# Nose vs. Mouth breathing



## Battousai (May 2, 2002)

I've just gotten my Science of Breath book recommended by Old Sempai. 
 The book compairs breathing through the mouth to eating through the nose. Mouth breathers are disgusting. LOL

 The reasons the book points out is that nose breathing helps filter the air, and that mucus membranes in the nose heat the air up, so that cold air doesn't go into the lungs. 

 What are everyones thoughts on this? I'm going to do a search and see what I can find out about the properties of nose breathing. Its been taught to me to breath through the nose in martial arts training, yet its really hard for me to even start any pattern of normal breathing this way.

 The book recommends snorting water, so that it comes out of the mouth, and snorting witch hazel, (just happened to have some around, it really burns ... LOL), to clear up the nasel cavities. For myself, my nose is cronically clogged. I breath through it when doing katas, but once I get done I get racked with fits of sneezing from using the nose.


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## DJDragon (May 3, 2002)

Hmm, I wouldnt say nose vs mouth breathing.  The best was to breathe, is through the nose and out the mouth.


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## Nightingale (May 3, 2002)

check to find out if you have allergies or a sinus infection or something...your nose shouldn't be chronically clogged...

temporary fix.... a little bit of vicks vaporub under your nose.  clears everything out.


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## Battousai (May 4, 2002)

Sorry, the book isn't specifically talking about breathing in the martial arts, rather breathing in general. It says that we should always breath through the nose. There are some other types of breathing described in the book in which you breath in the nose and out the mouth.

 I have some minor allergies, grass being one of the things I'm allergic to. Generally it isn't a problem unless I start breathing deeply through the nose.


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## AZ_Kenpoist (Jun 4, 2002)

I use something called a netti pot to clear the junk out.  It basically looks like Aladdin's lamp, but you put warm water & some sea salt in there.  You put the spout in one nostril & the water & junk come out the other.  It doesn't sound pleasant, but it's not that bad & it's actually pretty effective.

I had terrible problems breathing out of my nose for the longest time & with sinus infections, etc.  I finally saw an ENT & he suggested having my deviated septum fixed.  I had that done last month & I'm actually mad at myself for not having it done sooner.  Talk about a night & day difference...breathing is MUCH easier now.


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## sweeper (Jun 5, 2002)

I breath through my nose the vast majority of the time. Only times I don't are when I'm doing something athletic and when I'm sick and my nose is clogged up (rare). Breathing through my nose has always fealt alot more comfortable than through my mouth, also have read some things saying it can be a little better for you because it filters the air raises it's temprature and moistens it. I think Theoreticly if you live in a tropical environment than mouth/nose breathing is about the same though..  when I'm doing something athletic I'm usualy more concerned with the quantity of air going in and comming out than the quality so as I get more tired I tend to breath more through my mouth and nose simultaniously.


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