Ideal Breathing Pattern: 3 Breaths/Min for Respiratory Rate
"...Methods of performing Pranayama: 12. In the beginning there is perspiration, in the middle stage there is quivering, and in the last or third stage, one obtains steadiness; and then the breath should be made steady or motionless."
Hatha Yoga Pradipika (the manuscript written in 15th century; the foundation of Hatha Yoga)
There are many thousands of modern articles, books, and internet web pages written about breathing. Many of them provide super benefits of ideal breathing for various systems of the human body and to cure numerous diseases. However, authors of most articles virtually never give exact parameters of the ideal breathing pattern. They can mention something about deep "cleansing" breathing and discuss poisonous and toxic nature of carbon dioxide (CO2 deep breathing myth). This does not help us to find out what the ideal unconscious breathing pattern is. What makes the human body most resistant to pathological organisms and diseases? How should we breathe days and nights for superior abilities in relation to sleep; digestion; physical fitness; survival without sleep, food and water for days; healing of wounds and broken bones; and some lost and unique skills which were generously granted to humans by Nature?
Since we just considered exact parameters for the normal breathing pattern (for healthy people), ineffective breathing pattern (for the moderately sick people with chronic diseases), and heavy breathing pattern (for the severely and critically sick), it is logical to suggest that the ideal breathing pattern will correspond to very slow breathing with very high CP and low minute ventilation.
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In 1960-1980s Dr. Buteyko trained about 200 Soviet doctors to use the Buteyko breathing technique in their clinical practice. His main requirement for these breathing practitioners was 60 s CP or body oxygenation index. Some of them had up to 2-3 min for this hard test. In addition, Dr. Buteyko taught the Buteyko breathing method to many hundreds of Russian patients, who got up to 1-3 minutes for their body oxygenation index or CP. |
Dr. Buteyko's finding was that the typical breathing rate at rest for people with 2-3 min CP (stress free breath-holding time test done after usual exhalation) was about 3-5 breaths per minute with minute volume about 1.5-2.5 l/min. It corresponds to slow and relaxed inhalation and very long automatic pause (period of no breathing) of 9-16 seconds. These results can be found in the Buteyko Table of Health Zones from the Homepage section. |
Hence, the ideal breathing pattern, if we consider clinical experience of about 200 Russian MDs and the Buteyko Table of Health Zones, corresponds to 3 min CP and only 3 breaths/min at rest for ideal breathing rate (for unconscious or automatic breathing). Note that maximum breath-holding time for the ideal breathing pattern will be over 7 minutes. Indeed, the Buteyko Table of Health Zones suggests the MP (maximum pause after usual exhalation) is 210 seconds or 3.5 min. Hence, after maximum inhalation, this result will be about 2-2.5 times greater. Practical testing found that such people usually have about 7-8 min for their maximum breath holding time.
Fig. Ideal breathing pattern at rest: 3 breaths/min, 1.5-2 L/min for minute ventilation, and 180 s for the stress-free breath holding time test (optimum or ideal body oxygenation). The inhalation is about 1.5 s, exhalation 2.5 s, and the automatic pause (natural pause of total relaxation or no breathing) is up to 16 s.
The same ideal breathing rate (3 breaths/min) has been observed in hatha yoga masters. Various physiological changes take place during this super slow or ideal breathing. As we discussed before, this extra healthy state restores certain biochemical processes and physiological effects, which were normal for humans in the past:
Human organism starts to produce antibodies in saliva that can suppress pathogens causing cavities and the formation of plague. (Indeed, archaeological artefacts of human skulls shows that just a few centuries ago human teeth did not accumulate plaque. While some people claim that our diet is to blame, even with the ideal diet modern 20-25 s CP people in some months will still get plaque.)
Sleep becomes much shorter naturally. Only 2 hours of sleep are enough for people who have 3 minutes CP. They simply do not get any desire to sleep more, but usually develop a healthy habit to have short (about 5-10 minutes) naps in the middle of the day.
Humans can digest wider varieties of fibres and other foods (roots, leafs, flowers, bones) and extract nutrients and energy from them.
Cuts, wounds and broken bones can get healed in a matter of days, instead of weeks or months.
Humans can survive for days without getting water, food, and sleep, while having their high CP and energy to search for water and food and fight, if necessary, for life.
Pregnant females have painless childbirth. Child delivery becomes an easy and relaxing experience. [Those who suffer from pain due to constipation can check this effect by creating strong air hunger with long breath holds and reduced breathing.]
The super state of the mind triggers extrasensory abilities (to feel emotions of other people, see aura around them, communicate thoughts without speech or telepathic abilities, etc.).