Breathing through your nose is normally how you should be breathing, as opposed to breathing through your mouth which should be relegated to times of high stress or exercising. Anyone who makes a habit of breathing through their mouth is likely to be more prone to high blood pressure, excessive snoring, and even cavities in the teeth. Just to avoid such complications in your life, it’s worthwhile to ensure that you breathe through your nose at night. Sleep doctors who routinely work with sleep disordered breathing can tell you that in Colorado Springs and elsewhere around the country, sleep apnea is one of the biggest reasons people tend toward mouth breathing. Here are some of the benefits of sleeping with your mouth closed.
Benefits of nose breathing
When you force yourself to breathe through your nose, a number of benefits will accrue. First of all, you’ll be getting a
higher volume of good oxygen into your body, and it will be filtered much better before it reaches your lungs. Your blood pressure should also be lowered, and you should quickly develop a healthier oral microbiome.
You won’t experience dry mouth as frequently as you do when you routinely breathe through the mouth, and you won’t have bad breath as often either. Studies have been conducted which show that people who breathe through their nose at night tend to live longer lives than those who are chronic mouth-breathers. Nasal breathing can be extremely beneficial for people who have asthma, or who suffer from stress and anxiety. It has also been shown to improve athletic performance among elite athletes. If you aren’t breathing through your nose, that could be an indicator of some larger issue, like sleep apnea.
How to ensure you’re nose-breathing
It won’t take much at all to guarantee that you’re breathing through your nose at night, even though you’ll be unconscious and unable to actively control your breathing. All you have to do is put a strip of tape over your mouth through the night, and that’ll do the trick. Since your mouth opening is closed up, the only way you can bring in fresh oxygen is through the nose. Breathing through your nose is known to create more nitric oxide, which is critical for heart and lung function.
This practice also discourages sleep apnea and sleep deprivation. Patients who breathe through their nose will almost always enjoy improved sleep, with better REM and NREM scores, indicative of more restorative sleep. The cure for mouth breathing could hardly be more simple, and after a night or two with a taped mouth, you won’t even notice that the tape is there. But you’ll certainly come to notice improved sleeping habits, and a more restful sleep period at night.
What to do if you’re uncertain
If you’re not sure about whether you’re breathing through your nose or your mouth at night, you should contact the Breathing and Sleep Center in Colorado Springs. At the Center, they’ll be able to test you, and if anything is amiss, they’ll be able to recommend some options that will have you back on the right track. Call today and begin enjoying restful sleep again.
