You breathe all day - but are you doing it well? This World Breathing Day, we break down why it matters, plus a quick Q&A with Dr David White (aka Dr Nose), who shares his take on better breathing.
How You Breathe Matters More Than You Think.
Here at Goodair, we’re big believers in the power of breathing well.
But, in all honesty, how often do most people consider their breathing? It’s so automatic, our bodies reliably oxygenate us all through the day and night without a second thought on our end. And because of that, it’s easy to overlook how central it is to how we feel, function, and live.
When you start to dig even slightly deeper into the science of the human body, one thing becomes clear: everything is connected.
We can’t look at symptoms in isolation, because more often than not, there’s something bigger at play. We must step back and consider other factors like our sleep quality, diet, physical activity, mental wellbeing, and - you guessed it - our breathing.
This World Breathing Day, our aim at Goodair is simple, to bring awareness (as we all know, the first step), encourage a deeper appreciation for breathing, and help more people reconnect with something they’ve been doing their whole lives, but may never have truly understood.
So, take a breath, and see what happens when you start paying attention to it.
Why should we care about breathing well?
Quite simply, it impacts every aspect of our lives.
From early childhood, our breathing habits affect our facial and skull development. As adults, it continues to positively or negatively affect our dental health, learning, mood regulation, and sleep quality.
Not only do we live longer when we breathe properly, we also have a more enjoyable life. We all must breathe so why not do it properly?"
Take mood regulation as an example. The majority of us live busy lives that often spend too long on the wrong side of the stress spectrum.
The more you’re stressed, the more likely your breathing will be short, shallow, and sharp (three S’s you don’t want to define your breathing). You might notice even holding your breath - a subconscious effect from concentration, tension, or even fear. That might sound dramatic, but our bodies are in a stress state (or sympathetic state) more than we realise.
We’re not supposed to stay in this state for long periods of time, so what happens when we do? Normal bodily functions and regulatory processes are disrupted.
You might begin to notice mental and physical fatigue, anxiety, irritability, poor sleep, digestive issues, cognitive impairment, the list goes on…
The flip side
In contrast, imagine this: despite the stress, you consciously shift your breathing - i.e., slow, steady, s-quiet (trying to keep the S thing going here) - and most importantly, you try to breathe through your nose while engaging your diaphragm (or tummy).
You might do this through breathwork, meditation, or some calming activity that gives you the space to focus on your breathing. And then what happens?
You regulate. Your body has support to function properly.
Your parasympathetic nervous system is activated, anxiety lessens, mental clarity and resilience is gained, irritability fades. Over time, you may start to notice better sleep, digestion, energy, the list goes on…
This is just one example of the huge impact of consciously breathing well; giving it the time and attention it rarely gets but absolutely deserves.
So yeah, you should care about breathing.
If you could encourage one thing to improve breathing habits, what would it be?
It’s tough limiting me to one thing; however, the best single breathing strategy is to always breathe through your nose and not your mouth. The only time this does not apply is when you’re near maximum physical exertion.
Practical suggestions to change breathing habits from mouth to nose include:
- Consciously placing your tongue against the roof of your mouth while you have your lips closed.
- Avoid clenching your teeth as your jaw should be relaxed while your lips are closed.
- Try not to beat yourself up when you find you are mouth breathing. It's a habit you've got to form.
How do you feel about breath work?
Intentional breath control can bring many benefits, particularly as many individuals over-breathe, which negatively affects our blood gas balance between carbon dioxide and oxygen. Regulation of breathing patterns and timing helps us better understand our mind and body, and leads to many benefits including enhanced calming, alongside many physiological and neurological benefits.
How did pranayama breathing influence the design of Nosebuds?
The inspiration for Nosebuds came from Bhramari Pranayama, which translates into ‘humming bee breathing’, an ancient practice used to calm the mind, relieve anxiety, reduce anger, and enhance sleep quality. The benefits humming also has on relieving nasal congestion are also well published. The design of Nosebuds enables humming during both inhale and exhale breath phases – something we can’t do by ourselves.
Why should people who want to improve their breathing consider Nosebuds?
Nosebuds encourage users to breathe through their nose correctly by giving both tactile and sound feedback while nasal breathing. This helps users develop a slower-paced nasal breathing habit which brings on so many physiological and neurological benefits.
What else would you like to share this World Breathing Day?
It’s never too late to learn to breathe properly. Paced nasal breathing is an essential foundation for long-term health and wellbeing - it’s our endogenous health tonic.
If you could encourage one thing to improve breathing habits, what would it be?
It’s tough limiting me to one thing; however, the best single breathing strategy is to always breathe through your nose and not your mouth. The only time this does not apply is when you’re near maximum physical exertion.
Practical suggestions to change breathing habits from mouth to nose include:
- Consciously placing your tongue against the roof of your mouth while you have your lips closed.
- Avoid clenching your teeth as your jaw should be relaxed while your lips are closed.
- Try not to beat yourself up when you find you are mouth breathing. It's a habit you've got to form.
How do you feel about breath work?
Intentional breath control can bring many benefits, particularly as many individuals over-breathe, which negatively affects our blood gas balance between carbon dioxide and oxygen. Regulation of breathing patterns and timing helps us better understand our mind and body, and leads to many benefits including enhanced calming, alongside many physiological and neurological benefits.
How did pranayama breathing influence the design of Nosebuds?
The inspiration for Nosebuds came from Bhramari Pranayama, which translates into ‘humming bee breathing’, an ancient practice used to calm the mind, relieve anxiety, reduce anger, and enhance sleep quality. The benefits humming also has on relieving nasal congestion are also well published. The design of Nosebuds enables humming during both inhale and exhale breath phases – something we can’t do by ourselves.
Why should people who want to improve their breathing consider Nosebuds?
Nosebuds encourage users to breathe through their nose correctly by giving both tactile and sound feedback while nasal breathing. This helps users develop a slower-paced nasal breathing habit which brings on so many physiological and neurological benefits.
What else would you like to share this World Breathing Day?
It’s never too late to learn to breathe properly. Paced nasal breathing is an essential foundation for long-term health and wellbeing - it’s our endogenous health tonic.
Reclaim your health
Revolutionise the way you manage nasal congestion
Discover a smarter, holistic way to conquer nasal congestion by supporting your body’s natural defences.
Buy now