The Science Behind Better Breathing

Everything we claim is validated by peer-reviewed research. Here's the evidence behind nasal breathing.

87%

Report improved sleep quality

78%

Wake up with more energy

89%

Higher prevention  of gum disease, cavities and bad breath.

35%

Reduction in anxiety & stress levels

THE SECRET WEAPON

Your Nose Produces
Nitric Oxide

Your nose produces a natural gas called nitric oxide. This gas helps widen your blood vessels, helps your body absorb oxygen better, and kills harmful bacteria and viruses.

Title

Research Finding:

 

Exhaled NO was 141 ± 17 nL/min during nasal breathing versus only 68 ± 6 nL/min during mouth breathing — more than double the output.

 

— American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine

THE PROBLEM

Why Mouth Breathing
Hurts Your Health

Research shows mouth breathing triggers a cascade of negative effects — from fragmented sleep to increased bacteria to chronic stress.

1. Fragmented Sleep

Upper airway resistance is 2.4x higher during oral breathing — leading to micro-awakenings you don't remember

2. Nervous System Stress

Mouth breathing keeps you in fight-or-flight mode. Your body never fully enters the parasympathetic rest state.

3. Dry Mouth & Bacteria

Without saliva's protective effect, harmful bacteria thrive. 4x higher risk of Streptococcus mutans.

4. Airway Collapse

When your jaw drops, your tongue falls back. This narrows your airway and causes snoring.

SLEEP SCIENCE

What Happens When You
Breathe Right at Night

Deep, Restorative Sleep

Nasal breathing prevents the nightly wake-ups that fragment your sleep cycles. Research shows 86.9% of patients report improvement in sleep quality when nasal breathing improves.

Morning Energy

78% of patients reported increased daytime energy when their nasal breathing improved. No more dragging through the morning -  you wake up actually restored.

Protected Oral Health

Mouth breathing dries out saliva, your teeth's natural defense. Studies show mouth breathers have up to 4x higher risk of cavity-causing bacteria.

Better Partner Sleep

Mouth breathing leads to snoring. When you breathe through your nose, the snoring stops, and everyone in the bed sleeps better.

ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

5 Reasons Athletes
Choose Nasal Breathing

Oxygen Efficiency

Get more from every breath

Your sinuses produce nitric oxide — a gas that dilates blood vessels and improves oxygen uptake. Research shows 10-15% better oxygen absorption with nasal breathing at equivalent effort.

CO₂ Tolerance

The Bohr Effect advantage

Higher CO₂ tolerance helps release oxygen from hemoglobin to muscles. Mouth breathers blow off too much CO₂ and paradoxically deliver less oxygen despite breathing more.

Heart Rate Control

5-10 BPM lower at the same pace

Nasal breathing activates your parasympathetic system even during exertion. Lower heart rate at the same output means more capacity for the final push.

Airway Protection

Train harder in any conditions

Your nose warms, humidifies, and filters air. Cold dry air triggers bronchoconstriction — nasal breathing prevents that burning chest feeling.

Faster Recovery

Where the real gains happen

Nasal breathing helps shift back to parasympathetic mode faster post-workout. Better HRV recovery, lower cortisol, deeper sleep — adaptation happens in recovery.

The Aerobic Adaptation

Training with nasal breathing forces you to slow down initially. But within 4-6 weeks, athletes typically match their previous mouth-breathing pace while nasal breathing — with better efficiency markers. You're not getting slower. You're rebuilding your engine from the ground up.

MIND & STRESS

Breathing Affects
Your Brain Too

Research from the Journal of Neuroscience established that nasal breathing directly influences brain function in ways mouth breathing does not — enhancing memory, reducing anxiety, and improving stress resilience.

Nasal breathing entrains brain activity patterns that support memory and cognition

Activates parasympathetic nervous system — your "rest and digest" state

Improves heart rate variability — a key marker of stress resilience

Scientific References

Select studies supporting the claims on this page

All Scientific sources and links

Nitric Oxide & Nasal Breathing Physiology

 

Lundberg JO et al. "High nitric oxide production in human paranasal sinuses."

  • Nature Medicine, 1995
  • PMID: 7585069
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7585069/

Lundberg JO et al. "Inhalation of nasally derived nitric oxide modulates pulmonary function in humans."

  • Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 1996
  • PMID: 8971255
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8971255/

Lundberg JO. "Nitric oxide and the paranasal sinuses."

  • Anatomical Record, 2008
  • PMID: 18951492
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18951492/

Weitzberg E, Lundberg JN. "Humming greatly increases nasal nitric oxide."

  • American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2002
  • PMID: 12119224
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12119224/

Kimberly B et al. "Nasal contribution to exhaled nitric oxide at rest and during breathholding."

  • American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 1996
  • PMID: 8564139
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8564139/

Parasympathetic Nervous System & Heart Rate Variability

Huang ZG et al. "Acute nasal breathing lowers diastolic blood pressure and increases parasympathetic contributions to heart rate variability."

