When you breathe through your nose, you absorb more nitric oxide, which is one reason you can absorb 18 percent more oxygen than by mouth breathing. “5.5-second inhales followed by 5.5-second exhales, which works out almost exactly to 5.5 breaths a minute. The results were profound, even when practiced for just five to ten minutes a day.”<ul><li>Stop breathing through your mouth.</li><li>Breathe through your nose as much as you can — while you exercise, and especially while you sleep.</li><li>Apply the 5.5 rule by inhaling for 5.5-seconds followed by exhaling for 5.5-seconds.</li></ul>

Way you should breathe

<figure><img alt="Image for post" src="https://miro.medium.com/max/500/0*HZhcQH02s6Bjq8Q3" width="785" height="523"><figcaption class="iw ix dj dh di iy iz bn b gd cq fl" data-selectable-paragraph="" dir="ltr">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@elidefaria?utm_source=medium&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="cu ja" rel="noopener nofollow" dir="ltr">Eli DeFaria</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=medium&amp;utm_medium=referral" class="cu ja" rel="noopener nofollow" dir="ltr">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure>If you’re among the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rubens_Abreu/publication/23295157_Prevalence_of_mouth_breathing_among_children/links/0f31753c6be7470c43000000.pdf" rel="noopener nofollow" dir="ltr">50% who breathe through their mouth</a>, you’re ruining your health.Breathing is an essential part of human health. If you do it right, you stay healthy. If you do it wrong, you get sick.James Nestor <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48890486-breath?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=nDKG3IY1h6&amp;rank=9" rel="noopener nofollow" dir="ltr">concludes</a>: no matter how healthy you eat or how much you exercise — none of it matters if you’re breathing in the wrong way.Until last month, I thought twice about breathing. The first time I almost drowned under a rubber boat in a hotel pool. The second time my grey-haired Yoga teacher demonstrated the <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/breath-of-fire-yoga" rel="noopener nofollow" dir="ltr">breath of fire</a>.But since I read Nestor’s ‘<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48890486-breath?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=nDKG3IY1h6&amp;rank=9" rel="noopener nofollow" dir="ltr">Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art</a>,’ I can’t stop thinking about breathing. It’s one of those rare books whose insights will forever change my life.Nestor promises that by making tiny adjustments to the way you inhale and exhale, you can jump-start athletic performance, rejuvenate internal organs, halt snoring and asthma. Here are his top breathing tips and how to apply them.<h1 data-selectable-paragraph="">Stop breathing through your mouth</h1>For the book, Nestor sealed his nose and only breathed through his mouth for 10 days. Then he switched to strict nose breathing for another 10 days. During this 20-day period, Stanford scientists tracked his health stats.I felt agitated while reading through his first 10 days. The symptoms that followed strict mouth breathing were so severe; I feared he’d seriously harm his health.Unfortunately, his experiment isn’t far fetched. He says nearly half of all people are chronic mouth breathers. As a result, they are chronically stressed and exhausted.I wouldn’t label myself as a chronic mouth-breather. And yet, I caught myself mouth breathing whenever I felt stressed. Since learning about the negative effects, I remind myself to switch to nose breathing whenever I can.<h2 data-selectable-paragraph="">What to do:</h2>Stop breathing through your mouth. Instead, breathe through your nose.<h1 data-selectable-paragraph="">How nasal breathing can rejuvenate and heal</h1>Luckily, nasal breathing has contrary effects to mouth breathing. In fact, it can benefit your health.When you breathe through your nose, you absorb more nitric oxide, which is one reason you can absorb 18 percent more oxygen than by mouth breathing.The amount of nitric oxide in your body influences your weight, immune function, weight, blood circulation, mood, and sexual function.Plus, the author shares that nasal breathing can boost your athletic performance. It cuts total exertion in half and comes with more endurance during fitness activities.<h2 data-selectable-paragraph="">What to do:</h2>Breathe through your nose as much as you can — while you exercise, and especially while you sleep.If you’re a chronic mouthbreather, sleep tape can help. James recommends <a href="https://www.amazon.de/s?k=3m+nexcare+durapore&amp;adgrpid=70544020025&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAuoqABhAsEiwAdSkVVHg0CwxMuEIaqXTw7mTovhyQcJpHLJCArdoMF1JRyMwuoAe43Rz9mRoCGd8QAvD_BwE&amp;hvadid=352619887346&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvlocint=9062722&amp;hvlocphy=9073895&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvqmt=e&amp;hvrand=8237727196856777364&amp;hvtargid=kwd-911919782870&amp;hydadcr=26917_1946790&amp;tag=googhydr08-21&amp;ref=pd_sl_624l7yfgh5_e" rel="noopener nofollow" dir="ltr">3M Nexcare Durapore tape</a>, an all-purpose surgical tape with a gentle adhesive.<h1 data-selectable-paragraph="">How to make the 5.5 rule work for you</h1>Most doctors will tell you that a normal breathing rate is anywhere between twelve and 20 breaths a minute, with an average intake of about half a liter per breath.But breathing less and breathing slower are beneficial to your health. When breathing at the ‘normal’ rate, your lungs absorb about a quarter of the available oxygen in the air. You exhale the rest back out.By taking longer and slower breaths, you allow our lungs to soak up more oxygen. Here’s what James writes about the most efficient breathing rhythm:<BLOCKQUOTE>“5.5-second inhales followed by 5.5-second exhales, which works out almost exactly to 5.5 breaths a minute. The results were profound, even when practiced for just five to ten minutes a day.”</BLOCKQUOTE><h2 data-selectable-paragraph="">What to do:</h2>Take a timer and practice the 5.5 rule: 5.5-second inhales followed by 5.5-second exhales.I’ve practiced once a day for the past week. In the beginning, it felt quite awkward. I thought I’d run out of air. But it never happened. In fact, I always felt calm and relaxed after each trial.<h1 data-selectable-paragraph="">Final Thoughts</h1>Breathing is the only habit you do from your first day until your last. But most of us were never taught how to breathe in the right way.Following Nestor’s breathing advice isn’t difficult or exhausting. On the contrary: These simple tricks make breathing feel healthy.<UL><LI>Stop breathing through your mouth.</LI><LI>Breathe through your nose whenever you can (and get sleep tape in case you’re a chronic mouth breather).</LI><LI>Apply the 5.5 rule by inhaling for 5.5-seconds followed by exhaling for 5.5-seconds.</LI></UL>In addition to sleep, diet, and exercise, breathing is just as essential to optimal health.

