- Mouth breathing means you are twice as likely to suffer nasal congestion often
- One in three who mouth breathe also experience nasal congestion regularly
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Feeling perpetually congested? It could be down to mouth-breathing while you sleep, a new study suggests.
Breathing through your mouth at night means you are twice as likely to suffer nasal congestion on the regular, compared to those who mostly breathe through their nose, a study found.
The survey, conducted for herbal oil company Olbas in conjunction with family practitioner Dr Roger Henderson, asked 2,000 adults about their sleeping and breathing habits.
Some 18 percent said partners have told them that they regularly breathe through their mouth while sleeping.
Almost one in three (31 percent) of respondents who said they breathe through their mouth also said they experience nasal congestion often.
Breathing through your mouth at night means you are twice as likely to suffer nasal congestion on the regular, research revealed
Close to one in three (31 percent) of respondents who said they breathe through their mouth also said they experience nasal congestion often
By contrast, just 15 percent of those who breathe through their noses feel stuffed up regularly.
‘Breathing through your mouth can cause several health issues compared to when you breathe more healthily through your nose,’ Dr Henderson said.
‘Mouth breathing can cause less oxygen to be delivered to the body and one of the problems this can cause is disturbed sleep and increased daytime fatigue and tiredness.
‘It also causes the mouth to dry out, which in turn increases the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.’
The dry mouth also increases the risk of upper airway infections as well as inflamed tonsils.
It is a vicious cycle, as a blocked nose can be the reason for mouth breathing, but the breathing behavior can also make you feel congested.
Dr Henderson recommended using a saline spray or nasal decongestant and sleeping on your back propped up with extra pillows to encourage nose breathing.
Throughout the day, most people will naturally breathe through their nose.
We evolved this way as a survival technique so that we can continue breathing while eating with our mouths, so we don’t choke.
Some people develop mouth breathing later in life, while some are born mouth breathers if they have a deviated septum or the cartilage divider between the nostrils is abnormal, meaning it is difficult to breathe through the nose.
Nose breathing is important for a number of reasons. The nose acts as a filter and ensures small particles, such as pollen, stay in the air.
The nasal passage also adds moisture to the air to stop dryness in the lungs and bronchial tubes. It also warms up cold air to body temperature ahead of it reaching the lungs.
Nose breathing also introduces resistance to the air stream, which boosts oxygen intake by keeping the lungs’ elasticity.
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
