Everyone has two options when it comes to breathing. You can breathe through your nose or you can breathe through your mouth. In this blog you will find out the differences between the two and which is the better choice.
Nasal breathing: Keeps air in our lungs longer than mouth breathing. Provides more oxygen in your bloodstream. Warms the air you take in by as much as 40 degrees before it gets to the lungs which is especially important in cold weather places. Our nose filters the air we take in, whereas our mouth does not. Our sinuses produce nitric oxide which combats harmful bacteria, regulates blood pressure, and boosts the immune system. Nose breathing teaches us to slow down our breath until it is normal. Therefore, proper nose breathing reduces hypertension and stress, as well as prevents us from overdoing it during a workout. Breathing through our nose during a workout will help increase cardiovascular strength in a quicker time than mouth breathing because it allows for more oxygen to get to active tissues.
Mouth breathing: Our mouths are meant for talking and eating, and are not essential for breathing. When it comes to exercise, if you breathe through your mouth, your airways are going to get aggravated and want to close up causing problems. If you are not playing a sport competitively, there is no reason to push yourself to the point that you want to breathe through your mouth aggressively. Even if you are competing in sports, you should train yourself to breathe through your nose as much as you possibly can. Sleep apnea and snoring stems from mouth breathing. Mouth breathing tends to release too much carbon dioxide which can result in dizziness or even fainting. Mouth breathing can change the structure of your face, making it longer.
If you are a mouth breather by nature, it is ok… It’s never too late to start breathing through your nose. James Nestor wrote an amazing book, titled “Breath,” about his personal experience being a mouth breather until his 40’s.
Next time you go for a walk or jog, try only breathing through your nose. If you are jogging and feel the need to breathe through your mouth slow down your pace. I promise, you will feel drastically better. A common misconception about breathing, is to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth; however this inhibits a loss of moisture by about 40% when you breathe this way.
(For more tips and tricks read or listen to the Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown.)
I will be uploading a new blog each week with relative information about health, wellness, and life. Thank you for being on this journey with me!
Always B-Physical,
Bryce