The whole body works on a series of patterns or rhythms that control functions such as blinking, breathing, and appetite. Once the body has adapted to a new rhythm it tends to continue this way, even if the new pattern is not as good for the rest of the body as the original one. For example, once a habit of eating more food than you really need is established, it tends to be maintained in spite of the fact that the resulting weight gain is hard on joints, or the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Breathing automatically rises and falls in response to how much "work" your body is doing at the time. For example, while running, your body is doing more work than when you are sitting, and so you automatically breathe more air each minute while running.

Just like appetite or blood pressure, sometimes the automatic breathing pattern increases slightly without anyone noticing. When this happens, paradoxically less oxygen is delivered to tissue cells (Bohr effect), which means that the body cannot work as efficiently as it would with correct oxygenation.

While still a trainee doctor, Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko made the connection between breathing more air than is required for an activity (which is called hyperventilation), and poor health. He researched this subject in depth and developed a programme of special breathing exercises and strategies for diet, exercise, sleep and other ordinary activities that aim to normalise the subconscious breathing pattern.

Clinical trials show that people who use the Buteyko Breathing Techniques reduce the volume of air they automatically breathe by around 30%, and they also reduce their symptoms by more than 70%. 

Perhaps even more important than clinical trials are the stories that people tell about their success with the Buteyko method. Clinical trials are designed to look for particular things, such as drug reduction, but real people live in their whole body, and so their stories tell you exactly what they liked about Buteyko and anything they found it difficult.