Science behind nose breathing
The science behind the benefits of nose breathing
It’s abundantly obvious that the benefits of nose breathing far outweigh the damage that mouth breathing can cause. Yet you might wonder, how does it work exactly? Below, we’ll provide a straightforward explanation of the science behind nose breathing so that everyone may fully understand, share the knowledge, and empower others!
Oxygenation of the body
Let’s first talk about breathing’s main objective, which is to supply the body with oxygen (O2).When we inhale, the air enters through the (bronchial) tubes into the lungs, which end in tiny sacs called alveoli. There the oxygen attaches to red blood cells—cells are specifically designed to attach to the oxygen (and carbon dioxide) and transport it throughout the entire body.
Every cell in the body needs oxygen to produce energy for a wide range of purposes. And just as a fire doesn’t burn without oxygen, cells can’t generate energy without it. Without energy they die, and when enough cells die, ultimately we—a vast accumulation of cells— also die.
The truth about carbondioxide (CO2)
Similar to when you burn wood, when your cells produce energy, oxygen is converted to carbon dioxide. Besides transferring oxygen into the body, our lungs also transfer carbon dioxide out of the body. However, contrary to what many people believe, carbon dioxide is more than just a waste product. It’s plays a crucial role in the oxygenation of the body.
Healthy people have blood oxygen levels that are consistently between 95 and 99 percent, whether they are at rest or engaged in physical activity, meaning there is no shortage of oxygen at any given time. The presence of carbon dioxide in the blood is necessary to cause the oxygen to detach from the red blood cells and reach all the cells in the body. Conversely, lower levels of CO2, mean the red blood cells hold on to the oxygen, and less of it reaches the cells. This is called the Bohr Effect.
In short, lower levels or CO2, means less oxygenation.
As was already established, when oxygen is released into the cells, it converts to CO2, which raises the level of CO2 in the blood. The increase in CO2 is registered by special receptors in the brain which subsequently send a signal to the breathing muscles to inhale. All this happens unconsciously.
Unlike many other bodily functions that are controlled subconsciously, we can take full control over our breathing. When we decide to hold our breath for a prolonged period of time, the CO2 levels in our blood keep rising, causing a phenomenon called air hunger; we can feel it, as our muscles contract, our throat tightens up, and our diaphragm spasms—our body urges us to breathe. Ultimately we inhale, and exhale the built up CO2.
Overbreathing
An optimal breathing frequency at rest is about 8-12 breaths per minute. We disturb the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide when we breathe more frequently or excessively—called overbreathing. We release far too much CO2, and as we’ve already demonstrated, low levels of CO2 indicate poor oxygenation.
The oxygenation of the cells can be increased by intentionally breathing through the nose, which naturally causes us to breathe more slowly. Ultimately, resulting in healthier cells.. Over time, we can increase our tolerance to carbon dioxide and are able to maximize the oxygen uptake in our body. This means we can think more clearly, perform better, reduce stress, and overall increase the quality of our life.
Another truth revealed - nitric oxide and nasal breathing
Besides carbon dioxide and oxygen, there is another important player in the breathing cycle—nitric oxide. This chemical aids the body’s process of widening blood arteries to improve blood flow. It has been shown to improve athletic performance as well as lowering blood pressure, risk of infection and inflammation, heart disease, and strokes.
Additionally, nitric oxide has antiviral and antibacterial properties and could help prevent respiratory infections and illness linked to viruses and bacteria, such as Covid.
Previously considered purely poisonous, nitric oxide is produced in small quantities in the nose and sinuses and transferred into the rest of the body upon inhalation. When breathing through our mouth, we bypass the benefits of nitric oxide.