Do You Know if You’re Breathing Properly? Here Are Some Signs That You Might Be Doing It Wrong
The idea of breathing incorrectly can sound strange to a lot of people. For example, you might find it weird to think that you might be breathing wrongly considering you’re alive and well. After all, if we didn’t know how to breathe correctly, then surely we wouldn’t be alive right now? It’s something natural to humans, so there’s basically no chance that you could be doing it wrong, right?
While that’s true for the most part, there actually is a way to optimize your breathing techniques to ensure that you’re getting the most oxygen in with each breath. Oxygen is the fuel that our body needs to run correctly, so the more oxygen we get, the healthier and more “alive” we’ll feel. Breathing techniques are also important when you’re working out. During heavy exercise, you need to ensure your body is getting plenty of oxygen so that you can continue working out without stressing out your body.
So now that we’ve established that the way you breathe is important, let’s dedicate the rest of this post to helping you diagnose if you have a breathing problem and how to ensure you’re doing it correctly.
Making sure you use your nose to breathe
You might already know that there are actually two ways to breathe. You can either do it through your mouth, or you can do it through your nose. If you cover your nose or your mouth, you can still breathe perfectly fine but it might feel a bit strange. Your body might also instinctively try to breathe using both your mouth and your nose, especially if that’s how you’re accustomed to breathing naturally.
However, it’s worth remembering that the nose actually has a filter–your nose hairs! When you breathe in with your nose, those hairs can help trap any dirt or debris in the air and can also help to prevent warm and humid hair from getting into your respiratory system. It sounds rather insignificant, but breathing through your nose is generally considered the “better” way to breathe. This is especially important when it comes to dry and cold environments.
But that doesn’t mean that your mouth shouldn’t be used at all. Breathing through the mouth is generally reserved for when you need to take in extra oxygen. For example, you might find that you use your mouth to breath more often when you’re exercising. This is because your body is using up oxygen faster and needs to take in more of it, hence why we instinctively breathe using our mouth. In addition, you might find that breathing through your nose is difficult if you’re having sinus-related problems, such as a stuffy nose when you have a cold.
If you’re having trouble breathing through your nose all the time, then you may be facing sinus issues. We suggest visiting a physician to have them examine your breathing, but you could also use herbs for sinuses that will help clear your nose and make it easier to take in oxygen. These are both valid ways to help you breathe properly. Hopefully, this little section has taught you a bit more about proper breathing techniques. If you’re particularly active, then you may even see a slight boost to your physical performance if you focus on proper breathing techniques.
The link between snoring and breathing problems
If you find that you’re prone to snoring when you sleep, then you might think that it’s related to the way you breathe. However, the reality is that snoring doesn’t always mean that you’re not breathing properly when you’re awake.
Snoring is actually a symptom of a more serious condition known as sleep apnea. This is usually characterized by interrupted breathing at night when you sleep, hence why snoring can often be erratic and loud. It’s a disorder that is closely linked to long-term health issues such as obesity, heart disease and potentially even stroke. In some cases, sleep apnea can disturb your sleep so much that you find it difficult to stay away after waking up http://affectivebrain.com/?attachment_id=5775.
But as we mentioned, snoring doesn’t mean that you’re not breathing properly when you’re awake. In fact, snoring can often be a minor nuisance that isn’t related to sleep apnea or a more serious issue. However, if you’ve been told that you snore loudly at night and you have woken up feeling groggy at times, then it’s worth taking a deeper look at the problem. Again, it’s not directly related to your breathing technique when you’re awake, but it’s worth looking in to.
Even if breathing is natural, you may want to adopt a healthier lifestyle
Regular exercise can actually help ensure that your breathing remains stable. This is because exercise helps to keep your lungs functioning correctly. It’s essentially stressing them every now and then to remind your body how to breathe properly when it needs more oxygen. In addition, a well-balanced diet can also help you reduce large portions which will lower the chances of your abdomen bloating. This helps you limit the diaphragm’s movement which can help improve your breathing.
If you find that breathing through your nose is difficult, then you may see some success by improving your diet and adopting a healthier lifestyle. Of course, you should also speak to a physician first if possible, especially if you plan to make large changes to your lifestyle.
This post may make it seem like breathing is this really difficult thing that you need to be aware of all the time. However, that’s not really the case. Just don’t overthink how you breathe. Instead, focus on the times when you find it hard to breathe and consider what could be causing it. It might be due to your diet and weight, or it could be because you’re not used to breathing through your nose. It might take a little while to change your regular breathing technique, but it’s worth it to ensure your body is in great condition.
