A study found that breathing slowly and deeply through your nose can help extract more oxygen from each breath. | Pexels/Darina
A study found that breathing slowly and deeply through your nose can help extract more oxygen from each breath. | Pexels/Darina
As the new year begins, sinus experts at Dr. Daniel Mongiardo Sleep & Sinus Center are recommending that patients practice nasal breathing and exercise to improve their overall health for 2022.
According to U.S. News & World Report, the International Journal of Kinesiology and Sports Science recently published a study that followed runners who implemented nasal-only breathing for six months while exercising. The study found that the runners' bodies didn’t have to work as hard to get the same amount of oxygen from nasal breathing compared to mouth breathing.
The study indicates that breathing slowly and deeply through your nose can help you extract more oxygen from each breath, allowing you to breathe less.
This may be especially useful to athletes, as breathing through the nose while exercising allows the lungs to fill up and better use the diaphragm, as well as aiding in maintaining good form and posture, which prevents injuries.
To promote good sinus health and breathing, sinus experts also recommend that patients address their sinus problems.
Acute sinusitis is usually brought on by the common cold. The symptoms of acute sinusitis can be uncomfortable, but they are generally temporary. Most cases are resolved within seven to ten days, unless a bacterial infection develops. Sinusitis that lasts more than 12 weeks would be considered a chronic case.
"The research shows that there is a connection between chronic sinusitis and depression," Dr. Daniel Mongiardo told NE Kentucky News. "We see more people who have depression and have chronic sinusitis."
Patients suffering from chronic sinusitis may also consider balloon sinuplasty. According to WebMD, balloon sinuplasty is a newer type of surgery that is minimally invasive and offers quick patient recovery periods. The procedure involves inserting a thin tube into the patient's nasal passage and inflating it to open up the passageways, helping them drain more effectively. The procedure has also been shown to reduce the symptoms of sinusitis, which include sniffling, sneezing and congestion.
"I've had patients come in after they had balloon sinuplasty and their nasal airway repaired in the office, who are just different people," Mongiardo said. "They can breathe! As a physician, it's very gratifying because I can see improvement almost immediately."
People suffering from sinus issues are invited to take a Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz to determine the best course of action to address their symptoms.
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