Why Healthy Breathing Matters

Many people breathe too fast or too shallow, which can cause:

• Oxygen deprivation and cellular stress- affecting the lungs, brain function, nervous system, and the heart to say the least.
• Tight airways- making conditions like asthma, and COPD worse.
• Poor sleep- contributing to snoring, sleep apnea, and insomnia. 
• Increased anxiety- causing breathlessness, stress, and panic attacks.
• Poor blood flow- causing fatigue, mnuscle cramps, cold or numb extremities, as well as potentially more serious issues like heart attack or stroke.
• Chronic inflammation- leading to numerous health issues, including recurrent respiratory problems, pain, autoimmune disorders, mental decline, and cardiovascular disease. 

Our breathing retraining program helps restore natural breathing patterns and ensure proper balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen so your body can function at its best. 

At Respiras, we don't just teach you to "take deep breaths." Our approach is based on scientific breathing techniques that optimize oxygen and CO2 balance in your body. 

 

What is Silent Hyperventilation?

Definition: Chronic silent hyperventilation (sometimes called "hidden hyperventilation") is a condition where you breathe slighlty faster or deeper than required, leading to excessive CO2 depletion.  

Common Misconception: Many people associate hyperventilation with obvious panting or breathlessness. However, "silent" hyperventilation can be subtle, making it harder to detect. 

Breathing imbalance: The mode of breathing, as a learned behavior, is typically not addressed in conventional medicine and rehabilitation. It is an area that is overlooked. Breathing quality is mistakenly assumed by the level of oxygen saturation or the absence of asthma symptoms.  

 

How Stress Silently Affects Your Breathing

THE STRESS-BREATHING CONNECTION

Breathing is the most fragile system in the body. Emotions, memories, traumatic events, and chronic stress can disrupt the body's natural respiratory mechanics, leading to poor lung function, inefficient oxygen exchange, and long-term respiratory complications. 

Breathing is unique because it is one human system that has the capacity to affect all other systems at once, thus compromising health and aggravating other existing respiratory conditions. Breathing behaviors, patterns learned and reinforced by chronic stress, is an area of medicine and rehabilitation that is often overlooked. 

When breathing patterns are chronically dysfunctional, the lungs become ineffective at oxygenating the body, and the heart pump weakens, overall affecting lung compliance and blood circulation. Dyfunctional breathing can result in CO2 imbalance, contributing to a range of health issues, including respiratory distress, inflammation, reduced lung capacity, and increase the effort of breathing.

 

Understanding Carbon Dioxide Imbalance

BREATHING IN EXCESS - LEARNED BEHAVIORS

Chronic silent hyperventilation-often overlooked because it can occur without obvious symptoms-refers to a subtle but persistent state of over-breathing. Although individuals may not notice they are breathing more than necessary, this inadequate breathing pattern can disrupt the delicate balance of oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the bloodstream.

Over time, these imbalances may contribute to a host of health issues, from heightened stress response, compromised lung function, to medically unexplained shortness of breath. Poor breathing habits stresses the body, altering all organ systems and compromising health. 

 

What Is Breathing Science?

BREATHING SCIENCE IS CENTRIC TO CO2 BALANCE

Breathing science is the study of how respiration, gas exchange, and nervous system regulation impact human health, performance, and longevity. It integrates principles of respiratory physiology, neuroscience, and biofeedback to optimize oxygen utilization, CO2 balance, and autonomic function.

Unlike traditional breathwork practices that focuses on relaxation or energy control, breathing science is data-driven, measurable, and corrective, addressing the root causes of dysfunctional breathing patterns and physiological disturbances.

 

Low CO2 (hypocapnia) Effect On Respiratory System

 

Disordered Breathing on Upper Airway

UPPER AIRWAY RESISTANCE SYNDROME 

Mouth breathing weakens the airway muscles, which leads to throat narrowing and increases the risk of airway obstruction.

Improper breathing generates upper airway tissue dryness, making it prone to inflammation and collapse.

The low CO2 causes airway muscles to tighten excessively, leading to upper airway narrowing. Over time, this can result in a vicious cycle of restricted breathing and airway instability that can lead to obstructive sleep apnea.