Through mouth-breathing, you deteriorate your jaw, decrease your sleep quality, lose 42% more water than nose breathers, and inhibit memory and learning. Breathing is an essential part of human…

health

Health

If you’re among the <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rubens_Abreu/publication/23295157_Prevalence_of_mouth_breathing_among_children/links/0f31753c6be7470c43000000.pdf" rel="noopener nofollow">50% who breathe through their mouth </a>, you’re ruining your health.

Breathing is an essential part of human health. If you do it right, you stay healthy. If you do it wrong, you get sick.

James Nestor <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48890486-breath?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=nDKG3IY1h6&amp;rank=9" rel="noopener nofollow">concludes </a>: no matter how healthy you eat or how much you exercise — none of it matters if you’re breathing in the wrong way.

Until last month, I thought twice about breathing. The first time I almost drowned under a rubber boat in a hotel pool. The second time my grey-haired Yoga teacher demonstrated the <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.healthline.com/health/breath-of-fire-yoga" rel="noopener nofollow">breath of fire </a>.

But since I read Nestor’s ‘<a dir="ltr" href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48890486-breath?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=nDKG3IY1h6&amp;rank=9" rel="noopener nofollow">Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art </a>,’ I can’t stop thinking about breathing. It’s one of those rare books whose insights will forever change my life.

