Buteyko Clinic International

Patrick McKeown and James Nestor meet face-to-face for the first time to discuss the science of breathing, functional breathing methods, and how nasal breathing transforms sleep, health, and well-being.
After years of correspondence—Zoom calls, Instagram Lives, emails, voice notes—they finally sit down together. What was meant to be one episode ran long. They kept talking well into dinner.

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:44 Introduction and meeting face-to-face
00:04:21 How the book almost became something completely different
00:08:48 Why breathing science has been overlooked by medicine
00:13:45 The role of the nose in breathing
00:18:54 Revisiting the book and updating the science
00:23:40 CO2: Why it's essential for health
00:28:33 The challenge of getting people to change their breathing
00:35:09 Daily breathing habits and personal routines
00:44:29 The power of breathing less
00:49:23 Nasal breathing as the foundation for health
00:52:21 Debunking myths: nose vs. mouth breathing
00:55:10 Why doctors and dentists resist breathing instruction
01:00:19 Breathing and spinal health
01:04:13 Oral hygiene, mouth breathing, and dental development
01:09:01 How breathing transforms overall health
01:12:18 Sleep breathing and sleep tape discussion
01:14:04 Experimenting with sleep tape
01:30:08 The science and safety of sleep tape
01:35:06 Patrick demonstrates MyoTape and mouth puffing
01:40:11 Breathing instruction in mainstream adoption
01:44:00 James Nestor's documentary series (Spring 2027)
01:49:26 Work-life balance and burnout
01:52:39 Deep creative work vs. external demands
01:55:52 Managing workload and personal limits
01:57:17 Future plans and documentary structure
02:01:30 Documentary modules: Actionable instruction
02:04:34 Three-part series structure
02:05:11 Global health impact and free access model
02:07:13 Documentary launch and industry response
02:10:02 Spring 2027 launch and raising awareness
02:13:32 Future of breathing science and industry trends
02:15:12 Long-term outlook for breathing field
02:16:43 Role of education in breathing health
02:18:26 Systemic change and personal responsibility
02:20:48 Final remarks and gratitude

What if the key to running further, calmer, and healthier wasn't in your legs — but in your nose?
In this episode, Patrick McKeown sits down with Dr. Bill Hang: orthodontist, airway pioneer, and marathon runner approaching his 80th birthday.
After hearing Patrick speak 15 years ago, Bill made two decisions that changed his life — taping his mouth at night and running with his lips sealed. He's since run the Boston Marathon multiple times breathing entirely through his nose, including once with his mouth taped the whole way.
But this conversation goes far beyond running. Dr. Hang shares why he walked away from traditional extraction orthodontics, how forward jaw development can transform a child's airway, and what every parent should know before agreeing to have their child's teeth removed.

