Breath Archives - Samahita Retreat

Navigate the World of Breathing

Dr. Paul Dallaghan — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 20:34:42 +0000

Breathwork, breathing exercises, prānāyāma, whatever it is, the first step is to get clear on how to breathe. Meaning, as nature intended this human body to breathe efficiently and work well.

Diaphragm- Deep- Belly- Breaths. Which is it? Is “diaphragmatic breathing” a reasonable term for proper breathing? And if you don’t really know for sure where the diaphragm is in the body and what it attaches to how do you know if you are even doing a “diaphragmatic breath”?

First, all inhalations use the diaphragm, by default. Their motor innervation (i.e. nerves to make it do some action) are the phrenic nerves. When the brain’s respiratory processing center sends an impulse to breathe it follows that the motor unit for the diaphragm receives the command.

Second, the issue then is not if the diaphragm is being used or not BUT rather is the diaphragm being properly and effectively used?

Third, the diaphragm is a muscle, one of the most powerful in your body. Yet many people have a poorly developed diaphragm, which translates to less than adequate inhales that rely more on chest activity.

Fourth, seeing more movement in the chest, especially at the beginning of the inhale, leads one to say “you are breathing poorly and not using your diaphragm.” Though technically a little incorrect the message is good.

Fifth, so how can you identify then if it is a good “diaphragmatic breath”? You will see movement in the soft tissue of the upper abdomen followed by the side ribs. This follows, almost traces, the line of attachment of the diaphragm to the costal arch (front rib cage), where the pressure extends into the soft tissue of the upper abdomen.

Hopefully that is clear. A question that often follows such a description is if this is also a “belly breath” and would it still be if the expansion happened below the navel? Essentially, is a “belly breath” the same as a “diaphragmatic breath”?

First thing to note here, however, is that a “belly breath” is quite often a poor quality breath if done with force or depth, inefficient as the whole abdomen is collapsed and moves – hence “Belly”. A big inhale with emphasis on a rounded (and dropped) abdomen limits the diaphragm and how the ribs get involved in the act of breathing.

Yet when sitting in a very quiet position, usually when concentrating on a topic (like reading this:) or in a meditative sitting practice, then the only movement is “belly”, meaning around the navel. Ironically, this “belly breath” is passive, light, soft where the only observable movement is the “belly” at the navel. Interestingly it occurs so nicely because the diaphragm, being well-trained, is working so well.

So the passive, soft “belly” breath movement is really a minimal but well-trained diaphragmatic breath.

When you do a partial to fully active “diaphragmatic breath” then the control in the “belly” changes – supported below navel and moving above navel. That is a well-trained “active diaphragmatic breath” that could be termed “managed belly breathing”.

No doubt you have been told, and perhaps have even given the advice, to “take a deep breath”. But what does it mean? Under which conditions does taking a big deep inhale even work? Ironically most people say it to others when stressed out or anxious. Yet emphasis on the inhale in such sitations is not so helpful.

Typically if I am in a situation where someone really needs some breath advice, as opposed to vernacular use of “take a breath” (aka chill TF out), then I guide them to slowly and deliberately exhale. A good exhale means an improved inhale will follow.

In this case “DEEP” refers to the descent of the diaphragm which allows for best expansion of the lung tissue and suction of oxygen carrying air in to “deeper” recesses of the lungs thereby covering greater surface area of lung volume, reaching more alveoli (air sacs in the lungs).

To be able to take this “deep breath” requires good use of your diaphragm, so a good active “diaphragmatic breath”, whereby the soft tissue of the upper abdomen moves or expands slightly, followed by lateral horizontal movement (i.e. sideways) of the lower ribs. Below the navel stays supported.

This is a deep well-managed belly breath, really a “diaphragmatic breath”, which is a deep breath due to its effect in the lungs: DEEP. This capacity reflects itself in quiet passive breathing with minimal movement at the navel, but its effect is free “to drop” and in this case becomes passively “DEEP”.

Having learned how to breathe it is fair to ask, what is breathwork? It has become a popular word lately. It can refer to a plethora of breathing exercises. However, I would emphasize breathwork more so under a type of breath training. And this training leads to an improved diaphragm and well-defined act of breathing.

The outcome of this means your breathing, the function of respiration, works well at times beyond the training period. Meaning when you are engaged in a variety of other tasks which includes sleeping.

If you’re still reading, potentially interested, then a second question is what is prānāyāma? Prānāyāma is skillful use of the breath with controlled inhalation and exhalation, and most typically involves controlled retention of the breath.

Is prānāyāma a breathwork practice? The skill developed in using the breath in breathwork training is needed to further control the breath when sitting to do prānāyāma. So it could be said breathwork is a prerequisite for adequate prānāyāma to be undertaken.

