Benefits of Nasal Breathing

Nasal breathing is essential for everyone, but it is particularly crucial for asthmatics. Many people assume that the loud, fast, and noisy breathing associated with asthma is merely a symptom of the condition. However, have you ever considered that it could also be a cause? Dysfunctional breathing patterns, especially mouth breathing, can trigger or exacerbate asthma. This is why correcting these habits and adopting nasal breathing is a priority in managing the condition.

When an asthmatic breathes through their mouth, they exhale too much carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide plays a vital role in regulating breathing, and a deficiency disrupts the body's ability to efficiently deliver oxygen. Without adequate carbon dioxide, the bond between oxygen and hemoglobin remains too strong, preventing oxygen from being released into the body's tissues. This leads to air hunger, which often causes the asthmatic to breathe faster and deeper, further worsening the biochemical imbalance and reinforcing a cycle of dysfunctional breathing. Correcting this pattern by practicing nasal breathing helps restore respiratory efficiency.

Another key reason for nasal breathing is its role in regulating airway temperature and humidity. Asthmatics, particularly in winter, often experience airway constriction when cold air enters the lungs. Mouth breathing allows cold, dry air to flow directly into the airways, which can be enough to trigger an asthma episode. In contrast, nasal breathing warms and humidifies the air before it reaches the lungs, reducing the likelihood of airway constriction and irritation.

Nasal breathing also increases nitric oxide levels, which is crucial for overall respiratory health. Nitric oxide has antimicrobial properties that help ward off illness and infection. Frequent infections can lead to increased mucus production, nasal congestion, and inflammation in the airways, all of which can further exacerbate asthma symptoms. By breathing through the nose, asthmatics can help maintain clear airways and reduce the risk of respiratory infections.

Beyond breathing techniques, other factors play a role in asthma management. Diet is important in reducing inflammation in the body, as inflammation can contribute to airway sensitivity and reactivity. Breathing exercises and other practices that strengthen the respiratory system, improve posture, and enhance overall well-being are also beneficial. Additionally, stress and psychological factors can significantly impact asthma, making it important to incorporate stress-reduction techniques into daily life.

By addressing dysfunctional breathing patterns—particularly mouth breathing—along with lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and stress management, asthmatics can take important steps toward improving their respiratory health and overall well-being.

• Behavioral and Psychological Approaches to Breathing Disorders. (2013). Germany: Springer US.
• https://www.google.es/books/edition/Behavioral_and_Psychological_Approaches/OAPyBwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0

Why Asthmatics Need to Practice Nasal Breathing

Nasal breathing is essential for everyone, but it is particularly crucial for asthmatics. Many people assume that the loud, fast, and noisy breathing associated with asthma is merely a symptom of the condition. However, have you ever considered that it could also be a cause? Dysfunctional breathing patterns, especially mouth breathing, can trigger or exacerbate asthma. This is why correcting these habits and adopting nasal breathing is a priority in managing the condition.

When an asthmatic breathes through their mouth, they exhale too much carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide plays a vital role in regulating breathing, and a deficiency disrupts the body's ability to efficiently deliver oxygen. Without adequate carbon dioxide, the bond between oxygen and hemoglobin remains too strong, preventing oxygen from being released into the body's tissues. This leads to air hunger, which often causes the asthmatic to breathe faster and deeper, further worsening the biochemical imbalance and reinforcing a cycle of dysfunctional breathing. Correcting this pattern by practicing nasal breathing helps restore respiratory efficiency.

Another key reason for nasal breathing is its role in regulating airway temperature and humidity. Asthmatics, particularly in winter, often experience airway constriction when cold air enters the lungs. Mouth breathing allows cold, dry air to flow directly into the airways, which can be enough to trigger an asthma episode. In contrast, nasal breathing warms and humidifies the air before it reaches the lungs, reducing the likelihood of airway constriction and irritation.

Nasal breathing also increases nitric oxide levels, which is crucial for overall respiratory health. Nitric oxide has antimicrobial properties that help ward off illness and infection. Frequent infections can lead to increased mucus production, nasal congestion, and inflammation in the airways, all of which can further exacerbate asthma symptoms. By breathing through the nose, asthmatics can help maintain clear airways and reduce the risk of respiratory infections.

Beyond breathing techniques, other factors play a role in asthma management. Diet is important in reducing inflammation in the body, as inflammation can contribute to airway sensitivity and reactivity. Breathing exercises and other practices that strengthen the respiratory system, improve posture, and enhance overall well-being are also beneficial. Additionally, stress and psychological factors can significantly impact asthma, making it important to incorporate stress-reduction techniques into daily life.

