The Benefits of Nose Breathing Exercises

Nose breathing exercises are increasing in popularity right now, as health and wellness consumers are becoming more and more interested in breath control techniques. 

People are promoting a "nose to exhale" breathing, but the questions we ask are – why? 

Where did this come from and how do we help our clients with it? Historically, nose breathing, unlike its sister disciplines east and west, has remained hidden until the 21st century. 

Although a major part of yoga focuses almost solely on breathing exercises, the ancient texts of yoga have a wealth of discussion.

When we are considering the benefits of the nose-to-exhale breathing, we must look at history for our first clue. It would take four whole regional texts to instruct on the single act of breathing. 

That’s how important and intricate breathing is in yoga, and yet the Yogabhyasi is not told once to breathe through his nose. 

The advantage of breathing through your nose is that the muscles before the lungs act as a neutral filter, and the natural process of the nose is very good at humidifying and heating or cooling every breath in a comfortable bandwidth. 

Just moving the air on the shorter path from nose opening to lung opening and avoiding as much unnecessary irritation is preferable. 

Equally, if one does the technique of retention of breath, it makes sense to breathe exclusively through the nose because of the built-in restriction and subsequent less air going to the brain on inhalation. 

The body benefits from the retention of CO2 while holding its breath. And thus, it utilizes the minimum amount of fresh oxygen to awaken the body. 

Moreover, just as the nose does with its natural path, it effectively encourages gas exchange.

Overview of Nose Breathing Exercises

Overview It’s estimated that conscious nose breathing is twice as physiologically efficient as mouth breathing. 

Studies have shown that it’s common for people with chronic respiratory issues to breathe through the mouth or to exhibit upper-chest or shallow breathing patterns. 

These types of breathing patterns can cause you to take in more breaths per minute and inhale and exhale more air than is healthy for the body, leading to a decreased level of CO2, higher upper-chest breathing, and reduced levels of oxygen delivery to the cells. 

In simple terms, nose breathing is a form of controlled, slower breathing, while mouth breathing is inefficient and leads to faster, more shallow breathing patterns.

The primary idea behind nose breathing exercises is to have people cultivate this breathing pattern who may have moved away from it. 

When we breathe through our nose, the nasal hairs and turbinates act to filter the air we breathe in by trapping particles and microbes we do not want in our lungs.

 These passages also help to warm or cool the air intake so that during the winter the air is warm and on hot summer days, the air stays cool. They also help to prevent dehydration by adding moisture to the air. 

People who follow certain methods also believe in the physiological advantage of nose breathing and recommend nose as well as diaphragmatic breathing techniques. 

Other practices, including Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and Yogic traditions, recommend the practice of nose breathing for clearing out stress signals or qi congestion in the body. 

All of these different practices have in common the focus on breath and its connection to the body and mind. Modern data on breathing, particularly nose breath, is now gaining ground and appealing to health enthusiasts given how the technique is deeply connected to improved physical capabilities and mental well-being.

Physical Benefits

On a physical level, nose breathing is known to enhance oxygenation. This is because the mucous membranes in the nasal passages release a gas called nitric oxide, which helps blood vessels to dilate more easily. 

This leads to more rapid, broader oxygen delivery to ovarian tissue and organs. When the body’s tissues and organs are able to absorb and utilize oxygen more, a process known as oxygen utilization naturally goes up. 

This, in turn, helps to enhance energy levels and physical as well as mental performance. The heightened oxygen delivery and better blood circulation that accompanies nasal breathing is also known to promote healthy digestion and immune function. 

Our digestive organs require a lot of oxygen to carry out their functions, including moving and processing food. Better oxygenation of these organs can, therefore, improve metabolic function by enhancing the assimilation and breakdown of nutrients. 

From a lifestyle point of view, better oxygen transport can also help reduce feelings of lethargy and bloating following a heavy meal. Harmful parasites, viruses, and bacteria also tend to be anaerobic in nature, which means they tend to thrive in environments with poor oxygen circulation. 

In clinical trials, patients with chronic sinusitis who breathed through the mouth were three times more likely to develop respiratory infections compared with those who breathed through the nose.

Improved Oxygenation

Nose breathing facilitates oxygen uptake; science confirms this. Our noses help regulate the oxygen we take in so that we can use it more efficiently. 

