3 Simple Breathing Habits to Transform Your Health
Lately I’ve been a bit obsessed with breathing. My son had a tongue tie at birth, and although it was corrected and rehabbed, we are still working on keeping his mouth closed while at rest. I myself have a narrow jaw, needed braces for many years growing up, and am working on proper breathing and tongue posture.
Breathing properly (along with proper tongue position, chewing habits, and jaw shape/function) can literally change the shape of nasal passages and jaw, allowing your entire body to perform more efficiently. Larger, more open nasal cavities allow for more air to enter. A wider jaw aids with straighter teeth, better tongue posture and (again) more efficient breathing.
It was previously thought that we are stuck with the shape of our jaw for life. However, performing certain chewing exercises can help change the shape of the jaw and even increase the amount of bone in adults and seniors (this is huge as researchers originally thought that past the age of 30 bone density decreased).
It’s estimated that 30-50% of adults are mouth breathers. Breathing through your nose (nasal breathing) is far superior to mouth breathing. When air comes in through the nose it is cleaned, warmed up, and moistened which leads to a chemical release regulating blood pressure, heart rate, etc. We get none of these benefits with mouth breathing.
Here are 3 simple things you can start doing right now:
- Close your mouth – your mouth should primarily be used for talking and eating, not inhaling. Nasal breathing has a laundry list of benefits including deeper sleep (and less snoring!), less brain fog, faster athletic recovery, decreased blood pressure, better immunity, and improved lung capacity.
- Lengthen exhales – this not only calms your nervous system but also enhances lung function and oxygenates your tissues more efficiently. The “ideal” breath is actually 5.5 seconds in and 5.5 seconds out.
- Use mouth tape or nose strips while sleeping – definitely try mouth taping during the day first. Some people can’t stand having their mouth gently taped shut overnight (a small piece of tape over the middle of lips suffices), simply don’t have large enough nasal cavities or sinuses are blocked. In this case, nasal strips can still encourage nasal breathing.
The next time you are going for a walk or driving to work, check in with yourself. Are your lips parted? Are your breaths short and shallow? The first step is awareness, and then the change is easy to make. Many people notice a big difference in how they are feeling and functioning after just a few days of employing these habits!
Source: Breath: the New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor
