Most people take the act of breathing for granted. We just do it and never think about it, but there appears to be a wide diversity of opinion on how to breathe.
Let’s look at some of the science behind breathing. You would think that the more air you can breathe the better, but just the opposite is true. There is more to breathing than just getting oxygen into the body; you must get the oxygen to the muscles and brain. For this to occur the body needs to have enough carbon dioxide (CO2) present. Without enough CO2, your blood chemistry will not be conducive for transferring the oxygen molecule off your red blood cells. (1) If this happens, you will have plenty of free-circulating oxygen in the blood, but it will be unable to get to the muscles and brain. The result is lactic acid buildup, muscle burn and fatigue.
Because your mouth can inhale and exhale greater volume than your nostrils, mouth breathing expels too much CO2. In 1972 it was discovered that nasal breathing creates 50% more resistance to the airflow than mouth breathing, allowing for a more stable airway, but allows the body to breathe up to 20% more oxygen. (2) By having the air pass through your nose, it is filtered by fine fibers called cilia, humidified by the warmth of the body and mixed with nitric oxide. Nitric oxide allows your blood vessels to relax, is extremely good at transporting oxygen to the muscles and brain and disinfects the air. In realty, the amount of CO2 present in your body regulates your breathing, not the amount of oxygen. (3) This is why you should inhale and exhale through your nose whenever possible.
Try this simple test: Place one hand on your chest, the other on your stomach, and breathe through your mouth. You should feel your chest move. Now breathe through your nose. You should feel your stomach move. Why is this important? Chest breathing stimulates the fight-or-flight response, and stomach or belly breathing stimulates the relaxation response. (4) How many times have you wanted to relax, calm your nerves, and took a big breath through your mouth? You should have taken that breath through your nose. In addition, belly breathing allows you to absorb up to six times more oxygen with each breath than mouth breathing. (5) Nasal or belly breathing also stimulates the lymphatic system in the body, removing significant amounts of body toxins. (6)
Here is another simple test: It shows the impact of excess fluid loss when mouth breathing. This can have a dramatic effect with muscle cramping and injuries during competition. Place a mirror under your nose and breathe onto it. Two small wet spots will appear. Now put the mirror up to your mouth and breathe onto it. Compare the size of the moisture rings. The difference in the size of the moisture rings is significant, and shows how mouth breathing exacerbates fluid loss, especially during the summer months.
The process of breathing, either performed properly or improperly, can have a major influence on virtually every muscle, organ or body process. Breathing is not an optional body function. For this reason, the more you learn about it, the greater the chances of optimizing your results, in sports or life in general.
- “Blood and Lymphatic System,” Gerald Litwack PhD., in Human Biochemistry, 2018
- “The Effects of Breathing on Emotion and Behavior,” Cottle, 1972: Rohrer, 1915
- “Nasal Nitric Oxide in Man,” J O N Lundberga, E Weitzbergb, Thorax 1999;54:947-952.
- “Stress and the Role of Breathing,” George S. Everly,
- Respiratory Physiology (West, 2000)
- “The Benefits of Abdominal Breathing Exercises in the Management of
Lymphedema”, Dec. 30, 2015, Lymphedema Management
About the Author: Martin Denbar, DDS is a general dentist in Austin, Texas. His private practice is devoted to treating sleep apnea patients with oral appliances. He is a Diplomate with the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Texas A&M School of Medicine and founder of High Performance Breathing Technology.
