By Lucy Wilcher

Connecting with our breath is a simple, FREE, and powerful tool that we can use to help us feel grounded and at ease.

Although our body breathes automatically without conscious effort, it is important that we mindfully take note of how we are breathing. As humans, we have 2 airway passages into our lungs. Our nose and its cavities have been designed specifically to help us breathe safely, efficiently, and with ease. On the other hand, our mouth was designed for speaking, eating, and drinking.

Here are some of the known benefits of nasal breathing…

- Reduce exposure to foreign particles as the nasal cavities filter the air

- Supports the immune system.

- Slows down breathing.

- Increased oxygen uptake and circulation… approximately 20% more oxygen is inhaled through the nose.

- Improves lung volume.

- Supports the diaphragm to work effectively.

- Allows correct formation of teeth and the jaw.

- Improves athletic performance

- Reduces stress, going back into your parasympathetic nervous system state.

- Supports detoxification due to stimulating lymph fluid release.

DID YOU KNOW that our nose is actually coated in erectile tissue? The same tissue that is found in our genitals! This opens and closes throughout the day when engorged with blood, and supports the airflow and our sense of smell.

So, you might be wondering, what’s the problem with mouth breathing?

There are many risks associated with mouth breathing include:

- Asthma

- Sleep apnoea

- Bad breath

- Snoring

- Teeth/jaw abnormalities

- Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums)

- Allergic reactions

- Hay fever

- Chronic stress

- Anxiety

- Panic disorders

- Sinus infections

- Poor posture

It is estimated that a whopping 30-50% of adults breathe through their mouths.

Here are some of my favorite nasal breathing techniques to start to incorporate into your day. This will help you retrain your body to start to automatically breathe in and out through the nose.

1. Belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing.

Lay down, sit up or standing tall, close down the mouth and place one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. Inhale through the nose, feel the belly rise under your hand, exhale back through the nose slowly. Repeat for approximately 10-20 breaths.

** Hint: try not to force the breath on your inhale and exhale.

2. Box breathing

This involves inhaling for 4 counts, holding your lungs full for 4 counts, exhaling for 4, and then holding your lungs empty for 4 counts. Try this for 4 rounds. Follow the diagram below.

Slow breathing techniques like these can help us tap into our parasympathetic nervous system. This is known as our rest and digest state, promoting feelings of relaxation, alertness, and comfort, and reducing symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and anger.

P.S. THIS ACTUALLY WORKS!

If you are still struggling with sleep problems, anxiety, chronic stress and would like to discuss things further;

Book a free discovery call with Lucy or Hayley.

REFERENCES:

Allen, R. (2017). The health benefits of nose breathing.

Hallani, M., Wheatley, J. R., & Amis, T. C. (2008). Enforced mouth breathing decreases lung function in mild asthmatics. Respirology, 13(4), 553-558.

Kahana-Zweig, R., Geva-Sagiv, M., Weissbrod, A., Secundo, L., Soroker, N., & Sobel, N. (2016). Measuring and Characterizing the Human Nasal Cycle. PloS one, 11(10), e0162918. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0162918

Ma, X., Yue, Z. Q., Gong, Z. Q., Zhang, H., Duan, N. Y., Shi, Y. T., ... & Li, Y. F. (2017). The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 874.

Morimoto, T., & Karolczak, A. P. B. (2012). Association between postural changes and mouth breathing in children. Fisioterapia em Movimento, 25(2), 379-388.

Motta, L. J., Bachiega, J. C., Guedes, C. C., Laranja, L. T., & Bussadori, S. K. (2011). Association between halitosis and mouth breathing in children. Clinics, 66(6), 939-942.

Russo, M. A., Santarelli, D. M., & O’Rourke, D. (2017). The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human. Breathe, 13(4), 298-309.