Buteyko Clinic International

Mini Episode: Asthma, Nitric Oxide, and Breathing Less: A Short Guide with Patrick McKeown

In this short episode, Patrick McKeown explains how nasal breathing, nitric oxide, and breathing less air can dramatically improve asthma control. You’ll learn simple tools like the nose unblocking exercise, small breath holds, and the control pause—plus why mouth breathing can worsen inflammation, sleep, and dental health. Patrick also shares clinical evidence showing reduced coughing, wheezing, and medication use with the Buteyko method.

The Anatomy of Functional Breathing with Tom Myers and Patrick McKeow (Your Posture Is Killing Your Ability to Breathe)n

Discover how modern life is reshaping our breathing, posture, and facial structure in this in-depth conversation between Patrick McKeown and renowned anatomist Tom Myers (Anatomy Trains). Tom shares insights from 50+ years of clinical practice and teaching, explaining: - How our “modern zoo” (agricultural → industrial → electronic age) creates a mismatch with our Paleolithic genes - Why chronic sitting, inactivity, and lack of movement are fundamentally altering our breathing patterns - The link between anxiety, environment, and dysfunctional breathing - How domestication (in humans and animals) leads to a narrower jaw, smaller face, crowded teeth, and restricted airways - Why head‑forward posture is now almost universal—and what it means for rib cage mechanics and breathing - The concept of tensegrity and how the rib cage functions as a dynamic, elastic structure rather than a simple “lever” system Patrick also shares his own background: - Personal struggles with asthma, nasal obstruction, poor sleep, and poor concentration - How these experiences led him into functional breathing, focusing on asthma, nasal breathing, sleep, and everyday breathing habits - If you’re interested in the deep biomechanics of breathing, facial development, and how our environment and lifestyle are shaping our health, this episode will give you a powerful new lens on the breath. #ButeykoClinic #PatrickMcKeown #TomMyers #AnatomyTrains #FunctionalBreathing #NasalBreathing #BreathingScience #Breathwork#AnxietyRelief #Posture #AirwayHealth #Asthma #SleepHealth #Fascia00:00 – Intro & Tom Myers’ Background 01:43 – Harvard, the 1960s & Buckminster Fuller 02:18 – Tensegrity & the Rib Cage as a Breathing System 03:40 – Modern Life as a ‘Zoo’ & Genetic Mismatch 05:00 – Laziness, Movement & Breathing Changes 06:42 – Domestication, Narrow Jaws & Airway Problems 09:36 – Sleep Apnea & The Shrinking Human Airway 10:45 – Breathing as the Fulcrum: Conscious vs Unconscious 12:39 – Sea Mammals, Diving Response & Human Breath Control 15:00 – Modern Life Disrupts All Basics: Sleep, Breathe, Walk, Eat 15:41 – Tongue Tie, Fascia & the Midline from Brain to Heart 17:15 – Mouth vs Nose Breathing & Posture 18:55 – Nose vs Mouth & Diaphragm vs Upper Chest 19:53 – Transition to Slides

Empowered Sleep Apnea: Dr. David McCarty on CPAP, Mouth Breathing & Better Sleep

Struggling with sleep apnea, poor sleep, or CPAP that doesn’t seem to fix everything? In this powerful conversation, Dr. David McCarty, author of Empowered Sleep Apnea, joins Patrick to unpack a new way of understanding and treating sleep apnea. Instead of treating sleep apnea as a simple “CPAP problem,” Dr. McCarty explains why it’s really a complex constellation of moving parts: Unstable breathing during sleep (obstructive + central sleep apnea) Mouth breathing vs nose breathing Craniofacial development (narrow palate, jaw position, tongue posture) Functional breathing and myofunctional therapy Posture, position, and lifestyle factors In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the traditional “label-based” approach (you have sleep apnea, here’s a CPAP) often fails How diagnostic thresholds (AHI, RERAs, oxygen desaturations) can miss real sleep-breathing problems The difference between obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea physiology How mouth breathing at night destabilizes breathing, drops CO₂ too low, and worsens airway collapse Why nose breathing, nitric oxide, and better diaphragm recruitment can help stabilize the upper airway The role of asthma, nasal obstruction, and inflammation in worsening sleep apnea How craniofacial development, narrow jaws, and tongue posture affect airway size Why the future of sleep medicine is collaborative: medicine, dentistry, myofunctional therapy, and breathing education working together What “narrative-based medicine” means and why your personal story matters more than just your AHI score If you or someone you love has sleep apnea, snores, wakes unrefreshed, or has been told “your AHI is normal” but you still feel awful, this discussion will give you a deeper framework to understand what’s really going on — and where new solutions may come from. Key Topics: - Empowered Sleep Apnea & Dr. David McCarty’s approach - Limitations of standard sleep studies and AHI-based diagnosis CPAP: when it helps, when it’s not the full answer - Nasal breathing vs mouth breathing during sleep - Loop gain / central apnea physiology explained in simple language - Functional breathing, posture, and myofunctional therapy - Airway-focused dentistry, craniofacial development, and high narrow palate - The need for interdisciplinary collaboration in sleep medicine #sleepapnea #cpap #sleephealth #nosebreathing #mouthbreathing #functionalbreathing #myofunctionaltherapy #snoring #sleepmedicine #drdavidmccarty #empoweredsleepapnea #airway #asthma #nasalbreathing #healthpodcast #breathing #sleepdisorders #restorativesleep #sleepbetter

