Breathing through nose or mouth

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

What is the value of warming the air (as you breathe through the nose)? Does it oxygenate better into the bloodstream?
I breathe through the mouth while running, and in winter I sometimes feel like I'm not getting as much air in, or enough oxygen from it -- I breathe harder more quickly -- I feel more efficient in warmer weather. Is it because colder air doesn't absorb in the lungs as well as warm air? Why else would it be important to warm the air by breathing through the nose?

[go pre]

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

personally, i prefer to inhale through my nose and exhale through my mouth. as i increase the pace of my run, more of my breathing is done through my mouth. but i feel whether you breathe through your nose or your mouth is far less important that the rhythm of your breathing. it should be relaxed, but controlled - not forced. i usually time my breathing with my steps - inhale for four strides, exhale for four strides.

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth. exhaling through the mouth releases a higher rate of, i think it is carbon dioxide, whatever the used up oxygen is called.

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

You want to exhale completely in order to get the carbon dioxide out of the lower portion of the lungs.

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

breathe through both deeply and quietly to stay relaxed, if you relax the air will naturally come out of your nose making for a more efficient breathe , no scientist can tell you the way its all up to you

[Cerutty Boy]

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

Please cite at least one source on
>this. And no, a self-serving article in Runner's
>World doesn't count.

Performed a Google search, the first link is below:

http://www.mercola.com/2002/jan/9/jogging.htm

Many more appear.

[Cerutty Boy]

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

If the brain isn't a muscle, would
>exercise really increase blood
>capillaries/vessels there?

The contribution of the increased blood volume cannot be overlooked.

By anecdote:

My high school health teacher had a sign posted in her classroom that read "dehydration affects mental clarity" with the picture of a cat with the caption "dog." With dehydration, the blood (which is, by volume, mostly water) decreases in volume and becomes more viscous. Therefore, less blood is available to carry oxygen to the brain, resulting in the muddled thoughts.

The higher plane of thought would not occur during the run (when the muscles are using the lion's share of the body's blood), but afterward, once the body is recovered and adaptation has taken place.

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

>Currently, numerous studies have
>confirmed that running improves scores on tests
>of intelligence, i.e. it makes people smarter.>

Please cite at least one source on this. And no, a self-serving article in Runner's World doesn't count.

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

Interesting; you would think the brain might be subject to some damage by the diminishing of oxygen to the brain that hard physical exercise might entail. People pass out while running, or feel faint -- the body is shunting oxygen to the muscles while trying to protect supply to the brain . . .
If the brain isn't a muscle, would exercise really increase blood capillaries/vessels there?

[Cerutty Boy]

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

>Or, as my wife used to say, "Why do men's
>penises have a hole in the end?"

To get
>oxygen directly to the brain.

Your rather undignified post reminded me of a topic that I came across years ago in my study of South American culture:

While performing excavations at Aztec ruins, archeologists discovered a number of skulls with holes drilled straight through the top. The variety of relics and preserved garments indicated that the remains were, without doubt, those of Aztec priests. In searching for clues as to why the holes would have been created, the archeologists first considered sacrifice, a common practice among the Aztecs. This was later rejected for a variety of reasons. Among them, local legends, tales from New World conquerors, and ancient runes described supernatural powers of the Aztec priests. It was theorized that the holes increased the absorption of oxygen by the brain (gaseous exchange can occur across any moist membrane), granting the priests their powers.


Currently, numerous studies have confirmed that running improves scores on tests of intelligence, i.e. it makes people smarter. The number one reason given for this occurrence is increased blood flow to the brain (and hence increased oxygen availability), brought about by the increased amount of vascular tissues (blood vessels) in the brain and increased blood volume.

Conclusion: If you want to be smarter, go run. If you want to be a lot smarter, drill holes in your head.

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

>Re: Absorbing oxygen through your nasal
>cavity/roof of your mouth into your
>brain/bloodstream. If your body could
>absorb/transfer oxygen through your skin/tissue
>in this manner, just think; you could drown
>taking a shower tomorrow morning!

Now wait a minute; people snort coke through their nose, rather than their armpits, for some reason!

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

Or, as my wife used to say, "Why do men's penises have a hole in the end?"

To get oxygen directly to the brain.

[pickle47]

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

Re: Absorbing oxygen through your nasal cavity/roof of your mouth into your brain/bloodstream. If your body could absorb/transfer oxygen through your skin/tissue in this manner, just think; you could drown taking a shower tomorrow morning!

[abinferno]

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

As has been stated, it's impossible to take in enough volume of air to maintain proper function through your nose. No distance runner on earth runs breathing through his nose. Watch any race, everyone has their mouths open and are breathing hard.

Re: Breathing through nose or mouth

try a really, really long snorkel in training so you'll be breathing in air from high altitude. use a regular snorkel for races and wear a diving mask too, to minimize water loss from your eyes.