26/12/2025
This is the Foreword to Breathing Exercises for Dummies, written by Patrick McKeown.
(The book is written by Shamash Alidina)
"Breathing. Everyone does it. Everyone talks about it. But what does it really
mean to you?
Some think breathing practice is all about taking deep, full breaths to calm the
nerves when the world gets a little too loud. Others imagine it’s about fast, force-
ful breathing to chase a euphoric high. Then there’s the classic: “Breathe in
through your nose, out through your mouth.” It’s a bit of a Wild West out there.
Everyone has an opinion, but few have taken the time to truly understand the
landscape.
I’ve been exploring this terrain for more than two decades, and I can tell you this:
Breathing goes far deeper than most people imagine. It’s not just about more air,
bigger breaths, or louder exhales. In fact, the most powerful shift I ever made, one
that changed the entire direction of my life, was this: I learned to breathe less. Not
more. Not deeper. Just less.
Don’t just take my word for it when I say to breathe less. This book looks at what
the breath can do for you. Experiment with it. Read the science, which Shamash
Alidina presents in a way you can actually understand. Try the exercises. See what
resonates with you. Breathing has so many applications, but each of us gets some-
thing from the practice that is deeply personal. This doesn’t mean you need to try
every single exercise. But it does mean you should stay curious about your own
breath and not just follow the crowd. Because when it comes to breathing, the
crowd isn’t often right.
When I first got into breathing, I wasnt following some trend. I wasnt doing it
for Instagram or to feel zen. I did it because it worked. I had a permanently blocked
nose. I held my breath while gently nodding my head for 20 seconds at a time, and
to my surprise, my nose cleared. I began breathing slightly less air than usual, just
enough to feel a light hunger for air. And something shifted. My hands warmed
up. A calm settled through my body. That was all the proof I needed.
I didn’t understand all the science at the time, but what I felt was enough to keep
going. Since then, I’ve come to learn what most people are never taught: that
carbon dioxide is not just a waste gas, that oxygen delivery is not just about how much air you suck in, and that how you breathe changes how you sleep, how you
move, how you think, and even how safe your brain feels in any given moment.
And that sensation of breathlessness when you exercise Its not fixed by fitness
alone. Most physical training doesn’t place enough load on your breathing to fun-
damentally change it. If you want to improve how you breathe under pressure, you
have to go after the very thing that causes breathlessness in the first place.
Let’s get practical: If you wake up with a dry mouth, there’s a good chance your
nose isn’t doing its job at night. If you snore, if your sleep feels unrefreshing, if
your mind is foggy during the day, breathing is often at the root of it. If you’ve
been told to breathe deeply but you feel more anxious or dizzy, the answer may be
to do the opposite: Breathe gently, quietly, and just a little less.
This is not magic. It’s science. And once you understand the why, you can practice
with purpose and feel real results.
The tools you’ll discover in this book aren’t just useful. They’re life-changing.
I say that with full sincerity. These tools will help you sleep better, feel calmer,
move with greater eciency, focus your mind, and build real resilience. They
touch everything: respiratory health, mental health, dental health, sleep, move-
ment, yoga, sport, and more. Breathing is simple. Breathing is complex. But done
well, it is the closest thing we have to a master key for health and performance.
Heres the truth: You cannot reach your full potential if your breathing is o. But
here’s the good news: When your breathing improves, everything else can follow.
Breathing Exercises For Dummies is written for you. Whether you’re just starting out
or you’re already deep into your wellness journey, it opens up a world that is both
accessible and profound. But don’t just let it sit on the shelf. Read it. Try it. Feel it.
Let the exercises become your steady companion, your go-to when the pressure is
on, when the mind races, when sleep eludes you, or when life simply demands
your best self.
Because honestly, what other function can improve so many areas of your life for
so little effort.
Now that is a life skill."
Patrick McKeown
Author of The Oxygen Advantage and The Breathing Cure
Founder of Oxygen Advantage and Buteyko Clinic