In this short, on-the-go episode, Patrick McKeown shares key insights on breathing as he reflects on a recent visit to physiotherapist Kelly Starrett in San Francisco.
Patrick explores how breathing affects athletes, children, and women, with a special focus on sleep and the stress response. He explains why exercise-induced bronchoconstriction is often driven by over-breathing, why nose breathing in childhood is essential for healthy facial and dental development, and how female breathing patterns shift across the menstrual cycle.
You’ll learn what the BOLT score (Body Oxygen Level Test) reveals about your breathing, why building CO₂ tolerance matters, and how simple practices—like nose breathing during light to moderate exercise and breathing light, slow, and deep (LSD)—can transform your health, sleep, and resilience to stress.
Recorded against the backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge, this mini episode invites you to step out of your head, into your body, and back into the present moment—one gentle breath at a time.
Show Notes – Bullet Points
Patrick’s visit to Kelly Starrett in San Francisco and their shared focus on breathing and movement
Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction:
How over-breathing and hyperventilation during exercise narrow the airways
Why “breathing harder” can make symptoms worse
Children’s breathing, growth, and dental health:
Importance of nasal breathing for craniofacial development
How mouth breathing, low tongue posture, and dry mouth affect jaw growth and crowded teeth
Links between oral breathing, the mouth–gut microbiome, and overall health
Women’s breathing and the menstrual cycle:
How progesterone post-ovulation and in the mid‑luteal phase stimulates breathing
Potential drop in CO₂ levels (up to ~25%) and links to pain, fatigue, anxiety, and panic
Using the BOLT score to track breathing across the cycle
Building CO₂ tolerance:
Nose breathing during light to moderate exercise
“Breathing less air” exercises: gentle air hunger for 3–5 minutes
Reducing sensitivity to CO₂ and improving biochemical breathing
Diaphragmatic vs upper chest breathing:
How mouth breathing reduces diaphragm recruitment
Role of nasal breathing, tongue on the roof of the mouth, and a BOLT score above 20–25 seconds
Sleep, upper airway resistance, and waking at night:
Overview of Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) and low arousal threshold
How fast, upper‑chest, mouth breathing signals stress to the brain and disrupts sleep
Optimal (LSD) breathing vs stress breathing:
Stress pattern: fast, hard, upper chest, mouth breathing, quick exhale, irregular rhythm
Optimal pattern: Light, Slow, Deep through the nose with soft inhale and relaxed, gentle exhale
Patrick’s personal journey:
Decongesting the nose, using breathing exercises for wheezing and sleep
Mouth taping since the late 1990s and later development of MyoTape
Safety note: why people with obstructive sleep apnea should not tape across the mouth
Closing reflections at the Golden Gate Bridge:
Using the breath to come into present-moment awareness
Experiencing beauty and awe through the body, not just analytical thought
Call to action:
Start by breathing through your nose, at rest and during gentle exercise
Practice breathing light, slow, and deep to support sleep, calm, and overall health

Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired—even when your sleep study says you’re “fine”? This episode will completely change how you think about breathing, sleep, and fatigue. Patrick McKeown sits down with Ronda Holman, dental assistant of 27 years, airway health advocate, and self-described “recovering mouth breather” and “former floppy tongue owner.” Ronda shares how she reached age 37 without ever being told she was a dysfunctional breather—and how changing her breathing transformed her sleep, energy, and life. You’ll learn: Why mouth breathing at night leads to snoring, fragmented sleep, “desert mouth,” and constant exhaustion How nasal breathing and proper tongue posture help keep your airway open while you sleep The difference between sleep apnea and Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)—and why many especially women are told “nothing is wrong” when it clearly is How breathing patterns during the day shape your breathing and airway stability at night The role of CPAP, mandibular advancement devices, and why breathing training still matters even if you use them Why so many people wake at 3 a.m., and what might really be going on with your nervous system, blood sugar, and airway Simple, accessible starting points: Buteyko breathing, orofacial myofunctional therapy, nasal hygiene, and small behavior changes that move the needle fast Ronda also discusses: The dentist as a “gatekeeper of the airway” How clenching, grinding, and repeated dental work can be red flags for sleep-disordered breathing Why lip supports like MyoTape aren’t a fad, but a practical tool in a wider strategy to restore healthy breathing and sleep Her work with Airway Coach and an upcoming interactive workbook to help people navigate diagnoses, therapy, and at-home protocols If you’ve been told your sleep is “normal,” but you wake unrefreshed, snore, grind your teeth, or rely on caffeine and sugar to get through the day, this conversation is for you. 📌 Chapters 0:00 Intro – Meet Ronda Holman 0:45 From dentistry to “recovering mouth breather” 2:30 How mouth breathing wrecks sleep and relationships 5:06 AHI changes and what breathing training can really do 10:55 Appliances, CPAP & the missing piece: function 15:18 Nasal breathing, deviated septum & air hunger myths 20:25 Women, hormones & being “too good at surviving” 24:58 UARS vs sleep apnea (and why tests miss women) 31:42 The 3 a.m. wake-up – blood sugar, airway & REM 37:32 Dentists as airway gatekeepers & grinding at night 47:54 Weight, diabetes, blood pressure & sleep-disordered breathing 51:13 Is mouth taping a fad? Ronda’s 8-year experience 54:20 Airway Coach & Ronda’s new workbook

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.