Nestor promises that by making tiny adjustments to the way you inhale and exhale, you can jump-start athletic performance, rejuvenate internal organs, halt snoring and asthma. Here are his top breathing tips and how to apply them.

For the book, Nestor sealed his nose and only breathed through his mouth for 10 days. Then he switched to strict nose breathing for another 10 days. During this 20-day period, Stanford scientists tracked his health stats.

I felt agitated while reading through his first 10 days. The symptoms that followed strict mouth breathing were so severe; I feared he’d seriously harm his health.

Unfortunately, his experiment isn’t far fetched. He says nearly half of all people are chronic mouth breathers. As a result, they are chronically stressed and exhausted.

I wouldn’t label myself as a chronic mouth-breather. And yet, I caught myself mouth breathing whenever I felt stressed. Since learning about the negative effects, I remind myself to switch to nose breathing whenever I can.

Stop breathing through your mouth. Instead, breathe through your nose.

How nasal breathing can rejuvenate and heal

Luckily, nasal breathing has contrary effects to mouth breathing. In fact, it can benefit your health.

When you breathe through your nose, you absorb more nitric oxide, which is one reason you can absorb 18 percent more oxygen than by mouth breathing.

The amount of nitric oxide in your body influences your weight, immune function, weight, blood circulation, mood, and sexual function.

Plus, the author shares that nasal breathing can boost your athletic performance. It cuts total exertion in half and comes with more endurance during fitness activities.

Breathe through your nose as much as you can — while you exercise, and especially while you sleep.

If you’re a chronic mouthbreather, sleep tape can help. James recommends <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.amazon.de/s?k=3m+nexcare+durapore&amp;adgrpid=70544020025&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAuoqABhAsEiwAdSkVVHg0CwxMuEIaqXTw7mTovhyQcJpHLJCArdoMF1JRyMwuoAe43Rz9mRoCGd8QAvD_BwE&amp;hvadid=352619887346&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvlocint=9062722&amp;hvlocphy=9073895&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvqmt=e&amp;hvrand=8237727196856777364&amp;hvtargid=kwd-911919782870&amp;hydadcr=26917_1946790&amp;tag=googhydr08-21&amp;ref=pd_sl_624l7yfgh5_e" rel="noopener nofollow">3M Nexcare Durapore tape </a>, an all-purpose surgical tape with a gentle adhesive.

Most doctors will tell you that a normal breathing rate is anywhere between twelve and 20 breaths a minute, with an average intake of about half a liter per breath.

But breathing less and breathing slower are beneficial to your health. When breathing at the ‘normal’ rate, your lungs absorb about a quarter of the available oxygen in the air. You exhale the rest back out.

By taking longer and slower breaths, you allow our lungs to soak up more oxygen. Here’s what James writes about the most efficient breathing rhythm:

“5.5-second inhales followed by 5.5-second exhales, which works out almost exactly to 5.5 breaths a minute. The results were profound, even when practiced for just five to ten minutes a day.”

Take a timer and practice the 5.5 rule: 5.5-second inhales followed by 5.5-second exhales.

I’ve practiced once a day for the past week. In the beginning, it felt quite awkward. I thought I’d run out of air. But it never happened. In fact, I always felt calm and relaxed after each trial.

Breathing is the only habit you do from your first day until your last. But most of us were never taught how to breathe in the right way.

Following Nestor’s breathing advice isn’t difficult or exhausting. On the contrary: These simple tricks make breathing feel healthy.

<ul><li>Stop breathing through your mouth. </li><li>Breathe through your nose whenever you can (and get sleep tape in case you’re a chronic mouth breather). </li><li>Apply the 5.5 rule by inhaling for 5.5-seconds followed by exhaling for 5.5-seconds. </li> </ul>

In addition to sleep, diet, and exercise, breathing is just as essential to optimal health.

The 5.5 Rule Will Change the Way You Breathe

Way you should breathe

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