On average, we breathe around 25,000 times a day. But very few of us have ever stopped to ask ourselves if we are doing it correctly! Most people consider breathing an automatic bodily process, and certainly nothing they need to worry about optimising.
But the truth is, how you breathe has massive implications for your energy, sleep, mood, and even your face. You may have heard this before, but nasal breathing (in through the nose) is not just better, it’s what your body is evolutionarily designed to do! And few people realise that mouth breathing, especially when chronic, can quietly wreak havoc on your health and wellness.
This article explores why nasal breathing matters, how it changes your health, and how to effortlessly build good breathing habits using visibility and cues.
Why Nasal Breathing Is Better (and Mouth Breathing Is Not)
Breathing through your nose is what your biology is designed to do. The nose humidifies, filters, and warms the air before it reaches your lungs. It also produces nitric oxide, a molecule that helps widen blood vessels, improving oxygen delivery and circulation.
Nasal breathing also activates your diaphragm, encourages better posture, and balances your nervous system, promoting calm instead of stress. It helps with sleep quality, blood pressure, and even facial development in children.
Mouth breathing, on the other hand, skips all of that. It dries the mouth (contributing to bad breath and gum issues), encourages shallow chest breathing (which can trigger anxiety), and disrupts sleep quality. Long term, it’s been linked to fatigue, poor focus, and increased stress.
What the Book Breath Got Right
In the bestselling book Breath by James Nestor, the author undergoes a radical experiment: for 10 days, he breathes only through his mouth, with his nose taped shut.
The results were dramatic. Within days, his blood pressure spikes, his sleep becomes fragmented and noisy with snoring, and his mood and energy plummet. Once he returns to nasal breathing, the improvements are equally dramatic: better sleep, energy, and cognitive performance.
This experiment proves that how you breathe really does matter, and that switching to (or increasing your amount of) nasal breathing is one of the fastest ways to improve your general health and wellbeing.
How to Rebuild the Habit of Nasal Breathing
If you’re a mouth breather, especially at night, don’t panic. There are plenty of steps you can take to gently nudge this often subconscious bodily function towards healthier nasal breathing. Chances are that you’re not actively choosing to breathe through your mouth, stress, posture, nasal congestion, and simple habit all play a role.
Here are a few strategies to get you breathing the way that nature intended you to:
- The most effective way to rewire your breathing is to practice awareness. A few times a day, stop and ask, “Am I breathing through my nose?” The more you catch and correct it, the more automatic it will become. You might try setting a phone alarm to ring periodically throughout the day so you can check on your breathing and make the necessary correction.
- Another excellent strategy is to use visibility as a cue. Try placing sticky notes where you’ll see them, for example, on mirrors, laptops, and kettles with a simple message: “Breathe through your nose.” If you’re really serious about it, you could replace your phone lock screen with that message so you’ll be reminded whenever you check your mobile.
- If you breathe through your mouth at night, you can try mouth tape (assuming that you’re medically able to do so safely). This involves taping your lips with a small strip of sleep tape. This can train your body to stay nasal breathing overnight. However, be sure to consult a doctor if you have nasal issues or sleep apnoea.
- Be careful to notice your stress moments, as mouth breathing tends to spike when you’re anxious. When you’re in traffic, in a meeting, or multitasking, check in on your breathing and remember to breathe through your nose.
- Finally, do your part by supporting nasal breathing physically. Often, people breathe through their mouths because of an issue with their nasal airways. Clear blocked sinuses with saline rinses or nasal strips before bed.
Bonus: Are You Breathing Too Fast?
While we don’t want to over-complicate things, it’s worth noting that optimal breathing isn’t just about the route the air travels in; it’s also about your breathing rhythm.
Many people over-breathe: 12–20 breaths per minute, far more than the optimal 5–6 for calm and focus. Slowing your breathing can reduce cortisol, improve heart rate variability, and support oxygen delivery. And since you’re already checking that you’re breathing through your nose, you may as well try to slow down too. Aim for slow, nasal, diaphragmatic breathing.
Here’s a simple technique to try right now: inhale for 4, exhale for 6. Then repeat. You’ll notice your body start to relax and you’ll hopefully find a sense of calm, making this practice particularly beneficial before bed or during stressful moments.
Upgrade Your Breathing
It is true that breathing is normally an automatic process, so you shouldn’t need to overthink it; you just have to notice it and apply a gentle correction.
In many ways, nasal breathing is the ultimate biohack: it’s free, completely natural, and incredibly powerful. It improves your sleep, reduces anxiety, and boosts several markers of good physical health. And it’s already available to you all day, every day, you just have to remember!
