Why Mouth Breathing Makes You a Target for Colds & Flu via The Buteyko Clinic

The Buteyko Clinic International published this article:

If you frequently contract colds despite maintaining a balanced diet, adequate sleep, and overall healthy habits, you are not alone. Many individuals experience recurrent illness despite these efforts.

An often overlooked factor is breathing patterns. Mouth breathing, especially during sleep, can subtly compromise the body’s natural defenses and increase susceptibility to viral infections.

This article examines the influence of breathing habits on immune function, the mechanisms by which mouth breathing elevates the risk of colds and flu, and strategies for restoring healthier breathing patterns to support overall health.

Breathing and immunity are closely linked, especially when it comes to how the body defends itself against colds and flu. The way you breathe affects your nervous system, your sleep quality, and the strength of your immune response to respiratory viruses.

Nasal breathing is central to this relationship. Calm, gentle nasal breathing regulates the nervous system and fosters a relaxed physiological state, which in turn promotes deeper and more restorative sleep.

Quality sleep is essential for protection against colds and flu, as it is during deep sleep that the immune system produces and releases the cells and proteins needed to detect and neutralize viruses.

Research consistently demonstrates that inadequate or disrupted sleep impairs immune function and heightens vulnerability to respiratory infections. Breathing patterns that facilitate nasal airflow and physiological calmness help maintain sleep quality and enhance immune resilience during cold and flu season.

Nasal breathing plays a direct and active role in protecting the respiratory system from viral infection. The nose filters, warms, and humidifies incoming air before it reaches the lungs, reducing irritation and helping the airways maintain a strong local immune response.

A key part of this defense is nitric oxide, a gas produced in the nasal passages and sinuses. In 1999, a study reported that nitric oxide inhibits the growth of bacteria and viruses, suggesting that nasal nitric oxide serves as an important protective mechanism against respiratory infections.

Subsequent studies confirmed that nitric oxide inhibits viral replication in conditions such as influenza, pneumonia, and SARS. Further research demonstrated that nasal nitric oxide levels rise in response to respiratory viruses, highlighting its role in the body’s natural antiviral response.

Nasal breathing is necessary for delivering nitric oxide into the airways. In the absence of nasal airflow, this protective mechanism is significantly diminished.

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