"The health benefits of nose breathing are undeniable" A huge boost of nitric oxide is released from the sinuses, not happening with mouth breathing. Nitric oxide plays an essential role in increasing circulation and delivering oxygen into cells. What else can nitric oxide do for you? Improve immune function (✅), weight management (✅), circulation (✅), mood(✅) and other unmentionable, pleasurable functions (✅)...if you know what I mean.
"Nasal breathing alone can boost nitric oxide sixfold which helps us absorb about 18 percent more oxygen than breathing though the mouth." We haven't even mentioned all the sleep benefits that help with problems such as snoring and sleep apnea and overall, providing a better quality of sleep.
Additionally, we all need take longer, more restorative breaths. Breathe out until you expel all the carbon dioxide. Why would you pour more water into your cup if you still have half a glass left. Same with your breath. You want to breathe in and breathe out (THROUGH THE NOSE PLEASE) for 5 seconds or so. I realize you cannot do this all the time so just try it once a day and notice how much better you feel and how it automatically relaxes you without doing anything difficult; just breathing properly. Something humans have done for thousands of years but somewhere along the way, we forgot how to breathe properly.
TIP: Try it when you are stressed or when you want to fall asleep because your respiratory system and your nervous system are purposefully linked to affect each other immediately.
You have at your fingertips, the tools you need to help yourself feel better. Keep in touch for more of these tools and how to use them when needed.
Thank you to James Nestor for his wonderful book called Breath which I pulled from for this article.
Helping you become a happier, healthier human.
~Love!
Kelli