Key Takeaways
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Nose breathing filters, humidifies, and warms the air you take in before it reaches the lungs, improving oxygen delivery and breathing efficiency.
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Breathing through your nose has full-body benefits by supporting better sleep, lowering blood pressure, and enhancing oral health by reducing dry mouth and bad breath.
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Nasal breathing may also boost exercise performance by increasing nitric oxide production and improving your oxygen intake.
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Making the switch from mouth breathing to nose breathing can reduce the risk of concerns like sleep apnea, snoring, and jaw or dental issues.
If you wake up with a dry mouth, struggle with snoring, or feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, there’s a high chance these issues could be linked to mouth breathing. The solution is actually pretty simple: switch to nose breathing and witness the amazing benefits!
Nose breathing improves your health by filtering air, producing nitric oxide for better oxygen delivery, and supporting a healthy mouth and airway. The benefits of nasal breathing may include improved sleep quality, reduced blood pressure, enhanced exercise performance, and better oral health.
In this article, you’ll learn all about the key differences between nose and mouth breathing, the health benefits of nostril breathing, and find practical ways to improve your breathing habits.
Understanding Nose Breathing
Nose breathing, or nasal breathing, refers to the habit of drawing air through the nostrils instead of your mouth. Unlike mouth breathing, nasal breathing is our body’s most natural and preferred breathing method. Not only does nasal breathing filter dust, allergens, and bacteria through the nasal tissues before the air reaches your lungs, but it also humidifies and warms the air, protecting the airway from irritation and dryness.
What’s more, breathing through your nose increases the release of nitric oxide, which widens blood vessels, supports circulation, and boosts oxygen delivery.
By contrast, mouth breathers often experience dry mouth, bad breath, snoring, and reduced oxygen intake. Addressing blocked nasal airways and bad breathing habits can help prevent the long-term side effects of mouth breathing.
Check out our guide: Why can’t I breathe through my nose?
Health Benefits of Nose Breathing
The health benefits of nose breathing can have a cascading effect throughout the whole body. From your oral health to sleep quality and cardiovascular wellness, the positive effects of this simple habit are truly impressive. Let’s take a deeper look.
Better Sleep and Reduced Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Nasal breathing is the best breathing habit to promote deep, restful sleep. Not only does nasal breathing help to keep the airway open and reduce the vibrations in your throat that can cause snoring, but it also promotes REM sleep by activating your parasympathetic nervous system and reducing disruptions to your sleep cycle. (1) (2)
Sleep apnea symptoms may also be improved with nasal breathing at night, since mouth breathing can worsen apnea episodes by causing tissue collapse in the throat. (3)
Take a look at some of the benefits of mouth taping for sleep.
Improved Oral Health
When you breathe through your nose, saliva production is properly maintained, and your mouth remains at the right pH and moisture level.
Having a moist mouth is crucial for oral health, as it helps protect your teeth and gums from bacteria and plaque buildup.
If you breathe through your mouth instead of your nose, constant airflow over the mucosal membranes in your oral cavity can cause saliva to evaporate, leading to a dry mouth at night, which can contribute to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria, which might cause bad breath and lead to more cavities. (4) (5)
Promotes Proper Jaw Development
Nasal breathing can promote proper jaw development and alignment by encouraging your tongue to rest against the roof of your mouth, which can help to shape the upper jaw and promote a healthy bite.
This can help prevent the development of malocclusions and other dental issues, leading to better oral health and facial structure.
We cover more ways on how to make your jawline wider and more defined in this guide.
Enhanced Exercise Performance
When you breathe through your nose while exercising, nitric oxide levels increase, which helps your blood vessels dilate while boosting circulation, too. This improves oxygen delivery to your muscles and supports endurance during tough workouts. (6) (7)
Mouth breathing, on the other hand, can cause shallow, inefficient breathing during exertion, that can worsen your exercise performance.
Better Blood Pressure Regulation
Nose breathing has the potential to lower your blood pressure by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which reduces stress and slows down your heart rate.
Breathing through your nose also produces nitric oxide, the molecule that helps dilate blood vessels and improve blood flow. This dilation reduces the resistance the heart has to pump against, thereby potentially lowering blood pressure.
Consistently breathing through your nose can create a long-term impact on cardiovascular health and stress resilience. (8) (9)
What if you want to practice nose breathing, but you’re waking up with a stuffy nose or struggling with nasal breathing problems? Check out our guide: Why can’t I breathe through my nose?
Nose Breathing vs. Mouth Breathing
Nose Breathing: Filters and humidifies air, improves oxygenation and exercise performance, reduces stress and blood pressure, and improves sleep apnea severity.
Mouth Breathing: Increases the risk of gum disease, bad breath, and snoring, and worsens the symptoms of sleep apnea. It dries out your mouth and can even affect jaw development, especially in children.
Keep reading more about mouth breathing vs. nose breathing.
Effective Ways to Improve Nose Breathing
If you want to make the switch from mouth breathing to nose breathing, here are a few easy ways to start changing your habits and enjoying the benefits.
Practice Mouth Taping
If you’re someone who struggles with chronic mouth breathing, Dream Recovery Mouth Tape offers a simple, effective fix. This lightweight tape, made from organic bamboo silk and hypoallergenic adhesive, gently keeps your mouth closed, encouraging nasal breathing.
Benefits include:
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Better oxygen intake
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Reduced snoring
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Deeper, more restful sleep
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Improved oral health
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Lower stress levels
Mouth taping is a non-invasive solution that re-trains breathing patterns without needing expensive devices.
Note: You should only use mouth tape when nasal breathing is not obstructed.
Find out more about how to mouth tape for sleep and some other ways to train yourself to sleep with your mouth closed.
Use Nasal Strips or Dilators
One of the easiest ways to instantly improve nasal breathing is with nasal strips or dilators.
When it comes to nasal strips vs. nasal dilators, both of these devices work in a similar way to open up the nasal passages, however, strips are positioned on the outside of your nose, while dilators are placed inside.
Dream Recovery Second Wind Nasal Strips have been proven to instantly improve your nasal breathing by up to 33%. Unlike other nasal strips, they stay put for up to 12 hours without skin irritation or redness.
Find out more about the best nasal strips for snoring and the best nasal dilators for snoring.
Try Breathing Exercises
Certain techniques, like alternate nostril breathing and belly breathing, might help you to strengthen your nasal passages, improve diaphragmatic breathing, and create more of a habit out of nasal breathing.
These exercises can also enhance relaxation, so it’s a great practice to incorporate into your evening routine for better sleep.
Enhance Your Nasal Breathing and Overall Health with Dream Recovery
Nose breathing is one of the simplest ways to improve your health, sleep, and daily performance.
By reducing your reliance on unhealthy mouth breathing and embracing nostril breathing, you can protect oral health and energy levels, while lowering your stress and blood pressure levels, too.
It’s not always easy to make the switch from mouth breathing to nasal breathing, especially if it’s been a long-term habit. That’s why Dream Recovery offers products like Dream Mouth Tape and Second Wind Nasal Strips to support your journey towards healthier breathing habits.
Embrace nasal breathing now with the help of Dream Mouth Tape and Second Wind Nasal Strips.