Breathwork, especially in the popular sense, primarily focuses on breathing. Prānāyāma incorporates breathing with bodily support to control the breath and retain it with ideally a directed focus inward to where the control in the body over the breath is managed.

How to start or improve on some breathwork you may already have begun? Begin with the simplest of breathwork techniques: sit, start an exhale, pause, take an inhale through your nose, pause, again exhale, ideally longer than the inhale, pause, inhale through your nose, pause, and continue.

“Too basic” you say. Good. But do you sit and do this (or more) daily? If not then this is far from too basic. It is foundational. The key is to do regularly, even if very basic.

You can develop more within breathwork and on into prānāyāma. This knowledge and skill of breath we have been sharing at Samahita since we opened almost 21 years ago.

Come, learn, stabilize it, take it home, keep it up.

Paul Dallaghan’s expertise with breathwork, body and meditative practices comes from three sources: over 25 years of daily dedicated practice and teaching these techniques; immersion in the original culture through one-on-one direct training in practice and study of ancient texts; doctoral scientific research at a leading US university (Emory) on yoga and breath in terms of stress, health and aging. Paul occupies a unique space to impart genuine teaching and science on these practices, acknowledged by his teacher and lineage (Kuvalayananda) in India as a Teacher-of-teachers and a Master of Breath, identified to carry the tradition (Pranayama). This places him as the only master-level yoga and breath practitioner currently immersed in scientific academic research on breathwork, stress and health. His sincere and ongoing role is to teach, write and research to help put out experienced and authentic information on these areas in a world full of confusion and conflicting messages both off and online.

For more on his background see his bio.

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Answering Nose Breathing FAQs

Dr. Paul Dallaghan — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 03:56:10 +0000

The Year of the Dragon could be your year of the breath through the nose. And why not? Recently podcasts and TikTok are alight with nose breathing and mouth taping. GQ, the popular men’s magazine, named 2023 the year of breathing through the nose, or when many (in this case men) kept their mouths shut!

Some questions around nose breathing have been posted to us at Samahita. I will offer some succinct answers:

Benefits of nose breathingThe nose is designed to filter, humidify, and regulate the temperature of the air entering your lungs. But most valuable is it regulates the force, speed and volume, allowing you to breathe as per need, reducing issues of over-breathing and hyperventilation. The movement of air around the nasal passage and sinuses means the inhaled air interacts with a greater surface area of endothelial tissue, with one benefit being a greater distribution of Nitric Oxide which supports the flow of blood.
Why is it hard to breathe through my nose?Because the nose offers more resistance to the flow of breath than the wide open mouth. In that sense it is more refined. As noted, the surface area of the inner nose is quite large so incoming air swirls around a set of ridges (turbinates) and even passes into the mixture of sinuses. Quite phenomenal.
Can you offer some help for breathing through the nose?The biggest factor is awareness. It takes time to build a habit. But if it is an “approach-oriented goal”, meaning an action or resolve you take on to do, then you can make it possible. I like to say “mouth open, lips closed.” This means a relaxed jaw-mouth structure where the lips touch, tongue is free, and the air flows in and out of the nose. Can you feel the lips touching? All the time? This is a powerful place to start. And may really be all that is needed. More discussion is needed on specifics people may be experiencing, like blocked nose, etc. You could even tape your mouth at points during the day to help with awareness. More on that below.
Mouth breather vs nose breatherIs there a time for mouth breathing? Yes, most definitely as an emergency mechanism. When you run out of breath the first thing you might do is breathe in and out the mouth. On a practical level, as your physical exertion increases, such as picking up your running or biking pace, you may need to switch from breathing out your nose to breathing out your mouth. However, that is best done to match the metabolic process. What does that mean? You switch to mouth exhaling when it’s just too much to keep breathing out your nose, as opposed to starting off from step one mouth breathing.
Mouth taping benefitsA bit yes and a bit no. If you discover you are a mouth breather then it may be quite a revelation when you first use during sleep. The tape used is light but can still cause a panic if you are not used to it or you wake up and need to gasp. Or maybe you have visuals of Neo in The Matrix suddenly finding he had no mouth!! See, it’s just all an illusion. Anyhow, back to reality, if you have really trained yourself with nose breathing int the day, as i have found, then the tape a night offers little to no benefit. So assess for yourself. Try it out for an hour while awake and see how it goes.

Wishing you a great year of Dragon nose breathing (though I recently heard some made up breath technique called dragon breath, so not that, just nice nose breathing.)

For more on his background see his bio.

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Take a deep breath! AND… let your exhale be slower, longer…

Kirsten Mia — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 04:54:29 +0000

Good advice in an elevated, emotional situation indeed! “Just slow down, take a deep breath, slowly exhale…” Maybe you just had some upsetting news, or you were in a car accident, or your boss took off at you which sent you over the edge! Whatever it was, I’m sure you’ve been in some kind of situation where your adrenalin started going, your mind was racing, your heart started beating faster, you became anxious or fearful, out of control. And there was someone there, to help you, and they said these words to you: slow down, take a deep breath, slowly exhale… And as you did that, pausing, focusing on that slow deep breath in, and out, you immediately felt a little better. Imagine then how powerful it could be for oneself if you harnessed a deep understanding of “the breath”?

