You've probably never measured your breathing the way you'd measure your resting heart rate or your sleep.

Most people have no idea whether the way they breathe is helping them or quietly working against them.

There's no obvious way to check.

But there is a simple test that can give you a useful starting point.

What the BOLT score actually is

BOLT stands for Body Oxygen Level Test, although the name can be a little misleading.

It doesn't directly measure the oxygen in your blood or your lung capacity.

Instead, it gives an indication of how sensitive your body is to carbon dioxide and how quickly you experience the urge to breathe after a normal exhale.

That can tell us something about your everyday breathing pattern.

How to do it

Sit comfortably and take a few normal breaths through your nose.

Take a normal breath in, followed by a normal breath out.

At the end of the exhale, gently pinch your nose and start timing.

Hold until you notice the first definite urge to breathe or the first involuntary breathing movement.

Then release your nose and return to normal breathing.

Your breathing should settle immediately.

If you need to gasp, take a large breath or breathe heavily after releasing your nose, you held for too long.

This isn't a maximum breath-hold test.

You're not trying to see how long you can force yourself to continue.

The aim is to identify the first clear signal that your body wants you to breathe again.

Recognising your stopping point

The first urge to breathe may feel like a quiet mental nudge.

A simple sense of:

"I could breathe now."

For most people, this is the clearest and most reliable signal.

You may also notice an involuntary physical movement, such as:

• A small contraction or flutter in your throat

• A subtle swallowing movement

• A twitch or pull in your diaphragm or belly

• Gentle tension beginning to build in your neck or chest

The key word is involuntary.

It happens without you deliberately creating it.

Stop at whichever comes first, the urge to breathe or the involuntary movement.

If you're uncertain whether you've reached it, you've probably already gone slightly beyond it.

With practice, the stopping point becomes easier to recognise.

People with a lower BOLT score often notice the urge quite quickly and clearly.

The number of seconds you record is your BOLT score.

What the number tends to mean

Generally, a lower score suggests greater sensitivity to carbon dioxide.

This often appears alongside faster, harder, irregular or more upper-chest-based breathing during everyday life.

A higher score often reflects better tolerance to carbon dioxide and is generally associated with calmer, lighter and more nose-based breathing.

The score isn't about winning or pushing yourself to reach a particular number.

It's simply information about where your breathing may be today.

Why the number alone doesn't tell you everything

Your BOLT score is a useful starting point, but it's only one part of the picture.

The way you breathe every day matters too.

Things like whether you breathe through your nose or your mouth, whether your breathing is light or heavy, calm or rushed, and how you breathe without thinking about it all play a role.

That's why a BOLT score is a guide, not a verdict.

Why this is worth checking anyway

Even with those limitations, the BOLT test gives you information most people have never measured.

A lower score may be worth exploring alongside other signs, such as:

• Mouth breathing while resting

• Waking with a dry mouth

• Upper-chest breathing

• Frequent sighing or yawning

• Breathing that feels rushed, noisy or effortful

• Becoming breathless more easily than expected

That's why a Functional Breathing Assessment looks at your BOLT score alongside your breathing mechanics, rhythm, nasal breathing habits and everyday symptoms.

If your score has made you curious, or you'd simply like to understand your breathing in more detail, an assessment can help identify what's happening and where to begin.

Book a Functional Breathing Assessment

https://calendly.com/duncanbreathwork