Why I keep banging on about proper breathing
Why I keep banging on about proper breathing
In my experience a large percentage of the population are mouth breathers. There are a number of factors that can potentially cause this: food allergies, chronic mental and emotional stress, caffeine and alcohol just to name a few.
Practicing breathing through your nose is one of the easiest and most beneficial things you can do for the overall health of your body and for your longevity.
Why mouth breathing is not such a good things for someone's health
Breathing should be ideally passive and with little effort. We should not hear or notice someone breathing. Breathing heavily causes blood vessels to constrict. This is one reason why mouth breathers are tired a lot of the time.
There is less delivery of Oxygen in mouth breathing
Carbon Dioxide is key for how Oxygen gets released from red blood cells into our tissues and our organs. When you breathe heavily you lose CO2, which results in O2 sticking to thehemoglobin and not getting released. Basically the heavier you are breathing the less Oxygen is getting released.
With this heavy breathing also comes a vasoconstrictive effect and up to a 50% restriction of our blood flow up to our brain.- not ideal.
Your nose is the only organ that prepares you to breathe properly. When we breathe through our mouths it can lead to chronic hyperventilation, reduced blood circulation, lowering of Carbon Dioxide levels, and vasoconstriction of our airways! Chronic mouth breathing will have potentially detrimental effects on overall health such as sleep apnea,high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma and allergies.
Nasal breathing produces nitric oxide. Enzymes have been found in the nose and in the paranasal sinuses that produce Nitric Oxide. Nitric Oxide levels in the sinuses are even much higher than what is produced in the nose. These findings show that the main site for Nitric Oxide production is the paranasal sinuses. (Lundberg et al 1995).
What are the benefits of producing Nitric Oxide:
Defends the immune system: destruction of viruses and parasitic organisms Studies indicate that Nitric Oxide may also help to reduce respiratory tract infection by inactivating viruses and inhibiting their replication in epithelial cells.(Martel. et al 2020)
Promotes a healthy digestive tract by regulating the secretion of digestive hormones and enzymes
As a vasodilator it decreases blood pressure and improves blood flow to the organs
Anti-inflammatory action in the arteries
Improved energy with better oxygen delivery
Enhances memory and learning.
Prevents blood clotting and obstructions in the arteries
Sit or stand with good posture try 3-4 sets of 12 nasal breathes each day for better health and vitality