It is very common to breathe without even thinking about it. It happens automatically without your conscious effort.
It is important to be aware of how you breathe. It’s generally healthier to breathe through the nose than in your mouth. Because nose breathing is natural and allows your body to use the air more effectively, it’s healthier.
It is estimated that 30-50% of adults inhale through their mouths, particularly earlier in the morning. This could lead to bad breath or dry mouth.
How does nose breathing differ from mouth breathing?
Nose breathing
Your nose was designed to allow you to breathe properly, safely, and efficiently. Because it has the ability to:
- Remove foreign particles
- Humidify the inhaled air. The air you inhale is heated and moisturized by your nose. This warms the air you inhale, making it more comfortable for your lungs.
- Make nitric dioxide. Your nose releases nitric dioxide (NO) during nasal breathing. The vasodilator NO helps to expand blood vessels. This can improve your body’s oxygen circulation.
Breathing in the mouth
Your mouth is responsible for eating, drinking, and speaking. Your mouth can also be used to breathe. However, it lacks many of the same features as your nose.
Sometimes, mouth breathing may be necessary. If you have small nostrils, nasal congestion or a deviated Septum, you might need to breathe through your mouth.
Mouth breathing can lead to dry mouth. Your mouth may lose moisture. You could also be more likely to inhale unfiltered air and have allergic reactions.
What are the Benefits of Breathing Through Your Nose
Nasal breathing is a natural way to breathe because your nose was designed specifically for this purpose.
Because it allows your nasal cavities:
- Reduce your exposure to foreign substances
- Inhale warm, humidified air.
- Increase airflow to the arteries, veins and nerves
- Increase oxygen uptake and circulation
- Slow down your breathing
- improve lung volume
- help your diaphragm work properly
- Lower your chances of getting hay fever or allergies
- Reduce your chance of getting coughed up
- aid your immune system
- Reduce your risk of sleep apnoea and snoring
- Support the proper formation of your teeth and mouth
You can try nose breathing exercises.
Breathing exercises can improve nose breathing. These breathing exercises can also improve lung function, strengthen respiratory muscles, and reduce stress and anxiety.
These are two types you can use to practice breathing. Or, you can watch a short video guiding you through a series of five-minute breathing exercises.
Alternate nostril breathing
Yoga uses nadishodhana or alternate nostril breathing.
This technique involves inhaling through one nostril, exhaling through the other, and closing the opposite nostril with your finger.
It requires concentration, which is great for improving mindfulness. This exercise may improve your lung function and reduce stress. Alternate nostril breathing can be done for five minutes.
Belly breathing
Also known as abdominal breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing, is belly breathing. This involves slow, deep breathing through the nose.
It is important to inhale deeply enough to fill your belly with air. This will increase the oxygen you can take in and slow your heart rate and breathing.
Also, belly breathing can increase mindfulness and decrease stress. Here’s how you can do it.
- Relax your shoulders and sit tall. You can also lie down on your mattress.
- Close your mouth. One hand should be on your stomach and the other on your chest.
- Slowly inhale through your nose. Let your belly expand and fill with air. Your chest should remain still.
- Keep your lips closed and inhale slowly.
- Continue for five to ten minutes.
Conclusion
To train nose-breathing, the mail runners in Central America and long-distance runners in Mexico’s Tarahumara were taught to run with water or pebbles in their mouths. Science has shown that these ancient techniques are more effective than modern ones.
Deep nasal breathing is only now being understood by many. It seems sensible to learn how to properly breathe deep nasally to get the maximum performance and mental and physical benefits from each breath.
