Dilating Your Nose for Better Breathing
“To be comfortable in the cold, keep moving; to be comfortable in the heat, hold still; to be comfortable in the world, stay calm and clear.”
– Lao Tzu
Breathing through your nose is important for your health. Nose-breathing can improve the amount of oxygen in your body, which helps improve your athletic performance. It can calm you down, improve your oral health, prevent snoring, and more.
Unfortunately, it’s not quite easy for everyone. I struggle with nose-breathing because of chronic allergies, and my face doesn’t have a good structure (although my mom would disagree).
You can use nasal dilators to improve your nose breathing for a short period of time. Nasal dilators physically pull your nostrils open to create more room for air to flow.
I’ve tried a few brands of nasal dilators, and I recently came across the Intake Nasal Dilator which works incredibly well. The Intake comes with a pack of magnetic patches that you stick to each side of your nose. You then put on a magnetic band that pulls your nostrils open. Unlike the Breathe Right strips, it doesn’t leave glue residue, and you don’t have to put anything in your nose.
I’ve used the Intake to help me breathe better when I sleep and on runs when I want to practice nose breathing. It looks a bit cyberpunk wearing a black strip across your nose, but makes a big difference in breathing.
—Erik Pavia, CEO
Related Resources
Box breathing is a simple breathing pattern that can help calm you down. Inhaling through your nose can help you practice nose-breathing.
If you can't breathe through your nose, it’s worth talking to a doctor (there are specialized nose doctor’s called “Ear, Nose, and Throat Doctors” or ENTs). Fixing my ability to breathe through my nose is one of the best things I’ve done for my health.
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