Dysfunctional breathing and low CO2 levels cause constriction in the lung airways, increasing the risk of asthma, breathlessness, and airway hypersensitivity.  The causative role of low CO2 in sports or stress induced asthma is often overlooked. 

Dysfunctional oral breathing bypasses the nose's filtration system, leading to higher susceptibility to respiratory infections, and it can aggravate existing pulmonary conditions. 

 

Increased Breathing Effort, Fatigue, and Anxiety

EMERGENCY BREATHING

Overuse of secondary breathing muscles (neck, shoulders, and chest) creates inefficient, energy-wasting breathing patterns. 

Increased lung dynamic hyperinflation (old air entrapment)- the lungs expand too much, preventing  fresh oxygen from coming in.

Chest tightness of effort of breathing contribute further to unexplained shortness of breath, air-hunger, or difficulty taking a deep breath.  The use of chest and neck muscles creates an unwanted state of stress, triggering anxiety and irritability. This makes breathing feel labored and exhausting. 

Low CO2 causes "fight-or-flight." Low CO2 reduced oxygen to the brain, disrupting the balance in your nervous system, triggering a racing heart, feeling jittery and short of breath, and having  a sense of impending doom or panic.

This can make respiratory conditions like asthma, COPD, and chronic hyperventilation syndrome much worse  by triggering airway constriction and a sense of suffocation. 

 

Chronic Cough, Excess Mucus, and Low CO2 levels

INFLAMMATION

Dysfunctional breathing can cause excess mucus production, leading to airway obstruction, irritability, hypersensitivity, and a higher risk for infections.  Excess mucus triggers the cough reflex, leading to throat irritation and repeated coughing.

Low CO2 levels make the airways more sensitive, irritated, and inflamed- leading to constant and sudden coughing fits. This is particularly relevant in anxiety-related breathing issues.

When CO2 levels drop due to overbreathing (hyperventilation), chronic stress, or anxiety, it disrupts the pharyngeal reflex (or gag reflex), controlled by the vagus nerve, leading to nerve dysfunction (neuropathy) and chronic coughing. Improper breathing alters the proper nerve signaling to the throat and lungs. The overreactive coughing reflex becomes sensitive to the slightest possible irritants like talking, breathing, cold air, sighing, and laughing.

Sensory Neuropathic Cough (SNC) occurs when the nerves in the throat become damaged due to ongoing irritation, hyperreactivity, and inflammation- all of which are worsened by low CO2.

 

Dysfunctional Breathing & Ongoing Infections

COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM

Over-breathing and CO2 depletion can trigger chronic inflammation of the lungs, worsening conditions like asthma, COPD, ARDS and chronic bronchitis. 

Low CO2 lowers surfactant in the lungs, which is a soapy-like substance that keeps your airways open, helping you breathe easier, and allowing the oxygen to enter the blood. Low surfactant lowers the body's immune system and decreasing its defences to fight pathogens like virus, bacteria, and parasites. Your immune system becomes vulnable to infections. 

 

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) & Why It Matters

CO2 is often misunderstood as a mere "waste gas," but in reality, it is the very key regulator of oxygen delivery, nervous system stability, and cellular function. 

Oxygen Delivery Depends on CO2 Regulation- The right amount of CO2 allows the hemoglobin to release oxygen efficiently to the brain, muscles, and organs.

CO2 Controls Nervous System Balance- It modulates the autonomic nervous system, shifting between stress (sympathetic) and recovery (parasympathetic) states.

CO2 Prevents Airway Instability- When CO2 levels are balanced, the airways maintain good tone, stay open, relaxed, and properly supported. CO2 balance helps prevent the throat from becoming too tigh or too floppy, reducing the risk of narrowing, and causing obstructive sleep apnea and upper airway resistance syndrome.

CO2 Influences pH  & Blood Flow- Maintaining optimal CO2 level stabilizes blood pH, preventing symptoms like unexplained breathlessness, air-hunger, anxiety, depression, excessive yawning, dizziness, chronic fatigue, exhaustion,  muscle tension, muscle pain, sleep disturbances, disorientation, confusion, muscle weakness, heart rhythm irregularities, concentration and memory problems. 

