Superior Breathing While Running: Part I
by Joe Somodi, Mental Performance Coach
Better Breathing for Running: Keeping Your Mouth Closed
It's easy to feel like you're suffocating when you're sprinting at full speed. Should you breathe through your nose or mouth? The advice seems to be all over the place, leaving you breathless with confusion.
According to one canoeist who won a bronze medal, you'll need to suck in all the oxygen you can get when you're under stress. But Dr. George Dallam disagrees. He's a professor of exercise science and health promotion at CSU-Pueblo and a former coach of the USA Triathlon National Team. Dallam's studies suggest that nose breathing is the key to success when it comes to running.
In fact, Dallam argues that the belief that mouth breathing is better is causing a “nearly epidemic rate of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in endurance athletes." In other words, we're running ourselves into a state of asthma. Don't let it happen to you. Trust the nose and keep nasal breathing.
NASAL FUNCTION AND DYSFUNCTION DURING EXERCISE
The nose is often taken for granted, but it does more than just filter the air we breathe. It's a multifaceted marvel that regulates blood pressure and helps the body fight infection. However, when we exercise, the nose can sometimes let us down. As the body heats up, the nasal cavity can become inflamed, constricting airflow and making breathing a challenge.
It's not just congestion that can impinge into your workout. Some people may experience dryness, causing the mucous membranes to crack and bleed. And if that's not enough to make you cringe, (sorry), changes in air pressure during exercise can cause a sinus headache that could make you want to throw in the towel.
So, while the nose may seem like an afterthought, it plays a critical role in keeping our bodies healthy and performing at their best, especially during exercise.
CAUSES OF NASAL DYSFUNCTION DURING EXERCISE
Your nose is like the gatekeepers of the air you breathe. But sometimes, during exercise, these gatekeepers can fail us. Nasal dysfunction can rear its ugly head, causing congestion, crusting, bleeding, and a general sense of discomfort.
The root cause? An increase in nasal secretions. Blame it on the body's response to heat, humidity, or the exertion of exercise itself. But that's not all - physiological factors like changes in blood pressure, heart rate, and airflow can also contribute to this problem. And let's not forget about environmental conditions like pollution and high winds that can further exacerbate the situation.
HOW TO IMPROVE NASAL FUNCTION
Exercise can be a breath of fresh air for the body and mind, but it can also cause nasal dysfunction. This can result in a range of health impacts, from minor annoyances to life-threatening conditions. Nasal dysfunction can be caused by both biological and physiological factors, including increased nasal secretions, changes in blood pressure, heart rate, and airflow, and environmental conditions like pollution and high winds.
Fortunately, there are ways to improve nasal function before, during, and after exercise. Nasal irrigation, decongestants, and nasal sprays can help clear nasal passages and improve airflow. A drug-free exercise for nasal clearance can also be found on my YouTube channel. Staying hydrated and wearing a nose dilator can help keep nasal passages moist and prevent them from drying out during exercise. And after exercise, taking time to relax and recuperate can help expel built-up heat and moisture and return nasal passages to their normal size.
Don't let nasal dysfunction get in the way of your active lifestyle. By taking care of your nasal function, you can breathe easy and fully enjoy the benefits of exercise.