Air is filtered and conditioned as it passes through the nasal cavities before reaching the lungs. Compared to oral breathing, nasal breathing promotes optimal blood flow, red blood cell exchange, and oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer from the alveoli to blood. 

This benefits the circulatory system and oxygenates the body's tissues on a cellular level. 

As a result, athletes who nasal breathe have been shown to outperform those who orally breathe. Nose breathing permits swifter recovery after exertion.

Slow respiration using the nostrils has been shown to increase blood oxygen levels. Breathing more deeply further bolsters this. 

The only others who equal the increased oxygen levels produced by nostril breathing are persons who practice cardiovascular exercise. 

More oxygen in the blood benefits health and prevents disease. At rest and during physical activity, those who breathe only through the nose experience a greater oxygen level and better breathing. 

Someone who is accustomed to orally breathing can expect health to improve through respiratory retraining. Increased oxygen may lead to faster running times. 

Athletes in a recent survey said they ran better when they focused on breathing properly. Some said they took up nose breathing and noticed an improvement. 

Oxygen in the body is used more efficiently thanks to respiring through the nostrils. Overall, due to how it is able to enhance the amount of oxygen the body can use, nose breathing is really fantastic for physical fitness. 

This results in a person being more physically fit. Pertaining to running, a fit person will complete a race in a faster time. This can be the same in other physical activities such as swimming.

Mental Health Benefits

Nose breathing exercises can greatly boost your psychological well-being. Many studies have demonstrated that relaxing and slowing your breathing rate can reduce anxiety not only in the short term but also on a day-to-day basis. 

Simply put, by reducing the body’s physical response to stress, we can begin to combat our mental and emotional reactions to stress. 

Techniques like square breathing or Nadi Shodhana can help you manage feelings of restlessness, anxiety, or stress, and delve into mental calm and clarity. 

Nasal breathing and breathing processes in general have a direct impact on this process.

How, exactly, can nose breathing stave off anxiety? Nose breathing switches on the relaxation response and allows the body to rest. 

When you breathe through your nose, you stimulate the lower lung, which results in optimal diaphragmatic breathing, the natural mechanism by which the lower lung rebounds outwards against the abdominal viscera to promote exhalation and lower your heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormone levels. 

At the same time, you activate and encourage functional abdominal pelvic floor and diaphragmatic breathing. This type of breath is akin to a yoga breath, which travels into the lower part of the chest, rather than the upper lobes. 

Envision the way an infant naturally breathes—through the nose and into the abdomen. Regular adherence to diaphragmatic breath is shown to help you return to a state of relaxation faster after a stressful period. 

This diaphragmatic breathing is what you sign up for when you do any of the nose breathing exercises below. 

Practices such as mindfulness often invite breath awareness as a fundamental and grounding technique to develop mental clarity and focus.

Stress Reduction

Many individuals are drawn to nose breathing exercises for the sole purpose of calming the mind and reducing stress. There are physiological reasons why bringing attention to the breath will lower stress responses. 

When we take time to notice the breath, our breathing naturally slows down. This triggers a chain reaction of slowing down the entire autonomic nervous system. 

When the breath slows, the heart rate slows, and parasympathetic functions (calmness) are triggered more intensely. 

This activation also lowers the fight-or-flight response. New research is diving deeper into the long-held understanding of this system. 

Research identifies that the breath can also activate the vagus nerve, which in turn signals the parasympathetic nervous system. Many well-known yoga teachers recommend guided meditations that promote feelings of relaxation and calmness. 

These meditations can be done in as little as 15 minutes and are also great tools for acting as sleep aids. Individuals who have practiced these exercises report feeling more peaceful, improving clarity and focus with work, and worrying less about the opinions of others. 

A recent study has concluded that deep breathing may reduce levels of anxiety as measured by both subjective and objective markers. 

It is reported in several yoga texts that the practice of deep breathing can overcome many psychological imbalances, such as anxiety, fears, or grief. 

Further, several yoga texts propose that regular practice of pranayama transforms the habitual tendencies of the mind, making it an insightful technique for those already practicing meditation. 

Given the recent evidence for its benefits, the inclusion of nose breathing as part of our daily practice may further encourage some people to develop awareness of their breathing patterns and stimulate them to take control of their lives for the better.