By addressing dysfunctional breathing patterns—particularly mouth breathing—along with lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and stress management, asthmatics can take important steps toward improving their respiratory health and overall well-being.

How to Practice Nose Breathing

Transforming from mouth-breathing to nose-breathing is one of the easier patterns to correct, but it requires discipline and consistency. The goal is to ensure that you are no longer mouth-breathing and instead breathing only through your nose, both during the daytime and especially while sleeping. This can be achieved very simply by using mouth tape. You can purchase specialized mouth tape products online or use a roll of micropore tape, which is available at any pharmacy.

The practice is straightforward: before sleeping, apply the micropore tape or a specialized product to gently seal your mouth closed. This forces the adaptation process and ensures that you breathe through your nose throughout the night. In the beginning, this can be challenging—you may wake up to find the tape stuck to another part of your body. However, if you persist for one to two weeks, you will find that the tape stays in place and that you have slept the entire night breathing only through your nose. This will have transformative effects on your breathing and overall respiratory health.

Initially, nose breathing may feel difficult because of nasal congestion. There are practical steps to help with this transition. You can buy a saline solution spray from the pharmacy, which is commonly used to unblock an infant’s nose, and spray it into your nostrils 15 minutes before applying the mouth tape. This helps open the nasal passages and makes nose breathing easier. Another option is a nasal spray such as Otrivine, but caution is needed—this product should only be used for four or five days, as prolonged use can lead to dependency. If you use it, opt for the pediatric version and the minimum effective dose, discontinuing use after a few days as your nasal passages adapt.

Diet also plays a crucial role in easing the transition to nasal breathing. Experimenting with an elimination diet can help reduce inflammation and mucus production, both of which contribute to blocked airways. Since nasal breathing follows a "use it or lose it" principle, the more you practice, the easier it will become over time.

It is equally important to avoid mouth breathing during the day. If you are home alone, working, or doing household tasks, you can apply a small strip of mouth tape to encourage nasal breathing. Developing this habit requires awareness, but the more you practice, the stronger your nasal breathing capacity will become. Over time, you will fully transition away from mouth breathing.

Retraining this breathing pattern may take several weeks, but remember—this is the way the body is naturally designed to breathe. With consistency and patience, your body will adapt and support your transition to nasal breathing.

Tips

• It's advisable to track sleep patterns before and after using mouth tape. The Sleep Cycle app, utilizing your smartphone's microphone, assesses sleep quality and assigns each night a score. Through this app, sleep apnea events, snoring, and talking are logged and recorded, enabling playback the following morning. This facilitates the tracking of improvements in sleep quality before and after employing the tape.
• Use 3M branded micropore tape.
• If experiencing nasal blockage, use a saline solution before applying the tape.
  Otrivine, available over the counter in pharmacies, can help alleviate nasal blockage; however, it should only be used temporarily, and caution is advised to avoid addiction. Consider using the milder pediatric version.
• Choose the tape width and length based on personal preference, ensuring effective coverage while avoiding breathing through the sides of the mouth.
• If the tape proves too adhesive, sticking it to your arm first before applying it to your mouth.
• Try using mouth taping during the day if home alone.

Warning: Never use mouth tape on infants or young children.

Which mouth tape product should I use?

You can purchase specialized mouth-taping products online. However, the 3M branded micropore tape is a good product to use for mouth-taping. Sometimes we find that the products do not stick very well, or the humidity on the lips can mean that the tape loses its stickiness through the night. However, I and my students have always found that the 3M branded micropore tape works well, is sticky, and stays in place throughout the night.

When you purchase mouth tape, different people have preferences for different sized rolls. You may want a two-centimeter-wide roll that just covers the lips, or a five-centimeter-wide roll that also covers the skin above and below the lips. When applying the tape, you can rip it into sections. Some people prefer to use a small piece of tape that just covers the center of the mouth while leaving the sides of the mouth open. Others prefer to stick the tape across the full size of the lips or even beyond the lips. I prefer to use a two-centimeter roll that covers my lips but does not extend onto the skin above, below, or on either side of my lips.

My experience practicing nasal breathing

There were three fundamental factors that transformed my breathing: the first was nose breathing, the second was incorporating breath-hold exercises and breathwork, and the third was switching to a Paleo-style diet. Together, these three changes had a profound impact on my asthma.

I first learned about nose breathing in 2011 from a friend who had visited an Ayurvedic retreat center in India. Upon arrival, he was given a roll of micropore tape and instructed to tape his mouth shut every night. He noticed that this simple practice had a profound impact on improving his breathing. When he returned from India, he recommended that I try it, and I immediately went to a pharmacy to buy a roll of micropore tape.

