Free 7-day email course · with Patrick McKeown
7 Days to Functional Breathing
Seven short video lessons with Patrick McKeown. Understand how you breathe, get simple feedback on your breathing, and build better everyday habits, one small practice at a time.
- 7 video lessons
- No equipment needed
- Unsubscribe any time
Patrick McKeownFounder, Oxygen Advantage®
From Oxygen Advantage®, the breathing method taught by certified instructors around the world.
- certified instructors
- 13,000+
- countries
- 60+
- free video lessons
- 7
The course
What you'll learn, day by day
Each lesson builds on the one before. By Day 7 you'll have a framework for understanding your breathing, a simple way to track it, and a practice you can use at rest, in bed and on the move.
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Day 1
The three dimensions of breathing
A simple framework, biochemical, biomechanical and psychophysiological, and what separates functional from dysfunctional breathing.
Today's practice: notice how you breathe right now.
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Day 2
Measure your breathing with the BOLT
A comfortable breath hold that measures how quickly you feel the first clear urge to breathe, and what your score can tell you.
Today's practice: take your BOLT and start tracking it each morning.
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Day 3
Why nasal breathing comes first
How your nose slows and conditions the air you breathe, the role of nitric oxide, and why breathing efficiently matters more than breathing more.
Today's practice: notice when your mouth is open.
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Day 4
The carbon dioxide paradox
Why carbon dioxide is far more than a waste gas, and why breathing more than your body needs doesn't add more oxygen.
Key idea: more air isn't the same as more oxygen.
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Day 5
Your first practice: Breathe Light
One of the core Oxygen Advantage® exercises. Gently soften your breath to create a small, tolerable air hunger, with a full follow-along demonstration.
Today's practice: follow along with Patrick.
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Day 6
Breathing for better sleep
Why nasal breathing matters at night, what waking with a dry mouth might be telling you, and how to use Breathe Light to settle before bed.
Tonight's practice: a few minutes of Breathe Light.
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Day 7
Functional breathing in movement
Use nasal breathing as a simple guide to easy and moderate effort, work with air hunger without forcing it, and let your breathing set the pace.
Today's practice: close your mouth on your next walk or easy run.
How it works
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Sign up
Day 1 lands in your inbox straight away. A new lesson follows each day for a week.
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Watch one short lesson
Six to ten minutes, no equipment, from wherever you are. Watch whenever suits your day.
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Try one small thing
Every lesson ends with one thing to notice or practise that day. Small changes, repeated, are what build a new habit.
Your teacher
Patrick McKeown
Patrick is the founder of Oxygen Advantage® and author of The Oxygen Advantage.
This course is for anyone curious about how their breathing shapes how they feel, sleep and move. No experience needed. If you're a coach, therapist or health professional, it's also a clear first look at the framework taught in Oxygen Advantage® instructor training.
FAQ
Questions
Is it really free?
Yes. You'll get one email a day for seven days, each with a video lesson.
How much time do I need?
About ten minutes a day: the lesson plus a short practice.
Do I need any equipment?
No. A timer for the BOLT is all you need, and your phone will do.
I have a health condition. Is this for me?
This course is general education, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take medication, check with your doctor before starting breathing exercises. The exercises should always feel comfortable. If they ever feel stressful, ease off.
What happens after Day 7?
You'll have a daily practice and a BOLT score to keep tracking. If you want to go further, we'll point you to our focused online courses on sleep, anxiety, menopause and more, and to Oxygen Advantage® instructor training.