When was the last time somebody told you to ‘shut your mouth’?
It’s probably been a while, it’s not very polite, but it’s one of the most important things you can do to improve your health!!!
Let me explain...
You see it’s all relative to your breathing.
Obviously you breathe… but has anyone discussed how you breathe?
There are lots of ways to breathe, if you are reading this, then you’re practicing one of them.
Let’s talk about a fundamental element of wellness… nasal breathing.
When you think about it, the nose is designed to breathe, while the mouth is designed for eating and talking.
For sure, mouth breathing has it’s place, particularly when you have a cold or you’re exercising or exerting yourself 😉😉
But it’s not an effective or efficient method, and can lead to problems.
Think how you feel watching a scary movie, specifically that part where you’re screaming at the screen “run, run” as the victim is unaware of the what lays in wait. You’re breathing rate increases- your breath is faster and deeper as your body senses a threat…. Now this is just a movie, but if this was a situation where you needed to stand and fight or flee from the situation it would be beneficial and you would breathe more through your mouth. But it’s just a movie.
‘Stressful’ breathing and is an innate survival response that alerts your brain that you need to increase your breathing rate due to a (potential) threat. Your nervous system goes into high alert and one of the ways you naturally try to get more air in is breathing through your mouth.
So why you should be a nasal breather?
✨It prevents snoring #win
✨It puts the body in a parasympathetic state (rest & digest) #calm
✨It gets rid of dry mouth, which FYI is the leading cause of cavities #pearlywhites
✨It also reduces dehydration by 42% #mouthlikeghandisflipflop
✨It reduces bruxism- teeth grinding which wears down the enamel of your teeth
✨It improves your sleep quality, so you wake up more refreshed #restoration
✨It supports your pelvic floor function #bonus
I’ve been a nasal breather for many years… ever since a dream as a child about eating a spider as I slept 😳
Being aware of your breath can help you to optimise your wellness. The mouth should be closed, the tongue should rest on the roof of the mouth behind the top teeth, in a relaxed position, and we should breathe into the diaphragm to allow our lungs to expand.
Some say that breathing represents the ability to be present in life. Imagine inhaling the feeling of calm, exhaling the feeling of worry.
Whenever you find yourself overly stressed focus on your breath, specifically the air as it flows in and out through the nostrils. Focus on the process of breathing, taking a brief pause after each inhale and each exhale.
You may not be able to change your situation, but this will allow you to alter your response to it by allowing your mind to settle through conscious breathing.
Calm the body and the mind will follow.
Most importantly… remember to keep your lips together.
It’s a process, but practice makes progress.
What has helped improve your breathing?
*This Blog is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice
**Updated BLOG post- Originally publshed 6/2/2020**
📜 Disclaimer: The content is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition, and should not be used as a substitute for any and all professional and/or medical advice. Recipient of this notice so affirms before partaking in any and all information and related links, etc.
