Breathing exercises have long been touted by therapists as effective ways to combat stress and anxiety, or just to loosen up. And it’s true. Taking a few deep breaths can make even the most stressful situations more bearable. But why is that?

It turns out your breathing can have a direct impact on your body. Similar to how smiling can change your mental state, slow, deep breathing can impact you physiologically. Sympathetic (mouth) and parasympathetic (nose) breathing both effect the body in different ways. Learn the benefits of parasympathetic breathing below!

Mouthbreathing and Your Sympathetic Nervous System

It’s important to breathe deeply, but where are you breathing from?

There are two ways your body can receive oxygen input: through your nose or through your mouth. 

Mouth breathing has long been associated with poor manners. But it turns out, there are other (non social) disadvantages to mouth breathing.

First, mouth breathing can activate your “flight or fight” response. Take this example. You’re walking down the street when an aggressive dog comes barreling towards you. As it comes towards you, you begin to take quick, shallow breaths. Because you’re taking shallow breaths through your mouth, the oxygen reaching your lungs only stimulates the sympathetic nerve endings in your upper and mid lobes. Your sympathetic nervous system is responsible for activating your flight or fight response, so as the dog barrels towards you you prepare to either fight or run away. 

While helpful in situations like this one, habitual mouth breathing can sustain a flight or fight response. This makes it difficult for the body and mind to rest, even when there is no impending danger. Mouth breathing during sleep has been associated with disrupted sleep and obstructive sleep apnea. 

Mouth breathing can also increase your risk for dry mouth and throat/ear infections. 

Your nose, on the other hand, is the primary organ responsible for oxygenating your body. When you breath through your nose you activate parasympathetic breathing. 

Parasympathetic Breathing

When you breathe through your nose instead of your mouth, air is able to reach the lower lobes of your lungs, stimulating your parasympathetic nervous system. Your parasympathetic nervous system is in charge of restoration, relaxation and rejuvenation. Known as the “rest and digest” system, this part of your nervous system kicks in when you are digesting food or engaging in relaxing, restful, or pleasurable activities. 

When you are unwinding on the couch or having a quiet evening in, your breathing slows and becomes deeper. 

Parasympathetic breathing has been linked to improved sleep, gut, and mental health (among other things). The key is breathing deeply through your nose versus your mouth. 

Parasympathetic breathing (breathing through your nose) has also been shown to improve your sleep and exercise performance. 

The Affect of an Impacted Airway on Parasympathetic Breathing

Your upper airway (nasal passages, pharynx, etc.) is key to being able to breathe deeply and profoundly. 

 If your upper airway is underdeveloped you’ll have a harder time breathing deeply through your nose. When you can’t breathe through your nose you are forced to breathe through your mouth. This inhibits parasympathetic breathing and, in turn, activates your “fight or flight”, keeping you from getting restful sleep. 

The root cause of an underdeveloped upper airway is often an underdeveloped jaw. 

When the jaw grows properly it allows other parts of the mouth to develop properly as well.

Vivos-Craniofacial solutions do just this. By stimulating jaw development, Vivos devices urge your jaw towards its genetic potential. This could open airways and helps you catch a breath, which can aid in easier parasympathetic breathing.

For more information on Vivos-Craniofacial solutions give us a call today here!

For more on the benefits of parasympathetic breathing check out the link below.

References:

André, C. (2019, January 15). Proper Breathing Brings Better Health. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/proper-breathing-brings-better-health/.