If you’ve ever found yourself gasping for air after an intense cardio session, you’ll notice that you’re more likely to breathe through your mouth when your body is in a heightened or unusual state of discomfort. In most other cases, breathing through the nose is the most natural way to supply the body with fresh air.
Inclination to breathe with your mouth often switches on when exposed to unpleasant odours or when allergies and stuffy noses kick. Those who suffer from a deviated septum and can’t inhale smoothly through their nose might also default to mouth breathing. Humans have evolved to dedicate natural breathing to the nose, which some scientists suggest leaves our mouths free to eat without holding our breaths.
We’re usually aware when we switch between mouth and nose breathing. We might, however, fall into uncontrolled mouth breathing during sleep, and it can have some severe effects on our health.
Those who have difficulty breathing through their noses naturally during sleep are exposed to several conditions, such as dry mouth, bad breath, and gingivitis, and significantly impacts sleep quality.
Mouth breathing can also impact facial structure– studies have found that those who default to breathing through the mouth are more likely to suffer from misaligned teeth, narrowing of nostrils and an elongated chin.
Appearance aside, breathing through the nose is designed to deliver better-quality oxygen to our bodies. Air inhaled through the nose is filtered and warmed up through the nasal passageway before entering the lungs. Those who breathe through the mouth to avoid allergens might do more harm than good by eliminating the natural filtration process from their breathing.
Nitric oxide is released through the nose and brings a boost of CO2 to the bloodstream in a way that mouth breathing cannot; you might feel like you’re taking in bigger breaths, but you’re getting less oxygen out of each breath. A study found 65.4 per cent of mouth breathers were hypoxemic and shown to have below-average oxygen levels in their system.
So the next time you catch your breath after an intense workout, remember to keep your mouth closed and focus on drawing steady breaths through the nose instead.
Also see: Did Bruce Lee die from drinking too much water? What's overhydration and how to avoid it