果你开始感到紧张或压力，请让更多的空气流通（进出），或者休息一分钟左右，然后再开始锻炼。

9.总共持续3-5分钟，然后休息一下。 注意锻炼后身体或呼吸的任何变化。

轻、慢、少量的呼吸——节奏呼吸、 或连贯呼吸

在练习这种方法时，我们专注于以每分钟 5～6 次呼吸的速度缓慢呼吸。 同时，我们轻柔、安静地呼吸，以保持空气饥饿感。 这项练习能使神经系统非常平静，因此如果你正在经历慢性压力、焦虑、或惊恐发作，那么这是一个很好的练习。 这项技术刺激迷走神经，有助于调节和修复创伤、长期感染和倦怠后的神经系统。

方法：

这项练习可以以坐姿或躺姿进行。 以下介绍适用于非常平静的躺卧变化：

1. 仰卧在舒适但坚固的地面上，屈膝（双脚平放在地板上，膝盖向着天花板方向）。 这种腿部位置将支持横膈膜的激活。 如果可能的话，在头下放一个薄垫子（枕头）。

2. 将手掌放在最下面两根肋骨两侧，然后让手臂和肩膀放松回到地面。

3. 慢慢地开始调整手下呼吸的感觉。 我们正在寻找胸腔底部区域两侧的微妙扩张感。

4. 让你的呼吸轻、柔、安静。

5. 让你的呼吸逐渐开始减慢。

6. 如果你有一种舒服的空气饥饿感，就保持这样。

7. 你也可以开始控制呼吸节奏。 吸气5秒，呼气5秒，以此类推。

8. 保持呼吸轻快、安静、轻柔。 总共持续 3-5 分钟。

随着时间的推移，你可以开始进行更长时间的练习，每次最多 10 分钟，也可以将呼吸长度增加到 6 秒吸入，6 秒呼出。

更多信息：

• 轻、慢、低呼吸练习中最常见的错误是过度补偿呼吸的大小和过度呼吸。 你的呼吸应该轻、柔、安静，并且在整个练习过程中应该有轻微的空气饥饿感。 避免大口呼吸。

• 如果你的“控制暂停”时间慢于15 秒，则使用每分钟10 次呼吸的呼吸频率（即吸气3 秒，呼气3 秒）。

【如何测试“控制暂停”时间/能力：https://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=306792&do=blog&id=1412070

】

双手盖住口、鼻的轻呼吸

与前两种方法相比，这种轻呼吸练习的变体会产生更强的空气饥饿感。 在这里，我们将双手盖住脸的下半部分，这会导致我们刚刚呼出的一些二氧化碳被重新吸入。 手内侧温暖的呼吸感觉也有利于我们获得更多关于呼吸的反馈。

方法：

1. 采取直立坐姿。 想象一下，有一根绳子系在你的头顶上，轻轻地向上抬起你的上半身。 这将在太阳神经丛周围创造空间并支持横膈膜呼吸。

2. 将双手捂住脸的下部，确保遮住嘴巴和鼻子，手指之间几乎不留任何间隙。

3. 让呼吸轻、柔、安静。

4. 开始调整鼻孔以及手和手指内侧的呼吸感觉。

5. 当你开始感到空气饥饿时，让你的呼吸变得柔和而缓慢，利用手内侧温暖空气的感觉来获得反馈。

6. 如果感觉空气饥饿太强烈，可以让小指之间打开一个间隙，让更多的空气流通。 如果仍然感觉太激烈，请休息 60 秒，然后返回练习或选择其他呼吸方法。

7. 要创造或增加更多的空气饥饿感，请开始稍微柔化并减慢呼吸，但不要让它变得太强烈。 如果你能听到自己的呼吸声、或开始喘气、或大口呼吸，则说明你对空气的渴望太强烈了。

8. 尝试缩短吸气的时间，这样吸气时吸入的空气刚好能充满鼻孔（例如 1 厘米）。 呼气也应该少。

9. 继续 3～5 分钟，然后休息一下。 然后检查你的身体和呼吸。 

你是否感到温暖、放松，呼吸是否轻柔、安静、轻松？ 这些都是好兆头。 如果你感到有压力，或者你的呼吸比锻炼前更重，这可能表明你需要降低强度、或选择空气饥饿感较少的方法。

轻呼吸/减少呼吸练习的一般指导

• 在轻呼吸练习中，我们希望创造出轻微的空气饥饿感。 这应该感觉像是你没有获得足够的空气，就像你在爬（小）山时的感觉一样。 你呼吸的空气量应该比平时少 10%-20%。