  • American Journal of Physiology, 2024
  • PMCID: PMC11178300
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11178300/
  • https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00148.2023

Pal GK et al. "Assessment of the Effects of Pranayama/Alternate Nostril Breathing on the Parasympathetic Nervous System."

  • Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2013
  • PMCID: PMC3681046
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3681046/

Laborde S et al. "Effects of voluntary slow breathing on heart rate and heart rate variability: A systematic review and meta-analysis."

  • Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2022
  • PMID: 35623448
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35623448/

Ma X et al. "The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults."

  • Frontiers in Psychology, 2017
  • PMID: 28626434
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28626434/
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5455070/

Sleep, Nasal Obstruction & Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Fitzpatrick MF et al. "Effect of nasal or oral breathing route on upper airway resistance during sleep."

  • European Respiratory Journal, 2003
  • PMID: 14621092
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14621092/
  • https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/22/5/827

Meurice JC et al. "Influence of mouth opening on upper airway collapsibility."

  • American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 1996
  • PMID: 8542125
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8542125/

Migueis DP et al. "Systematic review: the influence of nasal obstruction on sleep apnea."

  • Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology, 2016
  • PMID: 26830959
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26830959/

Stewart M et al. "Epidemiology and burden of nasal congestion."

  • International Journal of General Medicine, 2010
  • PMID: 20463822
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20463822/
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2866547/

Nakano H et al. "The relationship between mouth opening and sleep stage-related sleep disordered breathing."

  • Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2011
  • PMID: 21509334
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21509334/

Meurice JC et al. "Obstructive sleep apnoea and oral breathing in patients free of nasal obstruction."

  • European Respiratory Journal, 2006
  • https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/28/6/1222

Mouth Taping Studies

Huang TW, Young TH. "The Impact of Mouth-Taping in Mouth-Breathers with Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Preliminary Study."

  • Healthcare (Basel), 2022
  • PMID: 36141367
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36141367/
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9498537/

Labarca G et al. "Mouth Closing to Improve the Efficacy of Mandibular Advancement Devices in Sleep Apnea."

  • Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 2022
  • PMID: 35254967
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35254967/

Rhee J et al. "Breaking social media fads: Safety and efficacy of mouth taping - A systematic review."

  • PLoS ONE, 2025
  • PMID: 40397877
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40397877/
  • https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0323643

Nasal Strips Research

Camacho M et al. "Nasal Dilators (Breathe Right Strips and NoZovent) for Snoring and OSA: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis."

  • Pulmonary Medicine, 2016
  • PMID: 28070421
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28070421/
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5187477/

Noss MJ et al. "Objective and Subjective Effects of a Prototype Nasal Dilator Strip on Sleep."

  • Advances in Therapy, 2019
  • PMID: 31209698
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31209698/
  • https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12325-019-00980-z

Griffin JW et al. "Physiological effects of an external nasal dilator."

  • Laryngoscope, 1997
  • PMID: 9292609
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9292609/

Wong LS & Johnson AT. "Decrease of resistance to air flow with nasal strips."

  • BioMedical Engineering OnLine, 2004
  • PMID: 15500689
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15500689/
  • https://biomedical-engineering-online.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-925X-3-38

Raudenbush B et al. "Stenting the nasal airway for maximizing inspiratory airflow."

  • Laryngoscope, 2011
  • PMID: 21819762
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21819762/

Dinardi RR et al. "Does the external nasal dilator strip help in sports activity? A systematic review and meta-analysis."

  • European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, 2020
  • PMID: 32683573
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32683573/

Mouth Breathing & Oral Health

Kimura ACRS et al. "Dental Caries and Periodontal Outcomes in Mouth-Breathing Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review."

  • International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 2025
  • PMID: 40739849
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40739849/

Mummolo S et al. "Mouth Breathing Predisposes to Increased Risk of Periodontal Disease."

  • BioMed Research International, 2018
  • PMCID: PMC5859862
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5859862/

Lin L et al. "The impact of mouth breathing on dentofacial development: A concise review."

  • Frontiers in Public Health, 2022
  • PMID: 36159237
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36159237/
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9498581/

Cuccia AM et al. "Impact of airway dysfunction on dental health."

  • PMC, 2020
  • PMCID: PMC6986941
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6986941/

Brain, Cognition & Nasal Breathing

Zelano C et al. "Nasal Respiration Entrains Human Limbic Oscillations and Modulates Cognitive Function."

  • Journal of Neuroscience, 2016
  • PMID: 27927961
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27927961/
  • https://www.jneurosci.org/content/36/49/12448

Arshamian A et al. "Respiration Modulates Olfactory Memory Consolidation in Humans."

  • Journal of Neuroscience, 2018
  • PMID: 30348674
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30348674/

Kay LM. "Respiratory-Hippocampal Communication."

