Vibrant Habit #8
How many times have I heard someone tell me to shut my mouth? I don’t know. I’m over 50 so my best guess is 18,354 times (give or take). Little did I know that it was great advice. I would guess that our ancestors from the Stone Age only used their mouth to eat, drink, breathe and grunt. I couldn’t help it… I grunted… many times… and I now feel more connected to my ancestors. I also realize that you have to keep your mouth shut to grunt (go figure). I know you are grunting. Don’t deny it. Most likely you did it silently but you did it. I am now a bona fide influencer. Now I know why I’ve been told to shut my mouth so many times. Anyway, for the most part, you also don’t need to open your mouth to breathe. Introducing… your nose.
One day I was taking a walk and thinking about how the Universe began and how it will end, how the known structures in the Universe evolved, and how massive black holes grow. Then I was l like, if I can breathe through my mouth, why in the Universe do I have a nose? Now that’s something I can research and maybe even understand without a degree in astrophysics. What I found was eye-opening and, as a result, mouth-closing. Chronically breathing through your mouth (especially when sleeping) is detrimental to your health. Simply put, this can lead to snoring, dry mouth, dry lips, sore throat, morning headaches, cold symptoms, frequent sinus or respiratory infections, red or inflamed gums, periodontal disease, bad breath, cavities, poor sleep, digestive upset, and foggy brain. In adults, night mouth breathing contributes to or causes almost all obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Mouth breathers tend to carry their heads forward to compensate for airway restriction. This poor posture leads to neck pain, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) tension, spinal disc compression, early arthritis, tension headaches, and dental occlusal (bite) problems. It also tightens the muscles in the chest, making breathing even more difficult. Our vibrance is lost through every mouth breath. There are many reasons we may breathe chronically through our mouths and if you find you have a problem breathing through your nose, discuss why this may be happening with your physician.
The vibrant habit you will work on this week is to become a nose breather… or an even better one if that’s the case. To improve your nose breathing, try exercises like alternate nostril breathing, belly breathing, and Breath of Fire. These techniques may help you master nose breathing while enhancing your lung function and reducing stress (the links at the bottom will take you through these simple and vibrance-enhancing exercises). With daily practice and intent you can reap these nose-breathing benefits: reduced exposure to foreign substances, humidified and warmed inhaled air, increased oxygen uptake and circulation, slowed breathing, improved lung capacity, strengthened diaphragm, lowered risk of allergies and hay fever, reduced risk of coughing, stronger immune system, lowered risk of snoring and sleep apnea, and increased air flow to arteries, veins, and nerves. Now shut your mouth!
