Watch Your Winter Breathing!
The days are getting cooler, and while it still feels warm during the day, the morning chill is catching people off guard — we’re seeing more patients with stiff necks and thrown-out backs caused by cold-tightened muscles.
We all understand that cold weather makes muscles tense up. But did you know that your lungs can also be “chilled” by cold air?
The Incredible Difference Between Nose and Mouth
We breathe to bring oxygen into our lungs. What’s fascinating is that the lungs are made up of hundreds of millions of tiny structures called alveoli (about 300-600 million!), and each one participates in breathing.
So what happens when the air is cold?
According to veterinarian Dr. Keiji Matsui’s research:
With nose breathing, even when the outside temperature is as low as 4°C (39°F), the air is warmed to 30°C (86°F) by the time it reaches the throat — thanks to the nasal cavity and nasal turbinates — and reaches 37°C (98.6°F) by the time it hits the lungs. This happens to be the optimal temperature for oxygen exchange!
With mouth breathing, however, cold air reaches the alveoli directly — making oxygen exchange less efficient. Research also suggests that mouth breathers tend to have weaker immune systems and are more susceptible to infections.
The difference between nose and mouth breathing could have a real impact on your health!
Try Mouth Taping
Our family has been using mouth tape for several years now. We’ve been taping our daughter’s mouth at bedtime since she was small — and now she says she can’t fall asleep comfortably without it! (Ha!)
The tape prevents your mouth from falling open during sleep, which means:
– Less throat dryness and soreness during cold, dry seasons
– Fewer morning sore throats
On the rare occasion I fall asleep without tape (usually after one too many drinks!), I wake up with a sore throat the next day.
I also feel like mouth taping has helped our family catch fewer colds — though colds do have their own benefits sometimes, so you don’t want to avoid them forever!
A simple health tip for the season ahead!
Before You Visit…
Fair warning: our English is a work in progress! (Ha!)
But thanks to the magic of translation apps, we communicate just fine with patients from around the world.
Your body speaks a universal language — and that’s the one we’re fluent in.
