How to stop mouth breathing

(Module 7 of Learning Buteyko Breathing Exercises)

Mouth breathing people Breathing through the mouth is a sign of chronic hyperventilation. It reduces absorption of nitric oxide (a powerful hormone that is generated in sinuses) and concentration of carbon dioxide in airways and arterial blood causing cell hypoxia in all vital organs, suppression of the immune systems and many other pathological effect (for medical research quotes follow the links at the bottom of this web page). Mouth breathing during sleep is one of the 2 central factors responsible for highest mortality rates in the severely sick during early morning hours. How to stop mouth breathing?

Healthy people with high CP (over 40 or 60 s for the body oxygen test - or stress-free breath holding time test done after usual exhalation) do not breathe through the mouth at all. If they try, their CP will be below Medical people smiling 40 s. On the other hand, if you observe sick people, you will notice that breathing through the mouth is their frequent characteristic. It happens naturally at night as well when the CP is below 20 s.

Buteyko Mouth Taping Technique

In order to ensure nasal breathing and stop mouth breathing during the night, in the 1960s Russian patients invented mouth taping, which is now a part of the Buteyko breathing method... Read more about Mouth Taping for better sleep and higher body oxygen levels in the morning.

Nasal breathing during the day

Man running with nose breathing Remember that for maximum body oxygen levels, we need to breathe through the nose 24/7, even during physical exercise (see Effects of Exercise on the Respiratory System for more detail). Always slow down or take 1-2 min rest if you exercise so intensively that you get a strong urge to open your mouth.

Some older people may use mouth taping during the day, if they have memory problems or can forget about the role of nasal breathing due to other factors.

If you have family members or friendly co-workers and you want to prevent mouth-breathing during the day, tell them that your doctor (Dr. Artour Rakhimov) prescribed you nasal breathing 24/7. Ask them to pay attention to the way you breathe and remind you about your commitment to solve this problem.

Use stickers on your PC screen, doors, desks, etc. reminding you, "Breathe only through the nose". Keep a large mirror on your working desk so that you can see your face and the way you breathe through.

If you have children, promise them a small treat if they catch you breathing through the mouth.

Your struggle will not be long if you increase your morning CP up to 20 s or more. Hence, take care about other Modules so that to move up to the safe zone and get busy with more advanced challenges in your life and your Buteyko journey.

PDF Manual "How to stop mouth breathing" (3-page PDF file)

Related web pages
- Why breathing should be strictly nasal (Homepage Section webpage)
- The breathing exercise to unblock the nose (Article - Buteyko breathing exercise)
- Stop Coughing at Night (Article - Buteyko breathing exercise)
- Get Rid of Cough (Article - Buteyko breathing exercise)
- More research articles and abstracts about other benefits of nasal breathing (Web page about mouth breathing and morning fatigue; Sleep apnea and snoring; Mouth breathing in asthmatics; etc.)
- Devastating effects of mouth breathing on health of infants and children (with medical research articles and abstracts)
- Nasal nitric oxide research

References: CO2 Effects Web Pages
Vasodilation: CO2 expands arteries and arterioles facilitating perfusion (or blood supply) to all vital organs
The Bohr effect How and why oxygen is released by red blood cells in tissues
Cell Oxygen Levels and oxygen transport are controlled by alveolar CO2 and breathing
Oxygen Transport depends on breathing and these two effects (Vasoconstriction-Vasodilation and the Bohr effect) are parts of two diagrams that summarize influences of hypocapnia (low CO2 content in the blood and cells) on circulation and O2 delivery
Free Radical Generation takes place due to anaerobic cell respiration caused by cell hypoxia. Hence, antioxidant defenses of the human body are also regulated by CO2 and breathing
Inflammatory Response is controlled by breathing since hypoxia leads to or intensifies chronic inflammation through over-expression of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1, while normal breathing reduces these processes
Nerve stabilization takes place due to calmative or sedative effects of carbon dioxide in neurons or nerve cells
Muscle relaxation or relaxation of muscle cells is normal at high CO2, while hypocapnia causes muscular tension, poor posture and, sometimes, aggression and violence
Brochodilation - dilation of airways (bronchi and bronchioles) by carbon dioxide, and their constriction due to hypocapnia
CO2: Best Natural Cough Suppressant and "home remedy" since it calms urge-to-cough nerve receptors located in the tracheobronchial tree and larynx
Blood pH regulation and regulation of other bodily fluids
CO2: Lung Damage Healer: Elevated carbon dioxide prevents injury and promotes healing of lung tissues
CO2: Skin and Tissue Healer
Synthesis of Glutamine in the Brain, CO2 fixation, and other chemical reactions
CO2 myth "CO2 is a toxic waste gas" myth
Breathing control How is our breathing regulated? Why hypocapnia makes breathing uneven and erratic?

Reference Web Pages: Breathing norms, Medical Graphs and Tables about Breathing Rates (Minute Ventilation) and Body Oxygen in Healthy, Normal and Sick People
Breathing norms Parameters, graph, and description of the normal breathing pattern
6 breathing myths 6 myths about breathing and body oxygenation (prevalence: over 90%)
Hyperventilation Definitions of hyperventilation: their advantages and weak points
Hyperventilation Syndrome in the Sick. Table 1. Western scientific evidence about prevalence of CHV (chronic hyperventilation) in patients with various chronic conditions (34 medical studies)
Normal Minute Ventilation in Healthy Subjects: Easy and Light Breathing (14 Studies)
Hyperventilation Prevalence Present in Over 90% of Normal People (24 medical publications)
HV and hypoxia How and why deep breathing reduces oxygenation of cells and tissues of all vital organs
Body oxygen test How to measure your own breathing and body oxygenation (a simple DIY test)
Body oxygen in healthy Table 4. CP (body oxygen level) in healthy people (27 medical studies)
Body oxygen in sick Table 5. CP (body oxygen level) in sick people (14 medical studies)
Buteyko Table of Health Zones with clinical description of most common zones
Morning HV Morning hyperventilation effect or how and why critically ill people are most likely to die during early morning hours

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