Many believe that breathing is simply about bringing oxygen-rich air into our bodies and expelling carbon dioxide. It does not really matter how we are breathing or whether we are using the nose or the mouth, as long as we keep the oxygen coming in and the carbon dioxide moving out. Well, this is not correct. Actually, I would go so far as to state that it is categorically wrong! How we breathe does is very important for our health and wellbeing.
In future posts, we will be addressing many aspects of breathing, but for today, the focus is on nasal breathing. Our bodies have adapted over thousands of years to be optimally suited to our environments and lifestyles. One of these areas of adaptation is breathing and respiration. As discussed by Allen and Ruth, 2017, about one person out of three does not breathe well enough for normal health. There are many factors that contribute to dysfunctional breathing but mouth breathing is certainly a major contributor. According to Allen and Ruth, 2017 up to 30-50% of adults breathe through the mouth. Why should we be concerned about this? Because nasal breathing is natural breathing, which is aligned with our physiology. When it comes to breathing, the mouth should only be viewed as a backup to the nose.
Without going into the physiology of nasal breathing, we can mention some of the benefits:
- Air coming through the nose is conditioned before entering the lungs. As air passes through the sinuses, it is moistened and warmed.
- The nasal passage contains tiny hairs and mucus, which serve to remove dust, smoke, pathogens, and other airborne agents. This is a form of “first line of defense” to protect our bodies.
- The nasal passage produces and releases nitric oxide, which is carried into the airways and lungs during an inhalation. Nitric oxide helps to sterilize the air by killing bacteria and viruses. The gas is also vasodilator, which helps to improve the flow of blood in the lungs and capillaries.
- When we nasal breathe, we introduce more resistance to the flow of air in and out of our bodies. At first glance, this may appear as a drawback, but this effect helps with gas exchange in the body and the oxygenation of our tissues. It also strengthens the diaphragm.
- Nasals breathing supports the healthy formation of and arrangement of teeth and the development of the mouth interiour.
These benefits are not available to us when we mouth breathe.
How does nasal breathing stack up against mouth breathing during exercise? Nasal breathing is believed to be better for you. According to a study by Dallum et al., 2018, recreational runners were shown to maintain their levels of VO2max and with superior physiological economy and ventilatory efficiency when adopting nasal breathing versus mouth breathing. In another study by Flanell, 2019, it was shown that nasal breathing provided significant advantages to athletes over oral breathing.
