Why Nasal Breathing?
Breathing is Vital to Survival
Breathing is such a fundamental need for life that our bodies have both a primary system, our noses, and a back-up system, our mouths. Each of these systems has capabilities that the other does not, which gives us a clear indication of which system is most beneficial to the body for breathing: It’s the nose.
The Functions of the Nose
Our nose is designed to warm and humidify the air we inhale before it reaches our lungs, making the air more compatible to our body’s internal temperature and protecting our lungs in the process. Our mouths are not equipped to warm and humidify the air we breathe which can cause harm to our lungs if we breathe intemperate air.
Our noses are lined with hair to filter out allergens, dust and other foreign particles reducing our risks of coughing, allergies, hay fever and illnesses related to airborne particles. Our mouths are not equipped to filter the air we breathe and breathing through the mouth can allow unhealthy particles into the lungs causing damage and increasing our risks of allergies, asthma and airborne illnesses.
Breathing through our noses strengthens our diaphragm and slows our rate of respiration which in turn improves our lung capacity, increases oxygen intake and aids the flow of oxygen to our arteries, veins, nerves and muscles. Breathing through our mouth signals our body’s stress response, the sympathetic nervous system, to activate leading to an increased rate of respiration, heart rate and shallower breaths which decreases the availability of oxygen to our systems. Over time, mouth breathing contributes to chronic stress, anxiety, problems with mental focus, depression, stress to the immune system and a host of health problems.
Physiological Benefits of Nasal Breathing
Breathing through our noses reduces the risk of snoring, developing sleep apnea and supports the proper formation of our teeth, jaws and facial structure. It also promotes good oral health, helping us to avoid dry mouth, cavities, gum disease and bad breath. Breathing through our mouth, especially while we sleep, increases the likelihood of snoring, developing sleep apnea, compromises the development of our facial structure, increases the risks of dry mouth, cavities, gum disease, orthodontic problems, bad breath, dehydration, chapped lips and poor oral health.
Nasal breathing produces nitric oxide, which aids our circulatory system, improves oxygenation of our body, improves focus, energy stamina and exercise performance. Nasal breathing promotes good immunity and overall health. Breathing through our mouth does not contribute to nitric oxide production.
Nasal breathing allows us to use our sense of smell. Our nose can detect up to a trillion different scents helping us detect hazards in the air and in our food. Our mouths have no ability to activate our sense of smell and in reality, the loss of our sense of smell can limit our ability to taste food and limit our appetite.
Nasal Breathing for Better Health
Every inhale we take is an opportunity to nourish our bodies with oxygen, but not all inhales are equal. The quality and quantity of oxygenation to our bodies depends on whether we are breathing through our nose or our mouths. There are times that we have to rely on mouth breathing due to injury, nasal congestion, small nostrils or other medical conditions. It is not optimal. It is worth noting that consciously doing open mouth breath work for short periods of time is not typically harmful. The harm and danger of mouth breathing is related to unconscious open mouth breathing during sleep or long periods of time during the day. Whenever possible, it is best to rely on the nose for breathing. It is the body’s preferred system of breathing.
That is my Breath. That is my Power.
May you find the power of your breath.
