Breathing is something we all do without thinking. It’s perhaps the most basic function of life. From our first breath of air when we are born to the last breath we take before our bodies die, breathing is sustaining us with so many benefits. In this article, you are going to see that how we breathe really does matter.
Did you know that there is a correct or most beneficial way to breathe?
Are you a mouth breather? A shallow breather? Do you snore? Did you know that snoring is the number three cause of divorce? If you snore or mouth breathe, you are not alone. There are millions of people who snore or mouth breathe. If you’re a snorer or mouth breather, then you could highly benefit from this information. If you are already a nose breather, you too could benefit by further enhancing your lung capacity and efficiency. Either way, I think that you will find this information very enlightening, and maybe even life-changing.
I started to investigate breathing after hearing Sachin Patel, MD, PhD, speak at two different conferences. Prior to this, I had no idea how important the way we breathe truly is. He said, “Breath is the steering wheel of the nervous system.”
I learned that breathing correctly can support healthy blood pressure, blood sugar levels, the cardiovascular system, the digestive system, and the immune system. Is there anything else? It seems like the way we breathe impacts everything!
How do we breathe correctly to optimize our health?
We should be breathing in through our noses and out through our noses around 99% of the time. With mild exertion, we may breathe in through our noses and out through our mouths. With extreme exertion, we may breathe in and out through our mouths, but we should return to nose breathing as soon as possible afterwards. Dr. Patel called these the “three gears of breathing.”
Breathing should be slow and steady. Breathing should be inaudible. The mouth should be closed, and the jaw should be relaxed. Generally, the inhale should take about five to six seconds, as should the exhale. You can tune into your breathing now and see how you’re doing. 😊
If you are a mouth breather or snorer, it may be more detrimental to your health than you realize.
Here are some fun facts that Dr. Patel shared:
- Mouth breathers require more sugar to stimulate their taste buds
- Behavioral/learning disorders in children may be related to mouth breathing
- Humming can support healthy nitric oxide levels
- Mouth breathing is the number one cause of cavities
- The way we breathe affects our facial structure
- Our breathing informs our nervous system to create hormones and neurotransmitters
Not sure if you are a mouth breather? Here are some signs of mouth breathing:
- Dry mouth
- Bad breath
- Drooling at night
- Snoring
- Waking often to pee at night
- Feeling tired upon waking
- Feeling stressed for no apparent reason\
- Having high blood pressure
- Struggling to maintain focus and concentration
- Always feeling thirsty
Why is breathing through the nose so important? Nose breathing…
- Pressurizes the air to increase oxygen delivery
- Regulates the moisture in the air
- Regulates the temperature of the air
- Regulates the nervous system
- Promotes oral health, minimizing harmful bacteria in the mouth
- Disinfects the air
- Has anti-diuretic benefits
In case you need additional incentives to improve your breathing, here are other important functions of breathing:.
- Removing carbon dioxide
- Regulating pH levels
- Assisting the heart in moving and nourishing the blood
- Moving the lymphatic fluids
- Regulating emotions
- Supporting circulation
- Supporting all aspects of life - body, mind, and spirit
Snoring or mouth breathing is related to Alzheimer’s, diabetes, insulin resistance, mental health issues, and weight gain. Wow! We can see that how we breathe is so important!
If you snore or mouth breathe, you can take steps to improve your health right now.
You can become more intentional about how you breathe. Focus on breathing in and out through your nose as much as possible. You can use mouth tape or athletic tape across your mouth or over your lips at night as a training tool. Some people have been able to retrain their breathing in a matter of days; for others, it may take longer. But you can see that the benefits of breathing correctly can make doing this very worthwhile.
All of us can benefit from improving our breathing and lung capacity. In so doing, we can age more gracefully and support the many functions of the body that we have previously discussed.
For the next two minutes, see if you can breathe five seconds in and five seconds out through your nose. Gently. Effortlessly. Without a sound.
Happy, healthy breathing!
--Anita