Something no human being (or living creature for that matter) can do without. Just a few minutes (for most) without breathing and the heart stops, life ends. Next to water (proper hydration and as a resource), proper breathing is the other most important thing to pay attention to for a better quality of life. More specifically, breathing through the nose and paying careful attention to the exhale. When we inhale through the nose, the air is filtered and circulates through the nasal cavities, and temperature and humidity are controlled. Chronic mouth breathing results in in-efficient lung function, sleep disorders and lower stress resilience, among other things. “Breathwork” has become quite the buzzword in the last few years and a greater awareness around the importance of proper breathing has come to the fore, especially since Covid and the release of James Nestor’s best-selling book, “Breath”. You may also have heard of the Buteyko method, holotropic breathwork, Oxygen Advantage, conscious breathing or the Wim Hof technique? While some of these are helpful and have been scientifically proven, not all breathwork techniques are in fact suitable for everyone. So, it is important to do some research and speak to your doctor if you have any health conditions before trying them out.

If you practice yoga, you would hopefully have experienced some of the yogic breathing techniques associated with the practice in a class before and felt their effects on the mind-body and nervous system. The purpose of respiration is to provide oxygen to the mitochondria within all the cells of the body. Breathing affects all metabolic processes and the nervous system (sympathetic = fight or flight – fear, stress or anxiety or parasympathetic = rest and digest – calm and centered). This then not only has an effect on the cellular level and bodily functions, but also on our emotional responses.

The mechanics of breathing: The diaphragm is the primary muscle of breathing. It contracts during inhalation, flattening around its own tendon, pulling the base of the lungs down thereby increasing the diameter of the ribcage and volume of the lung cavity (negative pressure draws air into lungs). The intercostal muscles between the ribs, simultaneously contract to move the ribs up and out. On exhalation, the diaphragm relaxes, moving back up towards the heart thereby releasing the air.

What then ARE “breathing exercises”?

“Breathing exercises are consciously controlled respiratory events, trained in a graded manner over time, to influence the function of the respiratory diaphragm, intercostal muscles, and as a result pulmonary function and health. Each ebb and flow of inspiration and expiration expand and contract the lungs and by default impact the heart. Additionally, the movement of the diaphragm with varied intercostal activity depending on the depth of the inhalation alternates intrathoracic and intraabdominal pressure providing a massage stimulation to the visceral organs.”

(Dr Paul Dallaghan)

Benefits of a correct, regular breathwork and pranayama practice, over time:

Improves sleep
Reduces anxiety and stress responses
Increases awareness of the “present moment”
Improves lung and respiratory function
Reduces high blood pressure and circulation
Bee breath helps reduce anger and anxiety
Improves cognitive (brain) function
Enhances sports performance
Increases energy levels and boosts immunity
Improves self confidence and mood

Having outlined some key points and a basic understanding of “the breath” here in this article, I’ll leave you with a few more excerpts and words of wisdom from previous articles on the Samahita blog by Paul, about pranayama and the positive effects of a dedicated, engaged, long term practice. (See the links below to read the full articles)

Samahita’s co-founder Dr Paul Dallaghan has been sincerely committed to Yoga practice over the last 3 decades and has been uniquely acknowledged the title of “Master Yogi-Prānācharya” (expert in breath) by his teacher O.P. Tiwari. He has recently completed his PhD in doctoral scientific research at Emory University and continues to impart genuine teaching and science on the breath, body and meditative practices to help people improve their health and wellbeing.

Why yogic breathing techniques?…

“Prānāyāma has been referred to in modern literature as ‘yogic breathing’. This is an attempt to differentiate breathing exercises as noted in the yogic texts from general breathwork. Yet the term ‘yogic breathing’ is unsatisfactory as it neither defines or accurately explains the nature of prānāyāma and instead implies some alternate obscure way of breathing. Ironically, prānāyāma correctly defined means ‘no breath’.”

“Comprehensive yoga’s approach to breathing involves training of respiration in bodily positions that open up the lungs so the same breath is more efficiently employed across lung function. More importantly correctly trained and practiced breathing exercises emphasize the length, force and pressure of each exhale done repeatedly and continuously on each round of breath.

If your breath is “out of sync”…

“Irregular breathing now affects your emotional reactivity and physiological performance. There is an entire tantric text, Shivasvarodaya, devoted to the knowledge, understanding and subtle mastery of the breath and how it can be managed to effect every function of life. Until recently our modern society has not bothered to take that seriously. In many ways, the solution is simple enough: improve your breathing and begin the process of regulating emotional responses and physical health. As a society we are sure to have nicer people, kinder, more understanding, less anger and violence. Knowing all that, how can you not get up in the morning and devote some time to sit and engage in some helpful breathing exercises.”

