Why nasal breathing can improve your well-being
Breathing - something we do around 20,000 times a day, usually without realizing it. But although it seems so obvious, the way we breathe is hugely important for our health, our energy levels - and even the shape of our face.
Breathing influences our nervous system
Our breathing not only controls our oxygen supply - it also directly influences our autonomic nervous system. This controls two important states:
"Fight or Flight" - the activity mode: heart rate and stress level increase.
"Rest and Digest" - the recovery mode: body regenerates, immune system works, sleep deepens.
Surprising? Perhaps. But how we breathe - through the nose or the mouth - determines which of these states we are in.
Nasal breathing puts the body into recovery mode
Nasal breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, i.e. the system that ensures rest and regeneration. This is particularly important during sleep, because only then can the body truly regenerate, strengthen the immune system and clear the brain.
Those who breathe regularly through their nose - especially at night - benefit from:
Deeper, more restful sleep
Better oxygen uptake
More energy during the day
Mouth breathing, on the other hand, disturbs sleep - and more
On the other hand, if you breathe mainly through your mouth, especially when you sleep, you risk a whole range of negative effects in the long term:
Daytime tiredness and concentration problems
Dry mouth and increased risk of tooth decay
Frequent upper respiratory tract infections
Changed facial shape (e.g. elongated face, receding chin, narrow palate)
In children in particular, chronic mouth breathing can even have a lasting effect on the development of the jaw and face.
What can you do to breathe better through your nose?
Permanently restricted nasal breathing is not a matter of fate - it often has structural causes, for example:
Narrow nasal cavity
Upper jaw too narrow
Constricted upper airways
As an orthodontist, I therefore not only examine the teeth, but also the upper airways. This is because the upper jaw is an important part of the nasal structure. If it is too narrow, the nasal cavity also remains narrow - with all the consequences described above.
In such cases, gentle expansion of the upper jaw (e.g. through distraction osteogenesis with mini-implants) can have several advantages:
Breathe more freely through the nose
Improved sleep quality
Stable bite and better tooth alignment
Three birds with one stone: Breathing - Bite - Aesthetics
If you often wake up tired in the morning, breathe through your mouth or have trouble sleeping, the reason might not (only) be in your lungs or nose - but in your jaw.