How mouth breathing ages you faster (and how to fix it)

Hello from Dubai!

I was speaking to my dad yesterday—we’re redoing the entire branding of his dental clinic. Yes, I come from a family of doctors, but more often than not, they come to me for advice.

Anyway, my dad is the one who introduced me to nasal breathing. I was born with a deviated septum and was a chronic mouth breather, which affected everything—from my performance to my posture and even my facial structure development.

Research shows that inefficient breathing, especially through the mouth, increases stress levels and leads to reduced oxygen delivery to your brain and muscles.

This low-grade stress over time accelerates aging—both physically and mentally.

The Strategy: Nasal Breathing for Better Oxygen Flow

Studies show that nasal breathing not only delivers 20% more oxygen to your bloodstream, but it also reduces the body’s stress response, lowering heart rate and blood pressure.

By focusing on improving how you breathe, you’ll experience:

• Enhanced mental clarity: More oxygen to the brain means sharper focus.

• Lower stress levels: A direct impact of more efficient breathing patterns.

• Improved energy levels: Nasal breathing conserves energy.

This isn't just about breathing better—it's about longevity and performance.

The Tactic: Breathing Techniques to Improve Performance

Let’s focus on actionable steps you can start using today:

1. Box Breathing for Immediate Focus
   ↳ Research from the Navy SEALs shows that box breathing (4 seconds in, 4 seconds hold, 4 seconds out, 4 seconds hold) reduces cortisol and increases oxygen delivery, leading to immediate stress reduction.

   Start with 2 minutes of box breathing before an important meeting or after a stressful email to reset and refocus.

2. Nasal Breathing During Low-Intensity Workouts
   ↳ A 2022 study on endurance athletes demonstrated that focusing on nasal breathing during exercise improves cardiovascular efficiency and oxygen utilization over time​​.

   
   Begin by focusing on nasal breathing during low-intensity activities, like walking or cycling, to retrain your body for better oxygen uptake.

3. Sleep and S.O.D.I.S
   Chronic mouth breathing at night is linked to poor sleep quality, which affects cognitive function and energy levels the next day.
   
   (If you wake up tired or groggy, you may be breathing through your mouth during sleep).

   Using a S.O.D.I.S (under medical supervision) prompts nasal breathing and can drastically improve your sleep quality, ensuring you wake up feeling refreshed.

The Habit: Long-Term Adjustments for Lifelong Health

These long-term adjustments will ensure you’re consistently optimizing how you breathe:

1. Set Hourly Breathing Reminders
   Every hour, check your posture and breathe deeply through your nose for 1 minute. Studies show that short, frequent bouts of deep breathing can lower stress hormones and enhance focus throughout the day​.

2. Daily Mobility to Open Your Diaphragm
   Posture plays a significant role in how we breathe. If you’re slouching, you’re likely breathing through your mouth. Start a daily 5-minute mobility routine to open your chest and diaphragm.

3. Pre-Sleep Breathing Routine
   Before bed, take 5 minutes to practice slow nasal breathing. This helps your nervous system shift into a relaxed state, improving your sleep onset and reducing night-time stress responses.

Executive of the Week: Martin, CTO

When Martin first came to me, he struggled with constant fatigue, headaches, and a lack of focus during his workday. Within two weeks, Martin noticed:

• A 35% improvement in sleep quality (tracked through his wearable device).

• Fewer headaches and less mid-day fatigue.

• Clearer focus in meetings.

That’s it for today,

See you soon amigos!