It is astonishing to me how many people have gone through their entire adult lives breathing primarily through their mouths. The harm that chronic mouth-breathing causes the body and mind is so extensive and well-documented that correcting this one single issue can lead to a dramatic improvement in overall well-being.
Within the Path of Yoga, we find a vast system of Breath Control, called Pranayama in Sanskrit. Pranayama is a comprehensive and elaborate system of breathing techniques aimed at bringing about various changes in our nervous system state. There are restorative techniques to calm us down and harmonize our stress levels and other techniques to fire us up and prepare for physical challenges. There are techniques to quieten the mind, to improve sleep, as well as those that stimulate digestion, hone the attention and improve memory. And yet the entire system of Pranayama assumes, as a general rule, that the person is breathing through their nose, and not through their mouth. In yoga you will often hear the nose is for breathing; the mouth is for eating. And for very good reasons as you will see.
As a Certified Breath Coach, one of the most satisfying interventions is when I can help my clients to break the habit of chronic mouth-breathing, because the improvements that people see are so startling. Some of the problems associated with chronic mouth breathing include:
- Lowered immune defense
- Dental cavities and over-crowded teeth
- Erectile dyfunction
- Bad breath
- Dry cough
- Asthma
- Slack jaw
- Baggy eyes
- Poor sleep
- Sleep apnea (breathing that stops and starts during sleep)
- Poor digestion
- Reduced cognitive function
- Concentration and memory problems
- Stress and anxiety
- Fatigue
Our nose is an extraordinary and under-appreciated organ. Rhinology is a fast-growing scientific discipline which has exploded in recent years through a deeper understanding of the complex functions of the nose and the paranasal sinuses and their impact on our health. The nose is our first line of defense against infection, colds, flu, allergies and hay fever since our nasal passages filter out coarse particles including bacteria, viruses and fungal spores. It is worth noting that 96% of all chronic rhinosinusitis is believed to be fungal.
The nose also acts as an air sterilizer, neutralizing pathogens though the release of Nitric Oxide (NO) that is stimulated through nasal breathing, particularly the inhalation. We are only just beginning to understand the benefits of Nitric Oxide. We know that it dilates the blood vessels and helps the heart to function properly by lowering blood pressure. But NO has also been discovered to be the main signalling molecule in penile erection and its deficiency can lead to erectile dysfunction.
Our nose also helps our lungs to function properly. Nose breathing stimulates the movement of lung cilia which protect our lungs against intruder cells, and reducing mucous and pathogens. The lungs function best when the air is at body temperature and 100% humidity, so the nasal passages help to moisturize and warm the air that we breathe. There is a lot more that I could add and if you’re interested I encourage you to look into it further.
In time, chronic mouth breathing shuts down the proper function of the nose so that it becomes ‘blocked’. What often surprises people is that when they begin to use their nose again, it starts to open up. It is really a case of ‘use it or lose it’.
The good news is that even if you have been mouth-breathing for decades it is possible to ‘wake up’ the nose and learn to breathe as nature intended. It won’t happen overnight, but with proper guidance and practice most people find significant improvement in as little as one week.
To learn more and for information on private and group yoga sessions/breath coaching contact me at: lavieenyoga@gmail.com
Respect yourself, explore yourself.
Rebecca
La Vie en Yoga 