Better Breathing, Better Health

PEP Buddy provides an easy and effective way to slow down breathing. It prolongs exhalation and generates a gentle back pressure to help regulate your breathing.

Improving Shortness of Breath & Oxygen for those with Chronic Lung Disorders

PEP Buddy is an easy-to-use, hands-free breathing device that relieves breathlessness.

Among people with COPD/Emphysema, 72% of people experienced a significant reduction in their shortness of breath or breathlessness thanks to PEP Buddy. Better breathing leads to improved quality of life and the ability to do more and be more active.

PEP Buddy may prevent significant declines in blood oxygen levels during activity. The use of PEP Buddy improves the oxygen level in 36% of people with COPD who drop their blood oxygen levels during exercise.

Slower, more controlled breathing helps reduce anxiety and stress. By prolonging exhalation and slowing the breathing and heart rate, PEP Buddy has a calming effect on our heart, mind, and body. These benefits of PEP buddy help people practicing mindful breathing for stress reduction.

Articles on Better Breathing

How to Use PEP Buddy for COPD

You can use PEP Buddy at rest, with activity, or during recovery after an exertion. Keep PEP buddy on a lanyard around your neck so it’s easily available whenever you might need it during the day. The lanyard also keeps it safe from falling or being misplaced.

Watch How to Use PEP Buddy for COPD

It may take a few times to get familiar with its use. It’s best to practice using your PEP Buddy while at rest. Once you are used to using PEP Buddy, then begin to use it with exertion and during recovery after activities.


How to Use PEP Buddy for Stress Relief & Mindful Breathing

Use PEP Buddy for mindful breathing exercises, anxiety reduction, and relaxation. Position yourself comfortably in a quiet space, either sitting or standing when using it.

Watch How to Use PEP Buddy for Mindful Breathing

PEP Buddy can be used to practice yoga, meditation, or mindfulness. PEP Buddy helps to prolong exhalation, slow your breathing rate, and may provide a concentration focus. It also facilitates breathing patterns that promote relaxation and stress and anxiety reduction.

Use Anywhere, Anytime

Buy Your PEP Buddy

Slow Down Your Breathing and Prolong Exhalation for Better Health

As a PEP (Positive Expiratory Pressure)-generating device, PEP Buddy creates expiratory resistance and back pressure. It slows your breathing rate and it prolongs exhalation time at rest, with activity, and during recovery from exertion.

Results

The Proven Benefits of PEP Buddy

  • The proven effects of more regulated breathing thanks to PEP Buddy include:

    • Prolongs exhalation 

    • Slows the breathing rate: 20% decline in respiratory rate with PEP Buddy Level 1 and 45% decrease in respiratory rate with PEP Buddy Level 2

    • Less breathlessness for those with obstructive lung diseases

    • Improves oxygen levels in select people with obstructive lung diseases

    • Increases activity

  • Slow, focused breathing has beneficial physiological effects on our bodies:

    • Inhibits the release of stress hormones including cortisol

    • Reduces blood pressure

    • Decreases heart rate

    • Stimulates the vagus nerve (essential for relaxation)

  • More efficient breathing can have similar results to meditation and mindfulness breathing:

    • Reduces stress

    • Diminishes anxiety

    • Increases calmness

    • Improves mindfulness

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PEP Buddy for COPD & Other Chronic Lung Disorders

  • PEP Buddy combats major symptoms of people with Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease:

    • Reduces shortness of breath during activities

    • Decreases dynamic hyperinflation (air trapping in the lungs)

    • Increases exercise capacity

    • Improves oxygen levels

    • May reduce inhaler use in some people with COPD

  • Hyperinflation and Breathlessness impairs quality of life:

    Breathlessness, the major symptom of COPD, is caused by expiratory airflow limitation due to increased breathing rate and small-airway collapse that leads to air trapping & hyperexpansion (dynamic hyperinflation).

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Improvement Matters

“As a director of Pulmonary Rehabilitation, I saw first-hand how breathing problems can impact peoples’ lives and a little improvement can mean a lot to them and their families. It’s the difference between being able to play with grandkids, or keep your job, or going on vacation with your loved ones—and not being able to do so.” - PEP Buddy Cofounder, Dr. Muhammad Ahsan Zafar, MD, MS-CTR