Start today, you won’t regret it!

xxx Kirst

Original blog written by Kirsten-Mia Hickey for The Roaming Yogi.

References:

https://samahitaretreat.com/pranayama-as-a-specific-yogic-approach-to-breathwork-the-art-of-no-breath/

https://samahitaretreat.com/breathing-exercises-and-physical-health-challenges/

https://samahitaretreat.com/benefits-of-correct-breathing-and-doing-breathing-exercises/

https://samahitaretreat.com/yoga-breath-and-covid-19-lifestyle-behavioral-support-mechanisms-pt-4/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breathing

https://www.othership.us/resources/breathwork-benefits

https://somnox.com/blog/how-deep-breathing-affects-the-nervous-system/

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The post Take a deep breath! AND… let your exhale be slower, longer… appeared first on Samahita Retreat.

Best Breathing Exercises

Samahita Team — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 04:18:13 +0000

What are the Benefits of Breathing Exercises?

Breath is with us from the moment of birth, a fact of life that we allow to go on as we take it for granted. Yet at any moment of compromise, such as being out-of-breath, we immediately suffer. This suffering may result from a malfunction in the body because of low oxygen (hypoxia) or an upsurge of fear as we feel the connection to life is threatened.

Breath is that important, that powerful. It influences every metabolic function, meaning your level of energy and subsequently how you feel.

Learn more The Benefits of Correct Breathing and Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises and anxiety

Do breathing exercises work for anxiety?
Which breathing exercise is best for anxiety?
How do I calm myself down from anxiety?

6 Breathing exercises for anxiety

Lay down and relax – first on your back and notice relaxation across the body. Take 10 breaths here
Lay on your belly with a medium level breath. Take 10 breaths here
Sit up on a cushion or chair – Inhale for 3 seconds then exhale for 6 seconds – for 10 breaths.
If you are comfortable with exercise 3 try this: Inhale for 3 seconds hold your breath for 3 seconds and exhale for 6 seconds, then hold your breath for 3 seconds before the next inhale – for 10 breaths.
Bee Breath – “Ngggmmmm” dropping the measured pauses follow a double length exhale with the humming sound (as above) from your naso-pharyngeal to soft palate space, inhale remains as normal through the nose
Lay down and relax – either on your belly or back and be with the remaining breath

Learn more here:

Deep Breathing Exercises

Is deep breathing good for you?
How come I can’t take a deep breath?
What are the benefits of taking deep breaths?
What is belly breathing?

Breathing through your nose

Is it better to breath through your nose or mouth?
How do I improve breathing through my nose?
How do I stop breathing through my mouth?
Why does it burn when I breath through my nose?
How do I clear my airways?

The post Best Breathing Exercises appeared first on Samahita Retreat.

Breath and Psychological Well-being

Dr. Paul Dallaghan — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:52:48 +0000

Attention on the breath within a comprehensive yoga approach can be an effective way to address our psychological well-being.

Why so?

The act of respiration has broad impact on several functions within the body, including:

cell function
physiological activity via the autonomic nervous system with a direct role in the stress response
several bodily systems
as well as cardiac and brain rhythms

Maladapted modes of breathing, particularly hyperventilation, are associated with emotional disturbance such as in an anxiety attack or conditions like agoraphobia (1).

As shown in self-reporting in evaluative psychological surveys there is a role for trained breathing in handling emotions and improving psychological well-being through:

the pacification of anxiety attacks through a change in breathing
the robust handling of a stressor
the resilience to continuous stress as measured by autonomic outcomes such as Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
improved lung function especially as a predictor of CHD and all-cause mortality

In another study Chang et al. were able to show that a slow-breathing state in humans, from 16 down to 8 breaths per minute:

increased parasympathetic activity
reduced sympathetic activity
shifted sympathovagal balance toward vagal activities
changes considered to promote autonomic cardiovascular regulation (2)

A comprehensive yoga approach incorporates meditational, relaxational, and breathing techniques, amongst other elements, that, according to Jerath et al., counteract the deleterious effects of stress, anxiety, negative emotions and sympathetic dominance, thereby being a plausible behavioral approach to support:

stress
anxiety
depression
some emotional disorders
collectively promoting psychological well-being (3)

A trained breath practice therefore can be considered a valid tool in addressing our psychological well-being in order to build stress-resilience for times of challenge and to handle day-to-day life.

