Could nasal breathing improve athletic performance?

An article in the Washington Post from January 2019 reports on a study that confirms what we have been teaching our clients for 17 years:

“Breathing through the mouth may not be as efficient or effective as breathing through the nose during sport.”

Main Points

• The nose is specifically designed to support our respiratory system. The primary purpose of the mouth, on the other hand, is to start the digestive process.
• The nostrils, hair and nasal passageways assist in filtering allergens and foreign bodies, preventing them from entering the lungs.
• The nose also adds moisture and warmth to inhaled air for smoother entry to the lungs.
• Nasal breathing ensures more oxygen gets to active tissues. This is because breathing through the nose releases nitric oxide and helps maintain carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) in the blood. This in turn is what releases oxygen to the working cells.  It is also because nasal breathing brings oxygen into the lower part of the lungs where the richest supply of blood is. 
• Mouth breathing causes the body to offload more CO ₂ , upsetting the balance of O ₂ and CO ₂ in our lungs and making it harder to oxygenate our cells, which can lead to lactic acid build-up, fatigue and stress.
• Nasal breathing was found to reduce anxiety, improve performance, speed recovery and boost the immune system.

Follow this link to read the full article »

Findings from this study will be no surprise to our many clients who are already benefiting from learning to breathe as nature intended.

The nose is for breathing and the mouth is for eating, drinking and talking. 

Contact our Clinic

If you struggle to breathe through your nose either at rest, when sleeping or when exercising, we can help. The first step is to book in for a breathing assessment.  

To book an assessment, or for more information, contact our clinic on 09-360 6291 or info@buteykobreathing.nz