APA Dictionary of Psychology

a breathing technique developed from a theory that hyperventilation is a major factor in asthma and other respiratory conditions and that mouth breathing (which lacks the humidifying, warming, and cleaning effects on inspired air of nasal breathing) leads to sleep disturbances. It is a type of breathing retraining that focuses on increasing nasal breathing, reducing the rate or depth of breathing, and inducing relaxation. Some studies have suggested a role for the method in the treatment of asthma, and others have not; the theoretical underpinnings of the method have not been proven. [developed by Konstantin Buteyko (1923–2003), Ukrainian-born physician]