Link to Main Article:
The Power in Yoga’s Approach to Upgraded Breathing

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As a result, Paul occupies a unique space to impart genuine teaching and science on the breath, body, and meditative practices, seen as a Teacher-of-teachers and identified to carry on the tradition of Pranayama. His sincere and ongoing role is to teach, write and research, to help put out experienced and authentic information on these areas of how we live, breathe and be, to help people improve their mental and physical health, and live more fulfilling lives. For more on his background see his bio [/av_textblock] [/av_two_third][/av_section]

References

Bass, C., & Gardner, W. (1985). Emotional influences on breathing and breathlessness. J Psychosom Res, 29(6), 599-609. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(85)90069-8
https://europepmc.org/article/med/3910805
Chang, Q., Liu, R., & Shen, Z. (2013). Effects of slow breathing rate on blood pressure and heart rate variabilities. Int J Cardiol, 169(1), e6-8. doi:10.1016/j.ijcard.2013.08.121
https://www.internationaljournalofcardiology.com/article/S0167-5273(13)01704-X/abstract
Jerath, R., Crawford, M. W., Barnes, V. A., & Harden, K. (2015). Self-regulation of breathing as a primary treatment for anxiety. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback, 40(2), 107-115. doi:10.1007/s10484-015-9279-8
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10484-015-9279-8

More from the Samahita Blog

Navigate the World of Breathing

Answering Nose Breathing FAQs

1 Minute Yoga – Advanced Nauli

Best Breathing Exercises

Breath and Psychological Well-being

Respiratory System Plasticity

Bhramari Humming Breath Benefits

Pranayama & Ayurveda and the importance of practicing with a teacher

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Bhramari Humming Breath Benefits

Dr. Paul Dallaghan — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 04:54:25 +0000

The practice of the ancient hathayoga humming breath “Bhramari” has been recommended for hundreds of years that when done repeatedly and correctly produces “an indescribable blissful experience that fills the mind” (1). Similar to the practice of repeating the sound of Om on an exhale, it is a wonderful practice that delivers many benefits.

Om & Bhramari Practice History

The practice of repeating the monosyllabic sound of Om on one exhalation is noted in ancient texts over 2,000 years ago. In addition to the prolonged exhalation value as noted in our previous blog: The Power of Exhalation it introduces a vibration due to the sound of Om across the pharynx, nasal, and sinus regions.

Bhramari is a later developed hathayoga practice, documented almost 700 years ago in hathayoga’s classic text, the Hahthapradipika, but has most likely been practiced longer than that. It imitates the sound of the black bee which lends it its name in Sanskrit. This is also a humming type of breath but more isolated to the region of the soft palate in the naso-pharyngeal space. You can find this space by turning your tongue back and seeing the point you can touch with your tongue. Or, if adventurous, open your mouth, put one finger directly in and back and it should touch the back end of the soft palate. Bhramari’s vibration happens just beyond that on the pharynx’s muscular wall. When sitting silently with soft breath it is also the first space you feel the touch of the breath inside after having entered the nostrils. Or open anatomy book, or online, and look for this “naso-pharyngeal” region.

” Bhramari offers the advantages of regulated breathwork and the added health benefits of increased nitric oxide production in the nasal and sinus regions.”

Four Key Benefits of Bhramari:

Psychological well-being

Bhramari’s relationship to the practice of Om places it in the context of psychological well-being to focus and clear the mind resulting in a calm, peaceful state. The recitation of Om is recommended in the classical yoga teaching to give such an effect and bhramari follows closely, giving, as noted, “an indescribable blissful experience that fills the mind” (1)

Physiological well-being

In addition to a healthy mental impact it has benefits on the body’s psychological functioning:

Blood pressure regulation aid

Recent discoveries involving the molecule nitric oxide (NO) confirm humming’s valuable health-promoting effects in terms of blood pressure regulation to antimicrobial defense (2). It states the isolated practice of humming on exhalation can increase nasal NO levels 15-fold compared to quiet exhalation (3).
Management of anxiety

As a dedicated breathing exercise inserted into a routine, (see Breathwork for Anxiety and Other Difficulties), Bhramari offers the advantages of regulated breathwork and the added health benefits of increased nitric oxide production in the nasal and sinus regions.
Sleep support

Bhramari also provides support with sleep disturbances by helping induce a feeling of calm before bed. It is an ideal practice for the end of the day and one of your best aids to quieten the busy mind and allow genuine relaxation and proper sleep restoration to occur.

The simple yet highly effective practice of Bhramari has an all-round positive effect on both our Psychological and Physiological wellbeing. You can add this on to any existing meditative or breath practice routine. Or just practice it separately to enjoy its benefits as it’s highly portable, meaning you can do it anywhere.

