Common, and almost always a sign you are breathing too much air, not too little. Big inhales and forceful exhales drive carbon dioxide down, and low CO2 narrows the blood vessels in the brain and causes light-headedness and tingling fingers. Make the breaths smaller and quieter, stop pushing the exhale to empty, and it goes away within a minute. If it does not, stop and sit.
The steps
- Stop the exercise. Sit or lie down. Breathe normally.
- When it passes, resume with breaths about half the size.
- Exhale slowly but do not force the last of the air out.
- Nose only. Mouth breathing moves more air than you need.
- If you were doing bellows breath or any fast breathing: that is expected, and it is why it is done seated and never near water.
- If dizziness comes with chest pain, fainting or happens outside practice: a doctor.
When not to, and when to get help instead
People with low blood pressure, pregnancy, or who are dehydrated get dizzy more easily; stand up slowly after any slow breathing. Fast breathing styles produce this on purpose; the book does not teach them to beginners. Never practice near water or while driving, which is exactly where a moment of dizziness becomes dangerous.
What the research says
The tingling and light-headedness of over-breathing are the textbook effects of hypocapnia, reviewed in the high-ventilation breathwork literature the book cites. The fix is less air, which is also why the panic-disorder trials trained people to raise CO2 rather than to breathe deeper.
Other methods people use
Buteyko practitioners would say this proves their point about over-breathing, and on this specific point they are right. Pursed-lip exhales slow the airflow mechanically. A hand on the belly keeps the breath low and small.
Questions people also ask
Why do my fingers tingle when I breathe deeply?
Low carbon dioxide from moving too much air. It is harmless in a chair and a sign to make the breaths smaller.
Should breathing exercises make you light-headed?
Slow ones should not. If they do, you are breathing too big. Fast ones do by design, which is one reason the book keeps them for later and keeps them away from water.
In the book
Techniques
Rooms
Two rules, no exceptions
Never practice any technique on this site while you are driving, operating machinery, or doing anything that needs your full attention. The slow ones can make you drowsy, faster than you’d expect. And never practice a breath-hold, bellows breath, or any vigorous breathing in or near water. Read Before you begin for the doctor’s list and the rest.
More in “Practicing”
Written by Eric Bradley. Last reviewed October 2026. One performer’s craft, offered for general information; not medical advice, mental health treatment, or a substitute for care.