Water shapes the rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence. Similarly, chronic stress can create patterns in breathing that can throw our physiology off balance, causing poor health and performance deficits. Breathing is one of the most vulnerable systems in the body. Any emotion whether positive or negative can capture the involuntary breathing to accommodate the stress response, preparing the body for fight-or-flight.
The persistent nature of breathing behaviors can create physiologic stress through the depletion of carbon dioxide in the body. This issue has been involved with poor health, burnout, mental decline, pain syndromes, and other symptom phenomena. Disordered breathing habits can be reversed with proper training, gentle guidance, and patience. It is our firm belief that we don't have to settle for just coping in life. Breathing is the most effective and natural way to reduce physiologic stress, and allow the body to maximize its own healing potential.
About Respiras™
Respiras™ was inspired by the fundamental need to look at one of the most important functions of the body for occupational performance- breathing. We go beyond the basics to expand to the quality of ventilation behaviors using advanced technology to give you the ability to perform tangible measures in your breathing patterns and carbon dioxide levels in order to control your functional progress. Respiras™ challenges the old-established ways of just “coping” in life. Why settle for just taking more pills? Why settle for just managing stress, anxiety, pain, fatigue, and so many other functional disorders? Why not manage energy, joy, focus, enthusiasm, and hope? It is common to appreciate health once it is gone. Improper breathing will challenge your health and your ability to perform physically, cognitively, and emotionally. It will weaken all systems in the body, leaving you vulnerable to illness, chaos, burnout, and hopelessness. Breathing science and the depletion of carbon dioxide due to ventilation behaviors are areas that remain unknown in healthcare despite the abundance of medical research. We face a big wave of misinformation. Hype seems to be the norm, and popular concepts of breathing, readily available, lack scientific backing in pulmonary physiology. While some esoteric practices serve the needs of certain groups who seek an altered state of consciousness, or better strategies to cope in life, our services are dedicated to patients who have serious and complex pulmonary, neurologic, cardiovascular, and functional disorders. Our patient needs tools and knowledge to adapt to stress in the context of occupational performance. We evaluate each case carefully and we collaborate with your physician to ensure communication and quality of care. Fundamentally, we believe in public health and we stand for giving our clients an education to improve their quality of life. We rely on science and research to give you the ultimate experience in breathing education for daily living performance. Our proven system gives you communication, accountability, support, compassion, and most importantly results. Our vision is to educate, empower, and emancipate our clients with lifelong skills for better self-care.
Potentiality
Your ability to be calm, energized, focused, adaptive, easygoing, confident, decisive, creative, supportive, courageous, enthusiastic, adventurous, broad-minded, sociable, and loving depends greatly on the quality of your physiology and good breathing.
Unbalanced Breathing with Low CO2
BEFORE: disordered breathing with CO2 depletion.
Good Breathing with Normal CO2
AFTER: balanced breathing with CO2 balance.
Benefits of Breathing
- Relaxation
- Energy
- Concentrated focus
- Sleep quality
- Emotional regulation
- Stress adaptation
- Endurance
- Resiliency
- Healing potential
Benefits of CO2 Balance
- Improved oxygen delivery
- Increased blood circulation
- Improved electrolyte function
- Balanced pH (acid-base physiology)
- Ease in the nervous system
- Improved digestion
- Decreased physiological stress
- Decreased inflammation
CO2 for Better Physiology

CO2 for Better Physiology
It is typically uncommon to think about CO2 depletion as a potential threat to health. CO2 retention (CO2 excess) seems to be a concept well-known worldwide. Carbon dioxide, in healthy levels, needs to be reconsidered as it can add value to human health and performance. Carbon dioxide is the chief regulator
of oxygen delivery, blood circulation, electrolyte function, kidney function, and acid-base physiology (pH balance). Healthy carbon dioxide levels, in the normal range of 35-45 mmHg, is essential to human physiology to maintain homeostasis. Measuring the End Tidal Carbon Dioxide (ETCO2) with side stream capnography gives close approximation to the arterial CO2 levels.
Roberto De Guevara, OTR, MS is the founder of Respiras Breathing™, an organization recognized for its dedication to alternative breathing function and stress adaptation. Roberto is an occupational therapist, consultant, and trainer whose work is dedicated to uncovering the effects of disordered breathing patterns as they relate to chronic illnesses, pain syndromes, sleep disorders, and stress-related conditions. Roberto is an educator, strategist, researcher, scientist, and lecturer in the United States and Japan. He has also served as a consultant for the U.S. ARMY, training soldiers on respiratory efficiency for adaptation to combat-related stress. Roberto graduated with a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy from Dominguez Hills University in California. Roberto further earned his master's degree in Applied Breathing Sciences with a distinction award in 2014 from the Graduate School of Behavioral Health Sciences. Roberto's relentless commitment to the pursuit of excellence in respiratory problems, sleep disorders, and pain syndromes has allowed him to present at various national and international symposiums and conferences.
Memberships
American Thoracic Society (ATS)
Internal Association for the Study of Pain (IASP)
American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR)
Publications
- Sikter A, De Guevara R. Probable etiology of arousal and anxiety on cellular level: is it the key to recovery from exaggerated anxiety?
- Sikter A, Rihmer Z. De Guevara R. New aspects in the pathomechanism of diseases of in civilization, particularly psychosomatic disorders: Part 1. Theoretical background.
- Sikter A, Rihmer Z. De Guevara R. New aspects in the pathomechanism of diseases of in civilization, particularly psychosomatic disorders: Part 2. Chronic hypocapnia and hypercapnia in the medical practice.
- De Guevara R, OTR MS, Miyoshi K, DDS, PhD, The Role of Science-Based Breathing Training In Dentofacial Development:Three Critical Concepts On How To Teach Breathing To Your Patients. 2017 6th Japan Association of Cranio-Orofacial Growth Guidance. Tokyo Medical and Dental University. 顎顔面口腔育成における科学的呼吸トレーニング呼吸訓練をする時に大切な3つのこと