Link to Main Article:
The Power in Yoga’s Approach to Upgraded Breathing

References

The Hathapradipika, chapter 2, verse 68 on bhramari. An original hathayoga Sanskrit text dated to approx. 1450 CE
Culotta, E., & Koshland Jr, D. (1992). NO News Is Good News. Science, 258(5090), 1862-1865.
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/258/5090/1862
Weitzberg, E., & Lundberg, J. O. (2002). Humming greatly increases nasal nitric oxide. Am J Respir Crit Care Med, 166(2), 144-145. doi:10.1164/rccm.200202-138BC
https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.200202-138BC

More from the Samahita Blog

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Pranayama & Ayurveda and the importance of practicing with a teacher

The post Bhramari Humming Breath Benefits appeared first on Samahita Retreat.

Pranayama & Ayurveda and the importance of practicing with a teacher

Dr. Paul Dallaghan — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 05:26:54 +0000

Pranayama & Ayurveda and the importance of practicing with a teacher

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How to Train to Breathe Through Your Nose

Anthea Grimason — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 04:54:25 +0000

It’s too easy to take breathing for granted, allowing the respiratory system to do its thing, keeping us alive and functioning, without any conscious effort, day and night. Is your breath pattern supporting your health in the best way it could though?

Unfortunately, many of us learned at a young age to breathe incorrectly, and / or struggled with proper breathing due to asthma, allergies and congestion. Mouth breathing or even very shallow chest breathing through the nose are patterns that when carried into adulthood can cause a host of issues. The good news is that these patterns can be reversed with proper training and attention.

What’s Wrong with Mouth Breathing?

Mouth breathing is, in short, much less efficient. Apart from loss of energy, mouth breathing can cause fairly serious issues in the long term, ranging from snoring and sleep apnea, to bad breath, jaw and teeth issues, gum disease and worsening of asthma symptoms.

The health benefits of nasal breathing, on the other hand, are vast:

air, temperature and humidity control
production of immune-boosting nitric oxide (2)
better quality sleep and less likely to suffer from sleep apnea
overall more robust lung function
calmer mental state through activation of the parasympathetic nervous system

Emerging research indicates that nasal breathing might even be better for performance than mouth breathing during exercise (1).

All the benefits of nasal breathing are documented in Proper Breathing is Breathing Through Your Nose, clearly highlighting why this is an important issue to tackle if you are someone that tends to breathe through your mouth. Whether your pattern is constant mouth breathing, occasional gasps through your mouth, or only night time mouth breathing, it is well worth investing the time to discover the cause and to retrain your pattern to nasal breathing, all the time.

“Mouth breathing is, in short, much less efficient. Apart from loss of energy, mouth breathing can cause fairly serious issues in the long term, ranging from snoring and sleep apnea, to bad breath, jaw and teeth issues, gum disease and worsening of asthma symptoms. …..”

What Causes Mouth Breathing?

There are a number of potential causes for mouth breathing including blockages and sinus issues which may be from:

food sensitivities
environmental sensitivities
asthma or allergies
a deviated septum

More recently mask wearing may cause a feeling of suffocation and make you want to breathe through your mouth – one to watch. However, often mouth breathing is just a habit that was developed at an early age, a pattern that was unconsciously ingrained. Due to respiratory neuroplasticity we now know that we can retrain our breathing patterns, meaning any poor functioning of the respiratory system can be reversed through consistent effort.

Training for Nose Breathing

To be successful in retraining from mouth breathing to nasal breathing you want to:

Become aware of your breathing patterns
Deal with blockages & congestion
Engage in daily breath training

1. Awareness

The first step is to pay attention and become aware of your daily breathing patterns. When you watch your habits, do you notice any of the following?

Your mouth naturally dropped open during the day
Gasping for air when talking
Gasping for air when walking
Waking up with a dry mouth and blocked nose
Regularly blocked nostrils

These are all signs that you are in fact a mouth breather, whether regular or only at night. Let’s tackle that situation!

2. Dealing with Blockages and Congestion

Naturally it will be harder to breathe through your nose if it is congested. Here are a number of ways to clear the nasal passages:

A) Neti pot and neti string

Similar to saline solution used for kids, a neti pot uses warm water with some salt poured into the nostrils, and is an excellent way to clear a blocked nose in the morning, or even at night especially after a day in a polluted environment. Check here for clear instructions.

Sutra neti or neti string is another option, a rubber string that is inserted up through one nostril and pulled out through the mouth enabling you to give your nasal passage a good floss. One side of the nose may be more blocked than the other and require a gentler approach and more time, but it should open eventually if done daily.

B) Nasya therapy

Nasya is an Ayurvedic therapy that also helps with clearing congestion in the nasal passages. It uses special herbal oil, with a few drops in each nostril then sniffed up to help clear blockages. It can be done daily after neti pot for added lubrication, as the salt water can be drying, or simply on its own each morning. This is excellent for colder, drier climates.