Why This Dentist Is Challenging Everything You Know About Teeth | Patrick McKeown & Dr Staci Whitman

Are mouth breathing, poor sleep, and dental problems silently sabotaging your health? In this powerful conversation, Patrick McKeown (Buteyko breathing expert and author) sits down with Dr. Staci Whitman, a pediatric and functional dentist, to reveal how your airway, oral microbiome, and breathing habits can shape your sleep, energy, brain, and long-term health. You’ll learn: Why mouth breathing can increase your risk of cavities, gum disease, bad breath, and chronic illness The critical difference between nasal breathing vs mouth breathing for sleep, performance, and recovery How the oral microbiome links your mouth to your gut, brain, hormones, and immune system Why so many dentists miss airway and sleep issues (and what functional dentistry does differently) How children’s facial growth, adenoids, tonsils, and tongue posture affect their sleep and behavior Why teen trends like “mewing” and jawline optimization accidentally tapped into real airway science The hidden problem of sleep-disordered breathing in women and upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) Practical steps: mouth taping, myofunctional therapy, nasal hygiene, and airway-focused dental care If you or your child struggle with: Snoring, mouth breathing, or dry mouth at night Frequent cavities despite “doing everything right” Brain fog, fatigue, anxiety, or poor recovery from exercise ADHD-like symptoms, restless sleep, or dark circles under the eyes …this episode will help you connect the dots between your breathing, sleep, dental health, and whole-body wellness. 🔔 Subscribe for more deep-dive conversations on breathing, sleep, airway health, and functional dentistry. CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro – Why this dentist changed how she practices 3:30 What functional dentistry really is 10:20 Mouth breathing, jaw growth & teen “mewing” 15:50 Oral microbiome, cavities & chronic disease 21:00 Mouth taping, nasal breathing & saliva 27:00 Kids, adenoids, tonsils & airway-first dentistry 34:00 Sleep studies, UARS & why women get missed 41:00 The future of dentistry & the airway revolution #mouthbreathing #nasalbreathing #functionaldentistry #airwaydentistry #dentalairway #oralmicrobiome #sleepapnea#sleepdisorderedbreathing #upperairwayresistancesyndrome#UARS #Buteykobreathing #PatrickMcKeown #DrStaciWhitman #pediatricdentist #holisticdentistry #biologicaldentist

Your Airway Controls Your Sleep | Prof. Dave Singh & Patrick McKeown

In this NEW episode of the Buteyko Clinic Podcast, Patrick McKeown speaks with Professor Dave Singh (Stanford, craniofacial sleep medicine) about why the upper airway is a living system—not just a pipe—and how this controls sleep, breathing, and long‑term health. We cover: What good sleep really is (beyond “8 hours in bed”) Upper airway homeostasis – why the airway behaves like a dynamic, self‑regulating system Sleep apnea causes: craniofacial structure, obesity, neurology, muscle tone and more Tongue posture & nasal breathing – why waking up with your tongue on the palate matters Children’s sleep: bedwetting, grinding, mouth breathing, pacifiers, tongue‑tie & development Women’s sleep & UARS (Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome) – the subtle, underdiagnosed side of sleep‑disordered breathing Chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, insomnia & sleep fragmentation Hormones, melatonin, growth hormone, cortisol and weight gain when sleep is disrupted Breathing retraining: nasal breathing, diaphragm function, nitric oxide and loop gain Cultural insights: didgeridoo, conch shells, bagpipes and airway vibration for sleep apnea The future of integrative craniofacial sleep medicine and accessible, affordable care worldwide 🔍 Who this episode is for People with snoring, sleep apnea, UARS, insomnia or unrefreshing sleep Women with chronic fatigue, pain, “normal” sleep studies but poor sleep Parents worried about children’s sleep, mouth breathing, bedwetting or teeth grinding Dentists, orthodontists, ENTs, sleep physicians, OMTs, breathing instructors & therapists Anyone interested in breathing retraining, nasal breathing and airway-focused dentistry 📅 Professor Dave Singh’s London Event Craniofacial Sleep Medicine – London, UK 📅 May 1–2 🔗 More info & registration: https://rema-sleep.com/product/sleep-medicine-london-2026/ 🔗 Resources & Links Professor Dave Singh – REMA Sleep: https://rema-sleep.com Buteyko Clinic & breathing retraining: www.buteykoclinic.com ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 – Introduction & Prof. Dave Singh’s background 4:20 – Why sleep is central to human health 8:00 – Upper airway homeostasis explained 13:30 – Causes of airway collapse & sleep apnea 20:00 – Tongue posture, breastfeeding, pacifiers & development 27:30 – Women, UARS & underdiagnosed sleep disorders 36:00 – Sleep hygiene, blue light, diet & nervous system 45:30 – Hormones, weight, growth hormone & cortisol 52:30 – Breathing retraining, nasal breathing & nitric oxide 1:02:00 – Didgeridoo, conch, bagpipes & airway vibration 1:10:00 – Future of integrative craniofacial sleep medicine 1:18:00 – Dave’s London course & closing thoughts