Health and Better Breathing: It’s Not Just Yoga Woo-woo
Breathing is the most constant thing we do. Roughly 20,000 times a day.
Without thinking. Without effort. And yet… how we breathe might be quietly shaping our sleep, stress levels, energy, focus, and long-term health more than we realise.
This isn’t just yoga philosophy. It’s physiology.
What the Science Is Saying
Recently, a podcast on ZOE Science & Nutrition explored emerging research around mouth breathing vs nasal breathing (listen to this podcast! This guy blocked his nostrils with silicone for ten days to do the research!) — and the implications were striking. Researchers and clinicians are increasingly linking chronic mouth breathing to:
Poor sleep quality
Snoring and sleep apnoea
Increased anxiety
Higher resting heart rate
Reduced oxygen efficiency
Jaw and facial development changes in children
Increased inflammation
This isn’t fringe science. It’s rooted in respiratory physiology and nervous system regulation. And it’s deeply relevant to modern life.
And by the way… we LOVE the Zoe podcast… so much incredible, science backed information for health, nutrition and more - do yourself a favour!
Mouth Breathing: A Modern Habit
We weren’t designed to breathe through our mouths all day.
The mouth is a backup system — useful during intense exertion or illness — but not the default setting. When we breathe through the mouth:
Air bypasses natural filtration in the nose
Nitric oxide production decreases
Oxygen uptake becomes less efficient
The breath tends to become faster and shallower
Fast, shallow breathing sends a signal to the brain that something is wrong. It subtly activates the sympathetic nervous system — our stress response. In other words: mouth breathing can reinforce a low-grade state of stress. And many of us are doing it all day long.
Why Nose Breathing Changes Everything
The nose is not just a hole in the face. It’s a sophisticated filtration and regulation system. When you breathe through your nose:
Air is warmed and filtered
Nitric oxide is released (which helps dilate blood vessels and improve oxygen delivery)
Breathing naturally slows
The diaphragm engages more effectively
The parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nervous system activates
This is where the magic — and the science — meet. Slower, nasal breathing can:
Lower heart rate
Improve sleep
Enhance focus
Reduce anxiety
Support cardiovascular health
Improve exercise efficiency
Not woo-woo. Regulation.
Breathing and the Nervous System
You’ve heard me talk about nervous system reset. Breath is one of the most accessible tools we have to influence it. Unlike digestion or hormone release, breathing is both automatic and voluntary. That means we can consciously adjust it — and in doing so, influence heart rate variability, stress hormones, and brain activity.
Longer exhales.
Gentler nasal inhales.
A softer rhythm.
These small shifts can send powerful safety signals to the body. This is why breathwork has moved beyond yoga studios and into trauma therapy, elite sport, sleep science, and stress research.
Can You Train Yourself to Breathe Better?
Yes. And it doesn’t require a two-hour pranayama practice. Start here:
Notice if your mouth is open at rest
Practice keeping lips lightly sealed during the day
Slow your inhale through the nose
Extend your exhale slightly longer than your inhale
Try nasal breathing during low-intensity exercise
Support nasal health (saline rinses, addressing congestion if needed)
Like any habit, it’s about awareness first. Then consistency. Small but sacred.
Why This Matters
In a world obsessed with supplements, hacks and extreme protocols, better breathing is quietly radical. It costs nothing. It’s available anytime. And it may be one of the most underutilised health interventions we have.
So no — it’s not just yoga woo-woo. It’s biology. And your body already knows how to do it.
You just have to remember.