How Inhaling Through Your Nose Can Change Your Entire Life
I know it seems like such a simple thing but it can make the BIGGEST difference in your overall health. The way you breathe is the way you live. It is the way that you are. Breathing through your mouth is like trying to eat with your nose!
Here’s why you should practice breathing your nose as much as possible:
Exercising
When exercising, do you find yourself breathing out of your mouth to “catch a breath?” This actually exhausts the lungs/body more! If you can consciously begin to breathe through your nose while you’ll notice a complete stamina change. This will allow a better flow of oxygen to the cells, allowing the blood to circulate and generate more energy. Breathing through the nose releases nitric oxide, which is necessary to increase carbon dioxide (CO2) in the blood, which, in turn, is what releases oxygen. Mouth breathing does not effectively release nitric oxide, which means the cells are not getting as much oxygen as through nasal breathing, which leads to fatigue. It also allows recovery to be a lot smoother since the cells are so oxygenated!
Filter
The nostrils, hair and nasal passageways are designed to assist in filtering allergens and foreign bodies from entering the lungs. The nose also adds moisture and warmth to inhaled air for smoother entry to the lungs.
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Nostril breathing activates the rest and digest nervous system. That means that, even if the body is in a stressful state of high-intensity exercise, nasal breathing can provide a sense of calm and allow us to function better.
More Oxygen
When we breathe out of our nose, it actually takes us longer to exhale. Absorption of oxygen actually happens during exhalation and with nose breathing you absorb 15% more oxygen than mouth breathing.
Better Brain Cognition
The nose houses olfactory bulbs, which are direct extensions of part of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is responsible for many automatic functions in our bodies including the heartbeat, blood pressure, thirst, appetite, and sleep cycles. The hypothalamus is also responsible for generating chemicals that influence memory and emotion.
Better Sleep
When sleeping with your mouth open, you’re actually drying out the mouth and not getting enough oxygen. Being in this subtle hyperventilate state puts the nervous system in fight or flight, thus leading to a deeper trauma on the dream state. Your body is in defense while sleeping!
More Hydrated
Mouth breathing accelerates water loss, contributing to dehydration. Notice how dry your lips become when you breathe through mouth, that’s what’s going on with the internal organs as well!
How do I know if I am breathing through my mouth?
Air that we inhale through the nose passes through the nasal mucosa, which stimulates the reflex nerves that control breathing. Mouth breathing bypasses the nasal mucosa and makes regular breathing difficult.Since oxygen is our main source of life, and exhalation is the main way to expel toxins from our bodies, poor breathing can contribute to various health problems:
Snoring
Dry Mouth
Bad Breath
Changes in Posture
Jaw Deformity
Lowered Immune System
Dark Circles Under Eyes
Waking Up Tired
Chronic Fatigue
Brain Fog
Insomnia
How do I avoid breathing through my mouth?
Sleeping on your back will help tremendously; this is the best posture to be in while sleeping because it allows the entire body to fully expand in each breath. There is no constriction on the heart or lungs like when you are on your sides or stomach.
Having an essential oil diffuser or light mist of some sort around can allow the body to want to relax a bit more. You may easily feel yourself breathe through the nose naturally.
Changing your eating patterns will ultimately change your breathing patterns. Eating less acidic food, there will be less inflammation, thus less mucus in the nose = more airflow in the nose! It all starts with one simple change that ripples into a bunch of others. Just day by day maybe add more consciousness to what you’re intaking and notice how it affects your breathing. These two things are synonymous.
Practicing breathwork of course! The more throughout the day you can become aware of your breathing and change it to your nose instead of your mouth, the more you are training your body to naturally do that. Practice first thing in the morning taking breaths through the nose and feeling the air reach all the way to the belly as you inhale. If you do this before bed too you’ll notice a big difference in your sleep!
I know some of you who have maybe practiced breathwork with me have experienced me do some mouth breathing and are probably a little confused. I can say now that all breathwork that I do is through the nose for the most part, however in the past, as I was bringing more awareness to the breath, just like you may be doing, I was experimenting and learning it. I haven’t noticed a HUGE difference in my overall breathing throughout the day. This isn’t a race to see who can be the most healthy human on the planet, this is just information that I’m sharing. Trust you, before you trust me, always.