Frequently Asked Questions

When you breathe more than your body needs, your blood holds onto its oxygen more tightly, delivering less to your cells. Breathing less allows your blood to release more oxygen where it's needed. More oxygen from less air. The mechanism behind this is CO₂ tolerance. When you breathe less or hold your breath, your CO₂ tolerance increases. This triggers your blood to release more oxygen to your cells. The physiology behind this is called the Bohr effect, and it's been in every medical physiology textbook since 1904. "Oxygen efficiency" is what you experience. CO₂ tolerance is how it works. The exercises train both. This is the reason targeted breathing training produces much larger effects than generic breathing exercises.

Mechanism. Most breathing apps guide you to breathe slowly. That helps, but clinical research shows the effect is small. This app targets oxygen efficiency directly through reduced breathing and breath holds, which produces vastly larger effects in clinical settings. The app also includes sensor-free stress detection that finds your optimal intensity, so you train at the right level without clinical equipment.

Yes. The core mechanism is validated by multiple clinical studies, including a meta-analysis of 40 randomized controlled trials, the largest effect size in the breathing intervention literature, comprehensive reviews of breathing and nervous system response, and the first Western clinical trial showing 90% bronchodilator reduction. Full citations and study details are on our research page.

The exercises train your body to get more oxygen from less air, through reduced breathing and breath holds. Regular practice typically improves physical fitness, energy levels, relaxation, sleep quality, stress resilience, recovery speed, and mental clarity. Clinical research shows this type of targeted training produces large effects. The exercises can improve asthma, anxiety, immune function, respiratory function, athletic performance and other health conditions. Improvements in vital signs are common: blood pressure, heart rate variability, blood oxygen levels. Individual results vary based on consistency, frequency and intensity of practice.

Mechanism. Most breathing apps guide you to breathe slowly. That helps, but clinical research shows the effect is small. This app targets oxygen efficiency directly through reduced breathing and breath holds, producing vastly larger effects in clinical settings. The app uses sensor-free stress detection to find your optimal intensity, the level where training is most effective without triggering a stress response. No clinical equipment needed. Your breath training zone shows where you are in real time, and the app adapts each round. The 30-day program adds expert instructor support for those who want guidance at higher intensities.

The app guides you from start to finish of each session — recording your scores, tracking durations of each stage, and helping you stay in the optimal breath training zone. It monitors your zones during each round and gently guides you to avoid overexertion, automatically adjusting intensity as needed. Between sessions, the app shows your full history with detailed progress charts, tracks your practice momentum, and reminds you when it's time to practice again. This helps you build strength confidently, stay consistent, and avoid common mistakes.

Yes, it's ideal for beginners. The app uses breath training zones to automatically guide your intensity, making it simpler and smoother to train effectively. Our structured program with instructor support helps you avoid common mistakes, and our instructors offer personalized guidance and answer your questions as you learn. You'll build confidence in your practice and develop your breath training skills gradually.

Some people experience temporary adjustment symptoms as their breathing patterns change. Our gradual learning program with instructors helps you prevent or manage these effects by adjusting exercise intensity as needed. If you experience symptoms like elevated heart rate, headache, or feeling unwell, lower your exercise level, practice more gently and avoid pushing. Breath training zones help here as they monitor your intensity in real time, so you can ease up before pushing too hard. But common sense still applies. Always consult your doctor if you have concerns. Always stop the exercise immediately and seek medical attention if you experience chest pain, severe dizziness, fainting, or any concerning symptoms during practice or immediately after.

For best results, do 1 to 3 sessions per day during the course, totalling at least 12 rounds per day (about 30 mins). Over the long term you can do less to maintain your progress. Users can make faster progress and experience better results by doing 25 to 35 rounds per day, but this may increase the risk of side-effects. While this is recommended for some, it is not suitable for all. Your breath training zones help you gauge whether your current frequency and intensity are sustainable. Our instructors can help you further optimize the approach for your needs.

You're making progress if your scores are improving while staying in the same breath training zone, the exercises are interesting and enjoyable and your practice feels smoother over time. You may also notice better health, wellness, and fitness, with chronic symptoms gradually decreasing. Aim for genuine growth and sustainable, long-term results.