• 然而，你必须感到身体平静和放松。 如果空气饥饿感太强，使你感到紧张或压力，那么你将不会从锻炼中获得任何好处。

• 练习时，呼吸应安静、轻、柔。 不要大口或大声呼吸。

我如何知道自己是否正确地进行了轻呼吸/减少呼吸练习？

了解你是否正确进行轻呼吸练习的最佳方法是倾听你身体的声音。

积极的（有效果的）迹象是：

• 口水在你的嘴里聚集——这表明神经系统（副交感神经系统）的“休息和消化”分支被激活。

• 平静和放松的感觉——这是呼吸频率降低和二氧化碳水平增加，正在刺激迷走神经并镇静神经系统的迹象。

• 身体温暖的感觉——这是血管开放（血管舒张）的迹象，可改善流向身体和大脑的血液。

• 精神和视觉清晰的体验——这是大脑和眼睛的血流量和氧气输送量增加的信号。

负面的反馈迹象是：

如果你遇到以下任何一种情况，可能是你呼吸过度，或者空气饥饿度太高。 如果这些症状持续存在，建议你咨询合格的布泰伊科（Buteyko）教练。

• 感到紧张或压力。

• 感觉头晕、头晕、或头重脚轻。

• 如果你现有的任何症状在练习时恶化。

• 如果你的手或脚变冷。

你可能需要一些时间来适应轻呼吸练习。 但继续坚持下去，温柔地对待你的身体，保持轻松（休闲）的态度，直到你掌握窍门为止 – 因为这种呼吸练习的好处可以改变你的身心健康和表现。

轻呼吸组合

为了提高你的“控制暂停”能力，你可以尝试多次轻呼吸练习，中间有短暂的休息。 每天练习这些轻呼吸组合 3 次将有助于降低你对二氧化碳的敏感性、减轻症状、并改善你的整体健康状况。

轻呼吸组（不屏气）：

• “控制暂停”

• 轻呼吸 - 任何方法（4 分钟）

• 休息 1 分钟

• 轻呼吸 - 任何方法（4 分钟）

• 休息 1 分钟

• 轻呼吸 - 任何方法（4 分钟）

• 休息 1 分钟

• 轻呼吸 - 任何方法（4 分钟）

• 休息 2 分钟

• 最终“控制暂停”

轻呼吸组合（屏气）：

在这个更强的组合中，我们在每次轻呼吸练习开始时，屏住呼吸以产生额外的饥饿感。 使用“控制暂停”作为屏气可以确保我们不会造成太多的空气饥饿。 但是，只有当你对无需屏气的呼吸灯组感到满意时，你才应该继续进行此组合。

• “控制暂停”

• 轻呼吸 - 任何方法（4 分钟）

• 休息 30 秒

• “控制暂停”

• 轻呼吸 - 任何方法（4 分钟）

• 休息 30 秒

• “控制暂停”

• 轻呼吸 - 任何方法（4 分钟）

• 休息 30 秒

• “控制暂停”

• 轻呼吸 - 任何方法（4 分钟）

• 休息 2 分钟

• 最终“控制暂停”

理想情况下，你最终的控制暂停时间将比第一次高 10%-20% 左右。

How to Breathe Light - The Complete Guide to Reduced Breathing

Buteyko Exercises

9 Aug 

Written By Neil Tranter

https://www.thebuteykomethod.com/buteyko-breathing/how-to-breathe-light-the-complete-guide-to-reduced-breathing

Breathe Light

At the very heart of Buteyko Breathing is the Breathe Light exercise, also known as Reduced Breathing. There are several variations on this technique, but they all have one thing in common: the concept of air hunger. When we breathe light, we reduce the volume of air that we are breathing, by softening and/or slowing the breath, thus creating a feeling of not getting quite enough air. This reduced breathing increases levels of Carbon Dioxide and Nitric Oxide in the body which result in a number of benefits including, but not limited to:

• Enhanced blood circulation and oxygen delivery to the body and brain.

• Bronchodilator effects - which open up the airways and reduce symptoms of coughing and wheezing.

• Over time, improved tolerance to Carbon Dioxide reducing breathlessness and improving performance during physical exercise.

• Stimulation of the vagus nerve and a shift towards the parasympathetic nervous (rest and digest) system, which reduces symptoms of stress, anxiety and panic.

• Improved focus and concentration from improved oxygen delivery to the brain and attentional training of the pre-frontal cortex.

The Breathe Light Variations

Breathe Light - The Relaxation Method

This is the gentlest of the Breathe Light variations. It is a good starting point for everyone, especially those with a low Control Pause or for people experiencing anxiety and panic disorder.

Instructions:

1.  Sit comfortably with a straight back, legs uncrossed, and knees shoulder-width apart. Let your gaze be soft or close your eyes.

