The Importance of Breathing
Breathing through your nose might seem like the most basic thing, but it’s actually way more important than we tend to realize. We breathe every second of every day, but a lot of us don’t think about how we’re doing it—or how it affects us. That changed for me after reading Breath by James Nestor. It opened my eyes to how something so simple can be so powerful.
Nose breathing is literally made for us. It filters, warms, and humidifies the air before it enters your lungs, which helps your body get the oxygen it needs. It also regulates airflow, slowing it down so you can breathe deeper—important for everything from energy to focus.
Here’s where it gets really interesting. Many of us breathe through our mouths, often without even realizing it. This can lead to problems like snoring, sleep apnea, and even issues with focus (like ADHD). Breathing through your mouth dries out your throat, causes shallow breaths, and doesn’t filter the air properly. On the flip side, nose breathing can reduce snoring and improve sleep quality by creating smoother airflow, which helps us sleep deeper and wake up feeling rested.
What’s even cooler is how nose breathing can improve focus. In Breath, Nestor explains how nose breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest and digest" part of our body), which helps us stay calm, focused, and less stressed—perfect for managing ADHD or mental overload. I’ve found this to be especially true in my own yoga practice, where focusing on nose breathing has made a huge difference in both my energy and my ability to relax. It’s helped me feel more centered and clear-headed, and now, I’m more intentional about it throughout the day.
Here is one simple exercise from the book that I love is closing your left nostril and breathing deeply through the right. This warms up your blood, boosts alertness, and gives you an energy boost. If you need to relax or cool down, you can switch it up: close your right nostril and breathe through the left. This helps calm your body and cools your mind.
If you're dealing with snoring, trouble focusing, or just need more calm and energy in your life, paying attention to your breathing can be a game-changer. It’s a small change that makes a huge difference.
Breathing is powerful. We’ve just got to use it the right way.