If you have asthma, hypertension, heart conditions, migraine, diabetes, COPD, epilepsy, anxiety, panic disorders or other chronic issues, start with SOFT INTRO level and avoid MEDIUM and STRONG levels. The 30-day program with an instructor is highly recommended for personalized safety guidance. If SOFT INTRO feels fine, you can try higher soft levels gradually, but always listen to your body and consult your doctor. Don't force breath-hold intensity if it increases symptoms or causes physical discomfort. Also see the contraindications section in the full FAQ for more details.

Do NOT practice these exercises if you are in the second half of pregnancy, have had recent major surgery, recently had a heart attack or stroke, or have COPD / emphysema with elevated blood CO₂ levels.

The exercises work through several complementary mechanisms: **Respiratory strength:** The deep breaths before and after breath-holds strengthen and fully engage your respiratory muscles. **Oxygen efficiency:** Breath-holds train your body to get more oxygen from less air. This reduces breathlessness during physical exercise, improves stress resilience, and supports better circulation. Slowing down your first breath after each hold deepens the effect, along with the optional reduced breathing periods. **Oxygen delivery:** Stronger breathing muscles and better oxygen efficiency work together to boost oxygen supply to your cells, tissues, and organs throughout the day. **Nitric oxide:** Nose breathing increases nitric oxide in the bloodstream, supporting cardiovascular health, reducing inflammation, and strengthening immunity. Pinching your nose during breath-holds increases nitric oxide further. **Relaxation & recovery:** The exercises shift your nervous system toward rest, promoting healing and recovery. Optional contemplation periods enhance relaxation, clear the mind, and cultivate positive emotions. **Overall health:** Regular practice improves immune function, blood pressure, heart rate variability, and other health markers. The combination of breath control, breath-holds, deep breathing, reduced breathing, slow breathing, and contemplation creates a training effect that improves respiratory function, stress resilience, physical fitness, sleep quality, and overall well-being.

Yes! We offer comprehensive instructor training programs to help you master the system and guide others. Choose between group training or private training. Both include ongoing mentorship, teaching resources, and support to help you build your practice. You'll learn to apply 100+ breathing exercise variants and help clients achieve measurable improvements in health, performance, and well-being.

During each session, your breathing and relaxation scores are tracked and your breath training zone is calculated in real time. The difficulty adjusts automatically each round to keep you in the right zone. No sensors or equipment needed.

Sleep quality generally improves as your breathing and relaxation scores improve. Doing exercises before sleep works well for some people but not others, so try it at least once. If it improves your sleep, continue. If it disrupts your sleep, keep a 1-3 hour gap between your last session and bedtime.

It's best to practice on an empty stomach for the optimal experience and better overall results. We recommend waiting 2-3 hours after eating a significant meal before starting your next session. This waiting period allows your body to more fully focus on breathing rather than digestion, improving both comfort and effectiveness.

We recommend to wait and allow your body to recover from the physical workout session. A quick rule of thumb is to wait until your heart rate returns to a nearly normal state before starting your next breathing session. This can take 10-15 minutes after finishing the exercise. However, if you pushed yourself during the physical workout, it can take several hours. The breathing exercises can actually boost your recovery speed after the workout.

Most people do well with rapid progress (doing more sessions and rounds per day) as long as exercises feel relaxing and invigorating. Some should aim for slower, gradual progress to minimize side effects. Choose the pace that feels sustainable and enjoyable for you. Your breath training zones help you see whether your current pace is sustainable — if you're consistently in a comfortable zone, you can safely push harder. This question is important and our gradual learning program with instructors can help you find the right balance.

When you're not feeling well, reduce the exercise intensity for a few days and aim for lower breath-hold scores with higher relaxation scores. Once you feel better, you can gradually return to your previous intensity level. If in doubt, stick to SOFT LEVEL 1, consider consulting your doctor and join the course for professional guidance.

Yes! People have different preferences - some prefer breath-holds after inhaling vs. exhaling, others prefer soft vs. strong intensity. The app adapts to whatever style works best for you while maintaining the foundational exercise structure. The 30-day gradual learning program helps you discover and customize your ideal approach.