2.  Place one hand on your chest, and the other on your upper belly (just below the bottom of your rib cage).

3.  With your mouth closed, slowly begin to tune in to the feeling of your body breathing beneath your hands. 

4.  There is no need to change your breathing in any way, just let the body breathe for you.

5.  There is no need to take big breaths. Let your breathing be soft, gentle and quiet.

6.  Start to pay particular attention to your lower hand and follow the feeling of your body breathing. Notice how the upper belly slightly inflates on the in-breath, and how it deflates on the out-breath.

7.  Relax your muscles: After a couple of minutes, let your top hand rest down in your lap and slowly scan through your body, gently inviting your muscles to relax as you go. Relaxing your face, jaw, neck, shoulders, arms and hands, belly, hips, and legs. You may experience a slight feeling of a lack of air, which is a good sign that the exercise is working.

8.  If it feels too intense, take a break for 60 seconds and then come back to the exercise or choose another variation.

9.  Keep breathing gently, relaxing into the body for around 3–5 minutes, and then let your breathing return to normal. Remember to breathe through your nose and notice a sense of lightness as you breathe.

10.  

（Guided Audio Instructions video here）:

Breathe Light - Feather Breathing 

In this variation, we focus on the sensations of breathing at the tip of the nose. The nostrils are the most sensitive place in the body to monitor the flow of air. When trying this approach, clients are often surprised at how little air they actually need to breathe!

Instructions:

1.  Come into a comfortable upright posture with your feed flat on the floor (seating or standing is fine). 

2.  Bring a gentle smile to your face and allow your tongue to come to rest in the roof of your mouth. Your mouth should be closed.

3.  Slowly begin to tune into the flow of air at the tip of your nose. Feel the slightly cooler air flowing in on the in-breathe, and the slightly warmer air flowing out of the nose on the out breath.

4.  If you find it difficult to feel the flow of air at the nostrils, you can bring the top of one of your fingers to rest just under the nose and feel the flow of air on the top of your finger.

5.  Let your breathing be soft, gentle and quiet.

6.  If you are already feeling air hunger (that feeling where you feel like you are not getting quite enough air) then continue as you are.

7.  If there is no air hunger, then start to soften and/or slow your breath so that you feel it becomes more subtle at your nostrils or on your finger. Breathe so softly so that you can hardly feel the flow of air. Breath so lightly that if there was a feather placed just under your nose, it would be undisturbed by your breathing.

8.  Try to find a balance where there is a light air hunger, but you feel relaxed in your body. If you start to feel tense or stressed, then allow more of a flow of air, or take a break for a minute or so and then come back to the exercise.

9.  Continue for 3–5 minutes in total and then take a break. Notice any changes in your body or breathing after the exercise.

·        

（Guided Audio Instructions video here）:

Breathe Light, Slow and Low - Cadence Breathing - Coherent Breathing

In this variation, we focus on breathing slow at a rate of 5-6 breaths per minute. At the same time, we breathe lightly and quietly to maintain air hunger. This exercise is very calming for the nervous system and so is a good practice if you are experiencing chronic stress, anxiety or panic attacks. This technique stimulates the Vagus Nerve which can help to regulate and repair the nervous system after trauma, long Covid and burnout.

Instructions:

This exercise can be done in a seated or lying down posture. The following instructions are for the lying down variation which is very calming:

1.  Come to lie on your back on a comfortable but firm surface with your feet flat on the floor and your knees rising up towards the ceiling. This leg position will support activation of the diaphragm. If possible, place a thin cushion underneath your head.

2.  Bring the palms of your hands to rest on the sides of your lower two ribs, and then let the arms and shoulders relax back towards the ground.

3.  Slowly begin to tune into the feeling of your breathing beneath your hands. We are looking for a subtle sense of expansion out to the sides in the area of the bottom of the ribcage.

4.  Let your breathing be soft, quiet and gentle.

5.  Allow your breathing to gradually begin to slow down. 

6.  If you feel a comfortable sense of air hunger, stay like this.

7.  You may also start to control your the rhythm of your breathing. Breathing in for 5 seconds, breathing out for 5 seconds and so on.

8.  Keep your breathing light, quiet and gentle. Continue for 3–5 minutes in total.

Over time, you can start to go for longer practices, up to 10 minutes at a time, and also increase the length of the breaths to 6 seconds in, 6 seconds out.

·        

（Guided Audio Instructions video here）:

Further information:

• The most common mistake with the Breath Light, Slow and Low exercise, is to overcompensate with the size of the breaths and to over breathe. Your breathing should be soft, quiet and light and there should be a mild air hunger throughout the practice. Avoid taking bigger breaths.

• If your control pause is slower than 15 seconds, then use a breathing rate of 10 breaths per minute (Breathe in for 3 seconds, breathe out for 3 seconds).

Breathe Light with Cupped Hands

This variation of the Breathe Light exercise creates a stronger air hunger than the previous 2 options. Here we cup our hands over the lower half of the face, which causes some of the Carbon Dioxide that we have just breathed out to be re-breathed. The feel of our warm breath on the inside of the hands also has the benefit of giving us more feedback about our breathing.