  • Journal of Neurophysiology, 2019
  • PMID: 31215344
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31215344/

Gosselin N et al. "Obstructive Sleep Apnea and the Risk of Cognitive Decline in Older Adults."

  • American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2019
  • PMID: 30113864
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30113864/

Athletic Performance & Nasal Breathing

Dallam GM et al. "Effect of Nasal Versus Oral Breathing on Vo2max and Physiological Economy in Recreational Runners."

  • International Journal of Kinesiology & Sports Science, 2018
  • DOI: 10.7575/aiac.ijkss.v.6n.2p.22
  • https://journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/IJKSS/article/view/4400

Shturman-Ellstein R et al. "The beneficial effect of nasal breathing on exercise-induced bronchoconstriction."

  • American Review of Respiratory Disease, 1978
  • PMID: 677559
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/677559/

Recinto C et al. "Effects of Nasal or Oral Breathing on Anaerobic Power Output and Metabolic Responses."

  • International Journal of Exercise Science, 2017
  • PMCID: PMC5466403
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5466403/

Lörinczi et al. "Impact of nasal versus oral breathing during exercise."

  • BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2024
  • PMCID: PMC10858538
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10858538/

Benner A et al. "Physiology, Bohr Effect."

  • StatPearls, 2023
  • PMID: 30252284
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30252284/
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526028/

Partner Sleep & Relationship Impact

Beninati W et al. "Partners of patients with sleep apnea: Effects on sleep and partner bed disturbance."

  • Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 1999
  • PMID: 10918859
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10918859/

Ulfberg J et al. "Adverse health effects among women living with heavy snorers."

  • Health Care for Women International, 2000
  • PMID: 10818830
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10818830/

McArdle N et al. "Partners of patients with sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome: effect of CPAP treatment on sleep quality and quality of life."

  • Thorax, 2001
  • PMID: 11413348
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11413348/
  • https://thorax.bmj.com/content/56/7/513

Guzman MA et al. "Overnight Sound Intensity of Habitual Snorers."

  • Sleep, 2020
  • PMID: 31837267
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31837267/

McFadyen TA et al. "The effect of treatment with CPAP or MAD on marital satisfaction."

  • European Respiratory Journal, 2001
  • PMID: 11829108
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11829108/

Siccoli MM et al. "Effects of CPAP on Sleep and Mood in Partners of Patients with OSA."

  • Sleep, 2008
  • PMID: 19014075
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19014075/

Chorvoz J et al. "CPAP treatment improves marital satisfaction in OSA patients."

  • Journal of Sleep Research, 2024
  • DOI: 10.1111/jsr.70167
  • https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsr.70167

Sleep Quality After Nasal Surgery/Treatment

Nasal surgery improves sleep quality (86.9% improvement)

  • Rhinology Journal, 2014
  • PMID: 25073754
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25073754/

Daytime energy increases (78%) after nasal breathing improvement

  • Journal of Applied Physiology, 1999
  • PMID: 10629486
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10629486/

Nasal Airway Obstruction Prevalence

Gray LP. "Deviated nasal septum: incidence and etiology."

  • Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology, 1978
  • PMID: 99070
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/99070/

Petts GC et al. "Prevalence of Nasal Airway Obstruction in an Orthodontic Population Using the NOSE Scale."

  • Orthodontics & Craniofacial Research, 2025
  • https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ocr.70004

Additional Supporting Research

Effects of nasal dilator strips on subjective measures of sleep in subjects with chronic nocturnal nasal congestion.

  • Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology, 2018
  • https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13223-018-0258-5

Di Pede C et al. "Evaluation of the effectiveness of the external nasal dilator strip in adolescent athletes."

  • International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 2013
  • https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165587613003005

Could nasal nitric oxide help to mitigate the severity of COVID-19?

  • Microbes and Infection, 2020
  • PMCID: PMC7200356
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7200356/

Nasal and oral contribution to inhaled and exhaled nitric oxide.

  • European Respiratory Journal, 2002
  • https://publications.ersnet.org/content/erj/19/5/859

Quick Reference: Key Studies by Topic

For Sleep Claims:

  • Fitzpatrick 2003 (airway resistance): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14621092/
  • Huang 2022 (mouth taping): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36141367/
  • Camacho 2016 (nasal strips meta-analysis): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28070421/

For Nitric Oxide:

  • Lundberg 1995: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7585069/
  • Lundberg 1996: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8971255/

For Oral Health:

  • Kimura 2025 (systematic review): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40739849/
  • Mummolo 2018: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5859862/

For Brain/Cognition:

  • Zelano 2016: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27927961/

For Athletic Performance:

  • Dallam 2018: https://journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/IJKSS/article/view/4400
  • Shturman-Ellstein 1978: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/677559/

For Partner Sleep:

  • Beninati 1999: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10918859/
  • McArdle 2001: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11413348/

For HRV/Parasympathetic:

  • Laborde 2022 (meta-analysis): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35623448/
  • Huang 2024: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11178300/

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