I began the practice of mouth taping in 2011 and have continued it most nights since then. Initially, there was an adaptation period of several weeks. At first, I would wake up with the tape off my mouth and stuck to another part of my body, but over time, I became more comfortable with the practice and started waking up with the tape still in place. I quickly noticed that my sleep became more restful, my dry mouth from mouth breathing disappeared, and I was no longer suffering from as many respiratory infections, colds, and flu.

My asthma also improved significantly. I often describe the transformation as follows: 33% of the improvement came from nose breathing, 33% from breath-hold work, and 33% from changing my diet. These three factors were the key elements of my breathing transformation. Before mouth taping, I would often wake up with asthma symptoms due to breathing cold air directly into my lungs throughout the night. After incorporating this practice, my breathing became more resilient, my allergies reduced, and my airways stayed open during the day.

Because I was training my nasal breathing at night, I also found myself nose breathing more during the day. This shift resulted in fewer asthmatic episodes and reduced symptoms such as heavy, noisy breathing, lung constriction, and a blocked nose. I felt more energetic, experienced fewer nasal blockages, and had less mucus buildup. Over time, I became a strong advocate of this practice, recommending it to many people.

Today, I keep a box of micropore tape in my therapy office and share it with any interested clients. Many people have reported experiencing similar benefits, including less brain fog, fewer asthma symptoms, improved sleep, and enhanced mental clarity. The key to success with mouth taping is commitment—there is an initial two-week adaptation phase, but once established, it requires minimal effort while delivering significant results.

I continue to practice mouth taping almost every night, and I am especially mindful to do so if I have been eating or drinking inflammatory foods, if I am unwell, or if I notice asthma symptoms creeping back. This simple yet powerful practice has been completely worthwhile and transformative for my breathing, improving not just my asthma but my overall health and vitality.

Nasal Breathing During Exercise

The practice of mouth taping has transformed my breathing patterns from mouth breathing to nose breathing. I now breathe through my nose when I sleep and during the day. I pay close attention to maintaining nasal breathing while doing household tasks, cleaning, and office work. Additionally, I have integrated nasal breathing into my exercise routine. Most people can perform nearly all of their physical activity while breathing through their nose. With the exception of high-level performance athletes, it is unlikely that mouth breathing is necessary, even during intense workouts. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) may present a challenge, but even then, many individuals could adapt to nasal breathing.

In fact, there have been reports of Olympic athletes and endurance runners improving their performance after transitioning from mouth breathing to nasal breathing. Some have noted significant gains in efficiency, endurance, and recovery. This suggests that even elite athletes can benefit from training their breathing patterns.

In my personal exercise routine, which includes yoga, swimming, and cardio workouts such as running on a treadmill or outdoor trails, I maintain nasal breathing throughout. Even in swimming, I have developed strategies to ensure that I continue to breathe through my nose. This requires adjusting how I engage in each activity. For instance, when running, I pace myself at a speed that allows me to sustain nasal breathing. If I push too hard and feel the urge to switch to mouth breathing, I slow down. I also incorporate interval training, where I increase my speed until I approach the point of needing to mouth breathe, then slow down to restore an easy nasal breathing rhythm. Over time, this approach has helped me expand my capacity.

For swimming, I created a practice called Every Breath Counts, which involves specific breathwork techniques. When swimming front crawl, I take one breath at the start of the length and hold it until I reach the other side of the pool, incorporating breath holds into my workout. In strokes like backstroke or breaststroke, I regulate my breathing through my nose while keeping my face out of the water. However, I am mindful to practice breath-hold swimming only when a lifeguard is present, as safety is always a priority. This approach has greatly enhanced my respiratory function and overall breath control.

Beyond physical endurance, nasal breathing during exercise is a practice of attention and bodily awareness. It allows me to listen to my body, tune into its sensations, and develop a more efficient and resilient breathing system. I also integrate breath holds into my yoga practice, making my breathwork an essential part of my movement routine. This process is not about imposing rigid rules but rather about playing with different techniques and adapting them based on how I feel each day. My goal is not to push my body into stress but to work with my natural rhythms, improving cardiovascular capacity, strength, flexibility, and posture.

I am not a competitive athlete, nor am I training for races, but I am deeply committed to refining my breathing, strengthening my body, and enhancing my overall well-being. Exercise, for me, is not something to be imposed on the body but rather an opportunity for inner transformation. Through mindful movement and breathwork, I cultivate a deeper connection to my body, allowing my workouts to become a process of exploration, enjoyment, and self-improvement.