Instructions:

1.  Come into an upright seated posture. Imagine there is a piece of string attached to the top of your head that is gently lifting your upper body upwards. This will create space around the area of the solar plexus and support diaphragmatic breathing.

2.  Cup your hands over your lower face ensuring that your mouth and nose are covered, leaving hardly any gaps in between your fingers.

3.  Let your breathing be soft, gentle and quiet.

4.  Begin to tune in to the feeling of your breathing at your nostrils and on the insides of your hands and fingers.

5.  As you start to feel air hunger, let your breathing be soft and slow using the feel of warm air on the insides of your hands for feedback.

6.  If the air hunger feels too intense, you can allow a gap to open up between your little fingers to allow more air to flow. If it still feels too intense take a break for 60 seconds and then come back to the exercise or choose another variation.

7.  To create or add more air hunger, begin to soften and slow the breath a little more, but don’t let it get too intense. If you can hear yourself breathing or start to pant or take big breaths then the air hunger is too strong for you.

8.  Experiment with shortening the length of your in-breaths, so that you are only breathing in just enough air to fill your nostrils (e.g. 1cm) on the in breath. The out breath should also be small.

9.  Continue for 3–5 minutes and then take a break. Afterwards check in with your body and breath. Do you feel warm, and relaxed, does your breathing feel soft, quiet and easeful? These are all good signs. If you feel stressed, or if your breathing is heaver than before the exercise, this may be a sign that you need to reduce the intensity or choose a variation with less air hunger.

General Guidance for the Breathe Light/Reduced Breathing Exercises

• During the Breathe Light exercise, we are looking to create a mild air hunger. This should feel like you are not getting quite enough air, like you would experience walking up a hill. You should be breathing about 10-20% less airthan you would normally do.

• However, it is essential that you feel calm and relaxed in the body.If the air hunger is so high that you feel tense or stressed, then you will not get any benefit from the exercise.

• During the exercise, your breathing should be quiet, soft and gentle. Do not take big or loud breaths.

How do I know if I’m doing the Breathe Light/Reduced Breathing exercise correctly?

The best way to know if you are doing the Breathe Light exercise correctly is to listen to your body.

Positive signs are:

• Salvia pooling in your mouth - This indicates activation of the “Rest and Digest” branch of the nervous system (Parasympathetic Nervous System).

• Feelings of calm and relaxation - This is a sign that the reduced breathing rate and increased C02 levels are stimulating the vagus nerve and calming the nervous system.

• Feelings of warmth in the body - This is a sign that your blood vessels are opening up (vasodilation) which improves blood flow to the body and brain.

• Experiences of mental and visual clarity - This is a signal that blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain and eyes are increasing.

Negative feedback signs are:

If you experience any of the following, it may be that you are either over-breathing, or that the air hunger is too high. If these symptoms persist, it is recommended that you speak with a qualified Buteyko instructor.

• Feeling tense or stressed.

• Feeling dizzy, foggy or light-headed.

• If any of your existing symptoms worsen while practising. 

• If your hands or feet become cold.

It can take a little time to get used to the Breathe Light exercise. But keep going with it, be gentle with your body and be playful until you have got the hang of it - Because the benefits from this breathing exercise can be transformative for your physical and mental wellbeing and performance.

Breathe Light Sets

To improve your Control Pause, you can practice multiple Breathe Light exercise with short breaks in between. Practising these Breath Light sets 3 times a day will help to reduce your sensitivity to CO2, reduce your symptoms and improve your overall wellbeing.

Breathe Light Set (without Breath Holds):

• Control Pause

• Breathe Light - Any Variation (4 mins)

• Rest for 1 min

• Breathe Light - Any Variation (4 mins)

• Rest for 1 min

• Breathe Light - Any Variation (4 mins)

• Rest for 1 min

• Breathe Light - Any Variation (4 mins)

• Rest for 2 mins 

• Final Control Pause 

Breathe Light Set (with Breath Holds):

In this stronger variation, we begin each Breathe Light exercise with a breath hold to create extra hunger. Using the control pause as a breath hold ensures that we don’t create too much air hunger. But still, you should only move onto this variation if you are comfortable with the Breathe Light set without breath holds.

• Control Pause

• Breathe Light - Any Variation (4 mins)

• Rest for 30s

• Control Pause

• Breathe Light - Any Variation (4 mins)

• Rest for 30s

• Control Pause

• Breathe Light - Any Variation (4 mins)

• Rest for 30s

• Control Pause

• Breathe Light - Any Variation (4 mins)

• Rest for 2 mins 

• Final Control Pause 

Ideally your final control pause will be around 10-20% higher than your first.