C) Check eating habits

If you’re finding that you’re congested every day, especially in the morning it is worth checking what food, drink, or general eating habits could be contributing to this. Try avoiding mucus-forming foods such as wheat, dairy, soy, corn and especially processed and fried foods for a while, to see if anything improves. Add bitter greens as well as cruciferous vegetables, garlic, onion and citrus fruits to counteract mucus. Alcohol can also cause inflammation leading to congestion in the sinuses so it’s best to avoid. And always avoid eating late at night, giving yourself at least a few hours between your last meal and sleep so that undigested food is not sitting in the stomach when you go to bed.

D) Check sleeping habits

If your mouth breathing is predominantly at night, signaled by dry mouth in the morning, but you are well able to breathe through your nose during the day, there are a couple of ways you can train yourself to nose breathe at night too:

Mouth taping:
Use specially designed tape to literally keep your mouth shut at night. Sounds strange but is very effective. Try it and see.
Check sleeping position:
If you sleep on your back and your head is tilted back this will encourage your mouth to drop open. Either change your pillows to give added support to your head so your head is not tilting, or changed your sleeping position to your side.

E) Environment

Mold, damp and pollution can all be contributing factors to congestion of the sinuses. Check for mold in your house and treat it if necessary. Use a dehumidifier in your bedroom if dampness is an issue. And for city dwellers clear your nose out daily at night using a neti pot.

Daily Training

A daily breath training practice will help you not only enhance awareness of your breathing patterns, but also train your breath so that it will eventually, naturally be through your nose for the rest of the day. Gasping for air when walking or talking is essentially hyperventilation, highly stressful on the body, and a sign for the need to slow down, to talk slower, walk slower, relax and to train the breath to a more natural, supportive rhythm.

Start by following the techniques of this relaxed approach, working from savasana to breath training, all while lying down, but with an added focus on breathing through your nose. If your nose is blocked on one side, you can lie for a moment on the opposite side using your arm or a cushion as a pillow.

If this practice becomes easy for you and you wish to advance to a seated breath practice you can follow this 10 minute breathwork practice, again with the focus always on nasal breathing. When sitting, to open up a nostril you can use a small hard cushion directly under the opposite armpit, if needed.

Breathing exercises are also becoming more popular as a natural way to treat asthma (3). I personally trained myself to breathe more through my nose and eventually grew out of my childhood asthma, later starting breathwork and then a daily pranayama practice to strengthen my respiratory function and improve overall health. You can too.

Conclusion

The habit to breathe through your mouth is often developed in childhood when nasal breathing was never fully trained, a huge opportunity missed. It can be reversed as an adult but will take time and awareness. Now especially we all want to support our immune systems to avoid viruses and have the knowledge such as the fact that nitric oxide, which is only produced in nasal breathing, is powerful in supporting immune function and in managing mucus (4). This should be motivation enough. So pay attention, and every time you notice you’re breathing through your mouth, try to close it and switch. Use some of the tips to deal with blockages when needed, and most importantly, start to train your breath pattern daily. Give it time, it may feel difficult initially, but is surely worth the effort to develop a new, healthy, energizing, immune system supporting nasal breathing pattern for the rest of your life.

References

Jake Panasevich; Nasal Breathing: the Secret to Optimal Fitness?, Health.usnews.com, 2020 https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/articles/nasal-breathing-the-secret-to-optimal-fitness
Jon Lundberg; Nitric Oxide and the Paranasal Sinuses, American Association for Anatomy, 2008
https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ar.20782
Mike Thomas, Anne Bruton; Breathing Exercises for Asthma, European Respiratory Journal, 2014
https://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/10/4/312#ref-31
Jon Lundberg, E Weitzberg; Nasal Nitric Oxide in Man, British Medical Journal, 1999
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1745376/pdf/v054p00947.pdf

More from the Samahita Blog

Navigate the World of Breathing

Answering Nose Breathing FAQs

1 Minute Yoga – Advanced Nauli

Best Breathing Exercises

Breath and Psychological Well-being

Respiratory System Plasticity

Bhramari Humming Breath Benefits

Pranayama & Ayurveda and the importance of practicing with a teacher

The post How to Train to Breathe Through Your Nose appeared first on Samahita Retreat.

Proper Breathing is Breathing Through Your Nose

Dr. Paul Dallaghan — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 04:54:24 +0000

Boost your health dramatically by ensuring you are breathing through your nose – at all times – whether directly doing breathing exercises, a yoga-asana practice, household or work duties throughout the day, or while sleeping. The benefits of nasal breathing compared to mouth breathing have been well researched, and are worth understanding so you can optimize your breathing habits and ensure they are functioning well.