Correcting CO2 depletion is the most powerful physiological intervention for breathing dysfunction and nervous system dysregulation. 

 

Key Differences Between Respiras Breathing Science  & Other Breath Work Practices

While traditional breathwork has benefits for relaxation and mindfulness, Respiras is an extension of occupational therapy with focus on pulmonary care and respiratory health. 

Respiras Breathing corrects dysfunctional patterns at a physiological level- making it essential for stress adaptation, resiliency, and flexibility needed for everyday life performance. 

Unlike common breathing techniques that encourage deep breathing, Respiras Breathing teaches precise methods to correct CO2 levels, restore respiratory function, and enhance stress adaptation- a key component is the model of human adaptation in occupational therapy.

We acknowledge and respect other breathing practices serve a meaningful purpose to each individual depending on their specific needs.  

 

Respiras Pulmonary-Based Breathing Method

Focuses on correcting CO2 balance & oxygen efficiency to optimize physiology and the proper functioning of the body. 

Rooted on respiratory physiology, Bohr Effect, Henderson & Hasselbalch equation of balancing pH, optimizing the proper release of oxygen for cellular function, and improving nervous system regulation.

Used for functional occupational performance (physical, mental, emotional), and stress adaptation, to increase calm energy, focus, and endurance.

Encourages a systematic way of improving respiratory patterns using guided biometrics for CO2 regulation to improve energy, focus, relaxation, and recovery. 

Therapeutic & corrective- Respiras trains breathing to be a permanent skill to improve health, wellness, and performance.

Acknowledges the potential presence of respiratory, cardiac, and other organic diseases. Encourages proper medical assessment to rule out major organic pathology. Addresses each person individually and considers pre-existing medical conditions. 

Strong emphasis on self-regulation for adaptive physiology (the ability to maintain physiological stability to support all daily activities).

Avoids the potential harmful effect of deep breathing, causing CO2 depletion, leading to respiratory alkalosis, leading to oxygen starvation and brain hypoxia- temporarily altering the cognitive state into dissociation or disconnectedness.

Focus on CO2 regulation from a multi-sensory approach involving all senses, cardio-pulmonary capacity, postural retraining, motor coordination, vestibular, oculo-motor coordination, and functional mobility. 

Breathing Science and Carbon Dioxide Training With Capnography  Biofeedback

Breathing is more than just an automatic function- it's a powerful tool that can be optimized for better health, performance, and well-being.  In recent years, breathing science has shed new light on the importance of carbon dioxide training and the role of capnographic biofeedback in improving respiratory function and CO2 tolerance. 

Good breathing, from a scientific viewpoint, is the proper balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body. When this equilibrium is affected by behaviors or habits, the body suffers from physiological stress. Improper breathing habits, causing CO2 depletion, have been involved in unexplained symptoms ranging from breathing problems, fatigue, anxiety, headaches, and concentration deficits just to name a few. 

 

Breathing-Anxiety Connection

While anxiety can affect breathing, a desynchronized breathing habit can cause unfounded anxiety.

Although conventional therapies consider anxiety to be purely psychological, long-standing medical research shows that distressed physiology, caused by unstable breathing, can result in anxiety, fear, worry, and panic (Gilbert, 1999). Unfortunately, many people, consider anxiety to be normal. At Respiras it is our firm belief that anxiety is an equal opportunity destroyer that will create unnecessary obstacles in your health, relationships, school, career, business, and overall life satisfaction.

A good CO2 balance is the most powerful relaxer in the body occurring naturally. It has no risk of creating dependence or any other long-term side effects. Our goal is to give you skills to optimize your breathing so you can be energized, calm, peaceful, and confident- even under stress. 

 

Natural Solutions | Prioritizing Healthy Breathing For Overall Wellness

Breathing dysfunction or chronic silent hyperventilation often flies under the radar, but its long-term effects can be significant enough to cause disability. By retraining your breathing patterns and correcting the CO2 imbalance, you can improve your breathing quality, increase energy, enhance oxygen flow, and improve overall well-being.