Breathing is your Superpower, Part II
In part 1 of Breathing is your Superpower, I addressed the importance of nasal breathing + proper full breaths utilizing your diaphragm.
In part II, I’d love to dive deeper around the positive effects of nasal breathing.
Did you know?
First of all, back in the stone-age we had wider and flatter facial structures that allowed appropriate space for our teeth. WHOA. Skeletal research proves that we didn’t historically need braces when there was enough space for all these pearly whites. Our teeth were naturally straight!
Second, we used to spend more time extensively chewing our food. Without the ability to cook and soften food, the whole face and jaw structure was much stronger. Modern cooking techniques have allowed us to get a bit lax in many ways.
Finally, with a wider and stronger facial structure, our nasal passages used to be wider and less restricted. Breathing was more efficient.
The basics of how we breathe is designed for a reason. At the basic core of it: we are meant to breathe through our nose and eat through our mouth.
Did you know that mouth breathing while sleeping has negative implications for your teeth and gum health? Yeah, mouth breathing at night can cause gum disease, inflamed gums, cavities, and even crooked teeth. Yikkkessss.
Intrigued so far?
All of this information is gathered and studied from James Nestor’s book: Breath; the new science of a lost art.
Modern Problems
We have narrower facial structures, weaker jaw structure, and narrower nasal passages. Everything’s a bit squished! This creates constricted breathing, snoring, mouth-breathing, sleep apnea, insomnia, and other related breathing related-issues.
Lack of proper sleep, and breathing incorrectly during the day/night, leads to concerns with depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. Physical health is also greatly impacted. Do I need to list them all? It’s a lot.
There’s Hope!
Whew did I lose you? Not all hope is lost I promise!
I’ve been clinging to the quote:
“Nasal breathing begets nasal breathing.” - James Nestor
The more you can practice breathing through your nose, the more you are strengthening your ability to breathe easier and more often through your nose!
Breathing through your nose impacts common problems such as:
dental hygiene: saliva is helpful for teeth, gum health, and even promotes straighter teeth!
snoring: utilizing your nasal passages helps them get wider, stronger, more efficient.
physical health: breathing through your nose during workouts to improve Vo2 max. It’s real hard at first! Give is a try for a few seconds each time and notice how your progress builds.
mental health: short or shallow breaths through the mouth can contribute to anxiety, depression, insomnia, and more. Breathing your nose regularly can soothe your nervous system and set you up for quality sleep and mindset.
yoga & meditation: practice nasal breathing in your yoga and meditation sessions. Notice how nostril breathing can increase calm, focus, and mindfulness in your practice.