The Anatomy of Nasal Breathing

For humans, nasal breathing is a product of, and a contributor to, our evolved neck and facial structure most clearly revealed in our ability to speak, a distinguishing feature that differs from other primates in clear anatomical ways. In contrast to our closest related non-human primate species:

The human airway is elongated with a poorly supported oropharynx (area of the throat that includes the soft palate, side and back wall of the throat, tonsils, and back of the tongue.)
Our foramen magnum (oval-shaped opening in the occipital bone) is more anteriorly positioned
Our maxillo-mandibular complex (jaw area) is regressed to allow for adequate speech
We have smaller mouths with an average of 32 teeth as opposed to up to 44 in a chimpanzee
and, in response to these skeletal changes, we have a retreated tongue giving it an obstructive presence in the upper airway

“The nose acts as a regulator performing certain anatomical functions such as air filtration, temperature control, and humidity adjustment of the air when we inhale. Lined with millions of tiny cilia and mucous membranes, the nose is also designed to catch bacteria, dirt and debris that would otherwise travel into our lungs”

Why Nasal Breathing is Essential for Health:

Both normal and healthy breathing, and specific breathing exercises require nasal breathing. Our structure is highly sophisticated and evolved for this purpose and for some very good reasons.

Proper Craniofacial Airway Development
At the start of life nasal breathing allows for proper development of a child’s facial structure. Whereas studies reveal poor orofacial development due to predominant mouth breathing, especially in the first two years of life (1).
Air, Temperature and Humidity Control
The nose acts as a regulator performing certain anatomical functions such as air filtration, temperature control, and humidity adjustment of the air when we inhale. Lined with millions of tiny cilia and mucous membranes, the nose is also designed to catch bacteria, dirt and debris that would otherwise travel into our lungs.
Prevents Inflammation in Nasal Mucosa
Chronic mouth breathing has been shown to under-ventilate the nose which may lead to an increase in inflammation in the nasal mucosa, an unwelcome feature at any time and especially during a potential COVID-19 infection. An effective way to ensure proper ventilation is the practice of Neti described in this video and blog: How to do Neti: The Ancient Nasal Irrigation from Hatha Yoga.

Mouth Breathing Linked to Sleep Apnea and Poor Quality Sleep
Mouth breathing also leads to sleep-disordered breathing. If one breathes through the mouth in waking hours then it is unlikely regulated nasal breathing occurs when asleep. This may lead to issues with obstructive sleep apnea, poorer quality sleep, and thus lower stress resilience (2).
Improves Overall Lung Function
A nasal breath also allows the diaphragm to descend more deeply and thereby increase lung function and ventilation. While breathing through the mouth is inherently shallow and has more of an aggressive effect on the nervous system.
Sinus Stimulation
Each nasal breath circulates air in the different sinuses, sites of nitric oxide production as well as stimulation of these hollow cavities in the skull. The paranasal sinuses, the sphenoid and ethmoid, are anatomically closest to the hypohysial cavity where the pituitary sits, giving a massage effect to this gland, an event that is bypassed when mouth breathing.
Invokes Calmer States
The opportunity to regulate and elongate the breath occurs through the nose resulting in a calmer state and even a potential whole brain stimulation that possibly modulates behavior and the state of consciousness (3). Mouth breathing will leave you feeling heavier, less clear, more sluggish.
Supports Brain Function
Recent research on humans revealed that nasal breathing entrained local field potential activity in the piriform cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala which diminished when respiration was diverted to the mouth (4).

In summary, nasal breathing plays a pivotal role in various physiological functions, with its benefits being completely lost and other issues arising in mouth breathing. It is, therefore, highly recommended to invest consistent time and effort to train towards nasal breathing if this is not already your natural way to breathe.

Link to Main Article: The Power in Yoga’s Approach to Upgraded Breathing

References

Torre, C., & Guilleminault, C. (2018). Establishment of nasal breathing should be the ultimate goal to secure adequate craniofacial and airway development in children. J Pediatr (Rio J), 94(2), 101-103. doi:10.1016/j.jped.2017.08.002
Sleep: The Balm of Hurt Minds
Naihua N. Gong and Matthew S. Kayser
Current Biology 30, R263–R285, March 23, 2020
Piarulli, A., Zaccaro, A., Laurino, M., Menicucci, D., De Vito, A., Bruschini, L., . . . Gemignani, A. (2018). Ultra-slow mechanical stimulation of olfactory epithelium modulates consciousness by slowing cerebral rhythms in humans. Sci Rep, 8(1), 6581. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-24924-9
Zelano, C., Jiang, H., Zhou, G., Arora, N., Schuele, S., Rosenow, J., & Gottfried, J. A. (2016). Nasal Respiration Entrains Human Limbic Oscillations and Modulates Cognitive Function. J Neurosci, 36(49), 12448-12467. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2586-16.2016

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How to Hold the Nose for Pranayama Practice

Dr. Paul Dallaghan — Sun, 18 Oct 2020 05:14:28 +0000

Sri O. P. Tiwari explains how the nose should be held correctly for pranayama practice and explains the origins of this in the traditional hatha yoga texts.

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