As easy as it gets, just take a deep breath.
Breathing properly is essential for our health, and nasal breathing offers far more benefits than most people realize. Believe it or not.
Scientific studies have shown that breathing through the nose has key advantages for general health, whereas mouth breathing can lead to respiratory and systemic health issues.
Let’s explore the main benefits of nasal breathing and how it helps prevent diseases.
Table of Contents
“Keep your mouth shut and your ears open.”
1. Filtration and Respiratory Protection
When we breathe through the nose, the air is naturally filtered, humidified, and warmed, helping prevent particles, allergens, and microorganisms from entering the lungs. This process acts as a defense mechanism, protecting the body from respiratory infections, something that mouth breathing doesn’t achieve (European Respiratory Journal).
2. Production of Nitric Oxide (NO)
Nasal breathing stimulates the production of nitric oxide (NO), a molecule that improves oxygenation and has antimicrobial properties. This gas is essential for boosting the immune system by eliminating bacteria and viruses, a benefit that is not present in mouth breathing (European Respiratory Journal).
3. Prevention of Respiratory Diseases
Mouth breathing has been linked to issues like sleep apnea, snoring, and asthma. A study from the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that nasal breathing reduces airway obstruction, enhances sleep quality, and decreases apnea episodes.
4. Facial Development and Dental Health
In children, chronic mouth breathing can lead to malocclusion (misaligned teeth) and craniofacial deformities. Breathing through the nose supports the proper development of the facial structure and helps avoid long-term dental issues (European Respiratory Journal).
5. Improvement in Physical Performance
Nasal breathing not only benefits overall health but also boosts physical performance. A study from the Journal of Applied Physiology found that breathing through the nose during exercise optimizes oxygen use, reducing fatigue and enhancing respiratory control, which helps athletes perform better.
Ancient Wisdom and Nasal Breathing
Interestingly, much of what modern science confirms about nasal breathing was already intuitively understood by ancient yogis.
While they didn’t know about nitric oxide, they practiced kriyas (cleansing rituals) to keep their airways clear and functional.
In pranayama (breathing exercises), the tongue is placed against the roof of the mouth. This position, similar to the modern “mewing” technique, is a natural posture for relaxation and supports proper nasal breathing.
Although we may think we’re always breathing through our nose, many people breathe through their mouth during sleep.
This bypasses the nose’s filtration system, which can lead to less restful sleep due to reduced oxygenation and relaxation. Additionally, improper tongue posture during mouth breathing can disrupt dental alignment, as the tongue doesn’t rest against the back of the palate as it should.
Factors Affecting Nasal Breathing
Now that we understand the importance of nasal breathing, it’s essential to recognize the factors that influence this process. Surprisingly, the answer lies in the muscles.
The intercostal muscles and the sternum play a crucial role in enabling efficient breathing.
A critical point to note is that although these muscles are internal, they can and should be trained. If you haven’t been breathing correctly through your nose, you’re likely not maximizing the full benefits of proper breathing. The good news is that with appropriate training, you can strengthen these muscles and significantly improve your respiratory capacity, reaping greater health benefits.
TL,DR:
- Nasal breathing filters, humidifies, and warms the air, protecting against respiratory infections.
- Breathing through the nose stimulates the production of nitric oxide (NO), which enhances oxygenation and boosts immunity.
- Mouth breathing is linked to sleep apnea, snoring, and asthma, while nasal breathing helps improve sleep quality.
- Chronic mouth breathing in children can lead to dental issues and facial deformities; nasal breathing ensures proper development.
- Nasal breathing during exercise optimizes oxygen use, reducing fatigue and improving physical performance.
- Tongue posture (against the palate) and kriyas practiced by yogis promote healthy nasal breathing.
- The intercostal muscles and sternum play a role in breathing, and can be trained to improve respiratory capacity.
Basically it helps you to relax, be healthy and earn more money. Ok, that last one may be not.
Remember this is part 2, of “what happens after death series?” based on “The Hindu-yogi science of breath” Here you can find more depth knowledge and some practices that won’t be mentioned here.
-Previous post of the series:
Part I & Part 2:
