What is the breathing test?
The Control Pause (CP) is an assessment of your breathing pattern, developed by Dr. Konstantin Buteyko. It measures the number of seconds you can comfortably hold your breath after a gentle exhalation. As your breathing improves, your Control Pause rises — making it a simple, reliable way to track your progress as you practise Buteyko Breathing.
A low Control Pause typically correlates with signs of dysfunctional breathing — upper-chest breathing, faster and more laboured breath, and a sense of breathlessness. By regularly practising Buteyko Breathing exercises and making supportive lifestyle changes, it is possible to gradually raise your Control Pause and ease a wide range of symptoms, from asthma and anxiety to long COVID and panic attacks.
It's a short, evidence-based self-assessment — not a diagnosis. You'll answer a few simple questions about how you breathe day to day, then hold your breath after a gentle exhale to measure your body's current tolerance to carbon dioxide.
Together, these give a quick picture of whether your breathing pattern is supporting you — or quietly working against you. It takes a few minutes and asks nothing of you but curiosity.
Your pattern
Mouth vs nose, upper chest vs diaphragm, pace and depth.
Your control pause
A gentle breath-hold that reflects your CO₂ tolerance.
Your score
A clear number that maps to a starting point — not a label.
A short video guide.
Watch this before you begin — Katia walks you through the control pause step by step so your measurement is accurate and relaxed.
Sit upright, breathe normally for a minute, then exhale gently and hold your breath. Time the comfortable hold — stop at the first urge to take a breath. That's your control pause.
Common mistakes to avoid.
Taking a big breath first
More air isn't the goal. Start from your normal, quiet breathing — over-inflating throws off the result.
Holding until you gasp
The control pause ends at the first definite desire to breathe. Pushing past it measures willpower, not your pattern.
Mouth breathing
Breathe and hold through your nose. Mouth breathing during the test changes the measurement and the pattern.
Tensing your shoulders
Stay soft through the neck and shoulders. Tension raises your breathing rate and shortens your hold.
Time your control pause.
Follow the four simple steps below to measure your control pause accurately with the stopwatch.
- Step 1Normal Breath. Take a small, silent breath in and out through your nose.
- Step 2Pinch Nose. After exhaling, pinch your nose gently to stop air entering.
- Step 3Hold & Time. Start timer and hold until the first urge to take a breath.
- Step 4Resume Breath. Release nose and resume normal, quiet breathing.
Exhale gently, hold until the first urge to breathe, then resume normal unhurried breathing.
Ready when you are.
Put your results in.
Enter your control-pause score and a few details. You'll see your breathing band right away — and I'll be in touch with the most suitable next step.