Breathing through your nose is better for your health. Humans are meant to naturally breath through the nose, which filters, warms, and humidifies the air that we breath.
Habitual mouth breathing is associated with a host of medical issues, including sleep problems, dental decay, bad breath, and jaw malformation in children. Mouth breathing may also be associated with reduced mental function. When Japanese researchers obstructed the nostrils of rats, forcing them to breath through their mouths, they needed twice as long to navigate a maze.
Try to keep you mouth closed when breathing normally. This does add resistance to airflow, which is beneficial for your heart, lungs and cognitive function. It is normal to revert to mouth breathing when exercising strenuously. If you snore or wake up with a dry mouth or nasal congestion, you are probably mouth breathing in your sleep, which is associated with poorer quality, less restorative sleep.
If you are unable to breath comfortably through your nose at rest or when lying down, you may have a medical condition, such as allergies, or a structural problem, such as a deviated nasal septum or nasal polyps.
Use your nose!!! If you can’t, see one of the nose specialists at Great Neck ENT.
