Our breath is the life source that keeps us going, and dodging any health issues related to it should be a top priority. As such, nasal breathing has increasingly gained attention as an essential element for respiratory well-being. By efficiently channeling air through your nose rather than your mouth, you are reaping numerous benefits for both short- and long-term health, whereas chronic mouth breathers may unknowingly be harmful in various ways.
By breathing through the nose, our bodies take up more oxygen due to an increase in airway resistance. This allows for improved elasticity and volume of the lungs, as well as increased oxygenation inside the nasal passageway thanks to a network of arteries, veins, capillaries and lymphatic vessels. A 2015 clinical review published by Nursing in General Practice found that these benefits can have a net result 10-20 percent higher uptake rate than when exhaling solely with your mouth.
Through the simple action of nasal breathing, you can promote a calming effect on both mind and body. This is because slow deep breaths stimulate your vagus nerve, which in turn activates your parasympathetic nervous system’s relaxation response. An additional bonus comes from nitric oxide production. This compound produced by nearly every cell helps relax blood vessels and boosts oxygen absorption capacity, while providing anti-fungal, antibacterial benefits.
Nasal breathing offers numerous benefits for your health and well being. Evidence indicates it can help keep the air moist, trap airborne debris before entering the body, reduce symptoms of common illnesses, encourage diaphragm action and even influence dental development such as creating arches in teeth.
Breathing through the mouth, which is done by a large portion of people, may have serious health implications such as gum disease or even sleep apnea. Additionally, it can also lead to dental decay and bad breath while influencing speech patterns and swallowing abilities.
Nasal breathing has been widely endorsed by many experts and cultures from around the world as a beneficial habit. While not everyone can easily breathe through their nose due to various issues such as a deviated septum or facial trauma, those who are able should cultivate this practice for its ample health perks.
Looking to become an expert breather? Try incorporating the following approaches into your daily life. Set reminders throughout the day, take a few minutes for breathing exercises like alternate nostril or diaphragmatic breath work, and consider taping your mouth at night. However, it’s important that this should not be attempted if any medical conditions apply like difficulty in nasal respiration or allergies/colds etc. One of the best mouth tapes is SomniFx, which can be purchased from Amazon and is easily applied and removed. Incorporating even just one of these strategies can help establish healthier habits as we move through our day-to-day lives.
To view the original scientific study click below:
The health benefits of nose breathing
