Have you ever asked yourself, “Is nasal breathing better than mouth breathing?” If so, you’re not alone. Many people are curious about the benefits of nasal breathing and for good reason.
A growing body of research suggests that nasal breathing is better for your health than mouth breathing. For example, nasal breathing can help to improve your sleep, reduce your risk of colds and allergies, and even improve your athletic performance.
In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of nasal breathing, how to make the switch to nasal breathing, and why chronic mouth breathing can be dangerous.
What is nasal breathing?
Nasal breathing is the act of inhaling and exhaling through the nose. It is the natural way to breathe, and it is essential for optimal health.
The nose is designed to filter, warm, and humidify the air you breathe. This helps to protect your lungs from harmful pollutants and allergens. Nasal breathing also helps to regulate your heart rate and blood pressure.
Is nasal breathing better?
Nasal breathing is the natural way to breathe. When we breathe through our nose we take in more oxygen and less carbon dioxide. This promotes balance within our bodies and can improve our mental well-being and physical health.
Below are some benefits we can experience from nasal breathing.
- Improved sleep: Nasal breathing helps to keep the airways moist and warm, which can help you to sleep more soundly. This is because the nose produces nitric oxide, which helps to relax the airways and improve airflow.
- Reduced risk of snoring and sleep apnea: Nasal breathing can help to reduce snoring and sleep apnea. This is because mouth breathing dries out the airways, which can make them more likely to collapse during sleep.
- Improved athletic performance: Nasal breathing can help to improve athletic performance. This is because nasal breathing helps to increase oxygen intake and improve lung function.
- Reduced stress and anxiety: Nasal breathing can help to reduce stress and anxiety. This is because nasal breathing helps to slow down the heart rate and lower blood pressure.
- Improved cognitive function: Nasal breathing can help to improve cognitive function. This is because nasal breathing helps to increase blood flow to the brain.
Sample breathing exercises
With regular practice, you will be able to breathe through your nose more easily and naturally. Below are some breathing exercises to practice nasal breathing.
- Box breathing: This is a simple and effective way to practice nasal breathing. To do box breathing, sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of four, exhale slowly through your nose for a count of four, and hold your breath for a count of four. Repeat this cycle for 5-10 minutes.
This exercise is called box breathing because it creates a mental image of a box. The inhale, hold, exhale, and hold phases each represent one side of the box. By focusing on this mental image, you can help to keep your mind focused on your breathing and prevent yourself from getting distracted.
- Diaphragmatic breathing: This is a deep breathing technique that helps to relax the body and mind. To do diaphragmatic breathing, sit in a comfortable position and place one hand on your chest and the other hand on your stomach. Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing your stomach to rise and your chest to remain still. Exhale slowly through your nose, allowing your stomach to fall and your chest to remain still. Repeat this cycle for 5-10 minutes.
This exercise is called diaphragmatic breathing because it uses the diaphragm, a large muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen, to breathe. When you breathe diaphragmatically, your stomach should rise and fall, while your chest remains relatively still. This type of breathing is often referred to as “belly breathing” or “abdominal breathing.”
Having difficulty nose breathing?
If you are not used to nasal breathing, it may take some time to get used to it. Here are a few tips to help you make the switch:
- Start by practicing nasal breathing for short periods of time, such as 10 minutes at a time.
- Gradually increase the amount of time you spend nasal breathing each day.
- Try to progress to nasal breathing during breathing exercises and during workouts.
- If you find yourself getting lightheaded or dizzy, stop nasal breathing and switch to mouth breathing.
- Be patient and consistent with your nasal breathing practice. It may take some time to get used to it, but the benefits are worth it.
- If you’re suffering from congestion, consider using a nasal spray.
Why is mouth breathing bad?
Mouth breathing can activate your sympathetic nervous system which can have a negative impact. Mouth breathing can often result in shallow breaths and using the shoulders to expand the lungs. This is a common habit for people who are suffering from stress or anxiety.
- Mouth breathing can dry out the airways. The nose is designed to warm and humidify the air you breathe, but the mouth does not have this same ability. This can lead to dry, irritated airways, which can make it more difficult to breathe and can increase your risk of developing respiratory infections.
- Mouth breathing can worsen sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep. Mouth breathing can worsen sleep apnea by making it more difficult to breathe through the nose.
- Mouth breathing can affect your facial development. The muscles and bones in your face develop in response to the way you breathe. Mouth breathing can cause the muscles and bones in your face to develop differently, which can lead to a number of facial deformities, such as a long face, a recessed chin, and a narrow palate.
- Mouth breathing can affect your oral health. Mouth breathing can dry out the mouth, which can increase your risk of developing cavities, gum disease, and bad breath.
- Mouth breathing can affect your cognitive function. The brain needs oxygen to function properly, and mouth breathing can reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain. This can lead to problems with concentration, memory, and learning.
My experience with nasal breathing
I’ve been practicing nasal breathing consciously for the last year or so. After years of shallow mouth breathing and suffering from tight shoulders from stress. Starting nasal breathing has been and still is a real challenge, but it’s getting easier.
It took a few months to be able to go more than 30 minutes straight breathing through my nose but after time it got much easier. In the beginning, I would practice nasal breathing during the Wim Hof method for 10 minutes in the morning. Eventually, I’d progress to nasal breathing during the day and during my workouts.
Having bad hay fever during the summer can make it extremely difficult to keep practicing nasal breathing so I’d recommend using a nasal spray to keep the congestion at bay. I can also recommend keeping a good air purifier in the house to filter out dust and pollen.
Becoming more proficient in nasal breathing has definitely improved my ability to manage stress in my body. This could be down to the uptake in oxygen levels in my body or the increased activation of the parasympathetic nervous system.
Switching to nasal breathing has allowed me to keep a better posture as I’m using my diaphragm to expand my lower lungs. Instead of using my shoulders and chest which would lead to tight neck and shoulder muscles.
Another benefit from nasal breathing is that I don’t really snore anymore (confirmed by my girlfriend who is very happy about this).
Conclusion
In this post we’ve discussed some of the massive range of benefits that simply breathing through your nose can bring. As well as how we can look to practice nasal breathing to progress this skill. Additionally, we’ve looked at the serious negative consequences that mouth breathing can bring, and its impact on our autonomic nervous system.
This simple lifestyle change can be a huge life hack to bring your body into balance, allowing you to live a higher quality and more capable life.
Do you have any experience with nasal breathing? Let me know below!
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