Ed Reuvers spent 18 years teaching in the Buteyko lineage. Over that time he noticed a consistent pattern: some students hit a wall while others didn't. The difference wasn't effort or technique. It was relaxation. That observation, combined with nine years of monastic training and four years of deep work with sensor technology, led to the method and the app. It combines traditional breathing principles with real-time feedback to solve the challenges he saw students face for nearly two decades.

The exercises include specific (but optional) periods for contemplation to enhance relaxation, clear the mind and cultivate positive emotions. Basic contemplation styles are included, but you can use any type of contemplation that feels natural to you - the goal is to improve your breathing scores and enhance your overall experience.

The Reuvers® Program builds on Buteyko Breathing's proven foundations. Buteyko is extensively validated and shows remarkable benefits for asthma, sleep apnea, anxiety, and overall health. Many practitioners find it challenging to maintain consistently long-term. The Reuvers® Program makes it easier to learn and sustain. **1. Broader framework:** Buteyko follows established guidelines by Professor Buteyko only. The Reuvers® Program draws from multiple traditions, offering a wider variety of breath-holding, breathing, and contemplation techniques. **2. Gentler start:** Buteyko uses breath-holds after exhale. The Reuvers® Program recommends beginners start with breath-holds after comfortable inhales for a more relaxed approach. **3. Breathing variety:** Both emphasize reduced breathing, but the Reuvers® Program uses the gentlest version of reduced breathing and includes full deep breathing to strengthen lung function. **4. Contemplation optional:** Buteyko stays purely scientific. The Reuvers® Program integrates optional contemplative practices for focus and relaxation. **5. Built-in feedback:** With Buteyko, you assess yourself. With the Reuvers® Program, the app reads your breathing response, adjusts each session to your current state, and guides you to the right intensity. No sensors needed. The result is a practice that's easier to start, easier to sustain, and adapts to where you are each day.

Pranayama encompasses diverse breathing practices with profound benefits: enhanced meditation, spiritual growth, emotional balance, and physical vitality. Techniques range from gentle to powerful, each designed for specific purposes. Traditional pranayama requires dedicated study with experienced teachers to practice safely. Many practitioners find it hard to access the full benefits without years of specialized training. The Reuvers® Program makes core pranayama benefits accessible. Exercises can be adjusted for calming, energizing, or balancing effects, similar to how pranayama selects techniques for different purposes. Built-in feedback guides you to the right intensity without needing years of experience to judge it yourself. The program doesn't encompass pranayama's full spiritual and religious dimensions. But it offers a safe pathway to develop breathing skills with instructor guidance, while honoring the tradition's depth. The 30-day program helps you discover how these proven techniques work with real-time guidance to support your practice.

The Reuvers® Program shares core principles with Fire Breathing, using breath-holding and strong breathing techniques. Modern Fire Breathing (inspired by Tibetan practices) has helped many people, but the intense 30-breath protocol can be overwhelming. For those who've tried it but found it challenging, here are five differences: **1. Gradual building:** Start with gentle rounds and work up. Experience the same benefits without the initial overwhelm. **2. Built-in feedback:** You get feedback on your stress and breathing response every round, so you stay at the right intensity without guesswork. **3. Contemplation:** Modern Fire Breathing uses basic meditation. The Reuvers® Program offers structured contemplation suitable for beginners and advanced practitioners. **4. Flexible framework:** Keep elements you enjoy and adapt others. Customize your approach to fit your preferences. **5. Structured learning:** Instead of jumping into the full 30-breath protocol, the Reuvers® Program includes a 30-day learning path with expert support. The app adapts to where you are each day. The result is the same transformative power in a way that's sustainable and enjoyable.

If your current practice meets your goals, you may not need this program. Buteyko, Pranayama, and Fire Breathing each offer valuable benefits and time-tested techniques. That said, the Reuvers® method can complement any existing practice. The app gives you feedback on your breathing response every session, the exercises can be customized to resemble your preferred style, and the 30-day program adds expert coaching to help you refine your approach. Participants who already had a breathing practice have found that this feedback and structure helped them reach levels that were hard to achieve on their own. If you're curious, the app is free to try. You can always return to your preferred method if this doesn't add value.