Buteyko: a trend that improves health and sleep by forcing people to tape their mouths at night
The buteyko phenomenon
Although the term buteyko has been widely used in the last few days, it is certainly not a revolutionary "invention". This technique was developed in the 1950s by the Soviet physician Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko, after whom it is named. It was Buteyko who was convinced that a person's breathing condition, especially asthma problems, were linked to the particular way people breathed. And he believed that if patients learned to breathe properly - through their nose - their lung problems would magically disappear.
Nearly 70 years later, Buteyko's idea is finally getting attention, as the practice he recommended is spreading around the world. Although Buteyko himself claimed that his technique could improve health in many different ways, such as helping with diabetes, chronic fatigue, ADHD, and even depression, it has received the most attention in the context of addressing sleep apnea.
Sleep apnoea - a problem that prevents the body from resting
In practical terms, sleep apnoea is a condition where the airway is blocked or restricted during sleep, resulting in difficulty breathing. This situation results in poor quality sleep, which affects not only overall fitness but also the psychological state. Apnea is also related to snoring, which is actually the result of complications in the air's path in and out of the windpipe.
"Mouth breathing is a significant contributing factor to obstructive sleep apnea because it can push the tongue back and obstruct the airway. Keeping the mouth closed can prevent this condition," says Patrick McKeown, founder of the international Buteyko Clinic. Doctors, on the other hand, do not share such enthusiasm and are rather cautious in drawing similar conclusions.
To glue or not to glue?
"I can understand why breathing through the nose is preferred, but most people don't open their mouths during sleep - this only happens if they have a problem breathing through their nose," says Dr Kathleen Yaremchuck, a surgeon and sleep specialist. Thus, she says, it is not possible to prevent sleep apnea just by purposefully closing the mouth. Other specialists agree, such as Prof. Nirmal Kumar, an otolaryngologist and president of ENT UK, adding that "there is no convincing body of evidence in the medical literature to support the treatment of buteyeko."
So while even doctors acknowledge that various breathing exercises (and not necessarily just buteyko) can improve asthma and other respiratory problems in general, they don't think it is anything special or groundbreaking. Furthermore, experts warn that taping the mouth specifically is a rather dangerous method, especially when applied to children. These children are much more likely to be ill and may have problems breathing through their noses and could even suffocate in extreme cases.
Buteyko as a medical procedure
Although specifically taping over the mouth certainly does not seem to be an ideal way to improve breathing, sleep or general health, it should be added that the Buteyko method is much more comprehensive. It involves various breathing exercises that can actually help with asthma and respiratory problems. This is also why there are already numerous manuals on the Buteyko technique, as well as specialised Buteyko clinics abroad. In the Czech Republic, too, the method can be encountered, but it is classically regarded as an alternative or supplementary method.
