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Ever finish a workout feeling like a total mess, gasping for air? Yeah, we’ve all been there. But what if I told you that changing how you breathe could actually help you perform better, recover faster, and even feel less wrecked after training?
Enter nasal breathing. It might sound simple (and a little weird at first), but it’s a total game-changer.
Most of us instinctively start mouth breathing when things get tough, but your nose is actually built for the job with a little bit of practice. Here’s why you should use it more:
✅ Better Oxygen Use – Your nose filters and preps the air before it hits your lungs, helping you use oxygen more efficiently. More oxygen = better endurance.
✅ Keeps You Calm – Mouth breathing can trigger a stress response, while nasal breathing helps keep your nervous system chill, meaning lower heart rates and better control during workouts.
✅ Improves Recovery – Struggling to catch your breath between sets? Try nasal breathing to bring your heart rate down faster.
✅ Builds CO2 Tolerance – The more your body adapts to carbon dioxide, the better you can use oxygen, which means less gasping for air.
Switching to nasal breathing takes some getting used to. The first time I tried it, I made it maybe 10 seconds running before I felt like I was under water or my nose starting running but here’s how to ease into it:
🔹 Start small – Use nasal breathing during warm-ups and lower-intensity workouts before trying it during sprints or heavy lifts.
🔹 Breathe slow & controlled – If you feel like you need more air, try slowing down your exhales instead of switching to mouth breathing right away.
🔹 Use it for recovery – After a hard effort, focus on breathing through your nose to bring your heart rate back down.
If you've tried nasal breathing before or try it now and find it's really difficult to simply breathe through the nose due to blockages, I'm here to let you know that get's better the more you practice.
🔹Blow your nose before you workout
🔹Start with the how to get started advice
🔹Consider a magnetic bandage to help (linked here).
Our respiratory functions change as we consistently breathe through our mouth leading to a list of medical issues and making it more challenging to breathe in general. The consistency of practicing nasal breathing will evolve to a more efficient use of our body and can help with a list of factors like allergies, tonsillitis, dry lips etc.
Nasal breathing won’t magically turn you into a superhero overnight, but it will help you train smarter, recover faster, and perform better in the long run. Give it a shot. You might be surprised at how much of a difference it makes!