Practical Applications

The last section of the discussion concludes workout routines and can offer some practical applications. When warming up, you can start with a yoga pose called alternate nostril breath. 

This will be a gentle way of alternating between inhaling and exhaling through each nasal passage quickly, without feeling worried if a workout ends up feeling compromised. 

Additionally, walks may be good to start with as well. For example, you may take a 20-minute brisk walk with only in-breaths through the nose if you have access to a safe environment. 

This walk should not be a power walk per se, and you may monitor how your cardiorespiratory response is during the walk. 

After that, it would be advisable for many people to include some form of mindfulness meditation practice to increase awareness of breathing patterns while nasal-only breathing.

Another thing to consider is an experiment of just sitting cross-legged in a quiet environment and breathing through your nose for 5-10 minutes. Once it has passed, take a sheet of paper and write down how your body feels. Are you experiencing less tension, stress, and anxiety? 

Are you experiencing improved concentration and focus? Are you feeling more relaxed, peaceful, intellectually clear, or heightened in other activities? 

Along these lines, it is important to try to nasal breathe when you may be waiting for a meeting to begin, before work, or during free blocks of time during the day. For long-term benefits, this exercise must produce a commitment to consciously breathing through the nose. 

Optimally, it will be the setting of a routine where nasal patency may be less effortful and regain the proper use of the nose. Local nasal applications should be included as adjunctive therapies to relieve congestion.

Incorporating Nose Breathing Exercises into Daily Routine

Incorporating nose breathing practices into one's daily routine is a sure way to make a very small commitment to a significant lifestyle change. The prospect of a life filled with overall resonance and wellness from such an easy, accessible activity is one that is too rich to pass up. 

Taking nose breaths into different situations begins immediately. When exercising, make a point of breathing only through the nose, even while that may require slowing down the pace of the activity. 

While driving or riding in the car, make an effort to switch to nose breathing, even when compelled to talk. Arrangements for walking in a park either during work hours or on an off day at the time of day when the least human traffic is expected should be made in order to ensure that one can walk alone and quietly. 

Multiple opportunities for quiet, uninterrupted nose breathing as well as focusing on the nose scent, the air temperature, and all of the ambient sounds will present themselves. 

With a little creativity and flexibility, all of the events in a person's days can be interspersed with the lens of nose breathing, thereby taking advantage of the available opportunities to refine the nose. 

There are valid reasons why people may feel unsure about taking on nose breathing. For some, they may find that the nose is always crowded, and so the thought of trying to breathe through it is an exhausting concept. 

Sometimes, people might be unsure about when to use nose breathing instead of mouth breathing. Personalizing these parts comes down to intuition and personal experience. 

Additionally, some people may not connect well with genuine curiosity, or they may find it difficult to maintain attention on the sensations of their nose if they are not already used to practicing this kind of exercise. 

It is important to understand that all of these concerns are very valid and that the goal is not to add more stress or shame to the body or mind, but rather to add a little bit of air. 

If people find that they run through any of these concerns, they should acknowledge that some time to adjust is completely valid and honing the nose process surrounding breathing is very much a unique process.

Conclusion

To sum up, nose breathing exercises hold potential to better physical health through injury prevention and increased oxygenation. Mental health also benefits from these exercises, with stress reduction a common outcome. 

The ability to introduce these breathing practices into a range of exercises, alongside mindfulness practices, presents options for user engagement. The mind-body aspect of these exercises creates additional options for stress release and enjoyment of physical activity. 

There are numerous potential benefits of focusing more on a shift toward nose breathing. The physical and mental benefits are feasible outcomes given the synergistic nature of physical and mental therapies for health improvement, disease prevention, and health maintenance. 

Regular non-stress-driven nose breathing may alleviate a range of physical and mental health issues, including anxiety, heart disease, stroke factors, cognitive or physical fatigue, and breathing-related conditions such as sleep disorders, chronic pain, asthma, and elite athletic performance.

Consequently, individuals are encouraged to experiment with nose breathing exercises, working to incorporate beneficial techniques and changes into personal activities. 

Maintaining a sense of breathing autonomy for exercise and other activities encourages individual control and empowerment. Scientific exploration of the continued potential benefits should continue in this diverse area.