I have always been pretty skeptical about the whole “you should breathe through your nose” when you run thing. But, so many health-related podcasts are now talking about how beneficial nose breathing is, that I thought I should investigate a bit further.

There is talk of nose breathing being better for your posture. How it can help to keep your heart rate lower. How it improves your oxygen uptake and even how it can improve your endurance, so with all of these potential benefits I definitely feel like it warrants some investigation, discussion and maybe even some self-experimenting.

I started by listening to this excellent podcast on The Real Science of Sport where cardiopulmonary physiotherapist Samantha Holtzhausen discusses the role of effective breathing in life and exercise. This is well worth a listen, and will give you some ideas and instructions on how to get started with some nose breathing.

I have now spent the last 6 weeks gradually running further and further whilst nose breathing. Initially it felt like I was starving myself of oxygen and 50 metres was about my limit. It almost felt like I was going to have a panic attack because I couldn’t breathe. But, it is amazing how quickly you adjust, and I can now quite happily run a couple of kilometres nose-breathing only. Please note though that all of my nose breathing running has been done on almost flat terrain and at a VERY easy pace. As soon as I start running up a steepish incline I feel like I am going to run out of air again and start breathing through my mouth. According to some anecdotal reports, it should become easier to run up hills and run a bit faster with a bit more practice, so I will keep experimenting.

Another very interesting nose breathing conversation I had occurred last week and was actually the motivation behind writing this post. I took one of my kids to an ENT surgeon because he has had tonsil and sinus issues for years. This ENT surgeon happens to be an endurance runner (A 100-mile and 200-mile type of endurance runner), so I trust and respect her opinion.

I asked her whether teaching yourself to nose-breathe is a good idea and she laughed. I think she had been listening to a lot of the same podcasts that I listen to. Her opinion is that a lot of people can’t actually breathe properly through their nose due to physical reasons. It could be a deviated septum, or narrow nasal passages, or it could be allergy or sinus related – so nose breathing isn’t for everyone.

She then told me a story about how taping your mouth closed at night to force you to breathe through your nose is a thing. A thing sometimes recommended by these podcasts, but NOT something that she would recommend. Nose-breathing at night is meant to reduce snoring, improve sleep quality and help with a host of other things as well. This sounds like a “Don’t Try This At Home” activity to me. If you happen to be one of the many individuals with nasal passage issues, then it is likely to be doing you more harm than good.

If you are thinking about experimenting with some nose-breathing while you run, I think it is a good idea for you to understand the potential pros and cons. Like most things in life, and certainly most things in running – there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. If you try it and like it, then keep going. If you try it and it doesn’t feel like it is for you, then don’t lose any sleep about it. Some sort of breathing is a lot better for you than not breathing!

Pros and Cons of Nose Breathing

Pros of Nose Breathing:

  1. Improved Oxygen Uptake: Breathing through the nose helps filter and humidify the air before it enters the lungs, which can lead to more efficient oxygen exchange. This is particularly beneficial in cold or dry conditions where mouth breathing might lead to irritation.
  2. Reduced Risk of Overbreathing: Nose breathing encourages slower, more controlled breathing. This can prevent overbreathing and hyperventilation, helping to maintain a balanced exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
  3. Nasal Nitric Oxide Release: Nitric oxide is released in small amounts when you breathe through your nose. This gas can help dilate blood vessels and improve blood flow, potentially enhancing endurance performance.
  4. Less Water Loss: Breathing through the mouth can cause greater water loss due to increased evaporation from the respiratory tract. Nose breathing can help retain more moisture and reduce the risk of dehydration, especially during long runs.
  5. Stress Reduction: Nose breathing is associated with relaxation and stress reduction. It can help runners maintain a calmer state during a race, potentially reducing anxiety and tension.

Cons of Nose Breathing:

  1. Limited Airflow: The nostrils are narrower than the mouth, which means that the volume of air that can be taken in with each breath is generally smaller. During intense periods of running, this limited airflow might not provide enough oxygen for the body’s demands.
  2. Difficulty Cooling: Mouth breathing allows for more rapid heat dissipation, helping to regulate body temperature during intense exercise. Nose breathing might hinder this cooling process, potentially leading to overheating during hot conditions.
  3. Increased Breathing Effort: Nose breathing requires greater respiratory muscle effort, especially at higher exercise intensities. This can lead to increased fatigue and a sensation of breathlessness.
  4. Potential for Airway Restriction: Some individuals might have nasal congestion or structural issues that limit their ability to breathe effectively through the nose. This could hinder performance and comfort during nose breathing.
  5. Limited Intensity for Some: For high-intensity efforts, such as sprints or intense hill climbs, nose breathing might not provide enough oxygen quickly enough. Mouth breathing can be more effective in these situations.

In practice, most endurance runners find a combination of both nose and mouth breathing works best. They might use nose breathing for recovery periods or lower-intensity runs, where the advantages of oxygen filtration and stress reduction are more prominent. For high-intensity efforts, most runners naturally switch to mouth breathing to meet their increased oxygen demands.

It’s important for individual runners to experiment and find the breathing pattern that works best for them based on their training intensity, fitness level, and environmental conditions.