Nasal breathing, by contrast, stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to lower blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels. A recent study published in the American Journal of Physiology found that nasal breathing significantly increased heart rate variability and reduced diastolic blood pressure among healthy adults (Watso et al.). This suggests that breathing through the nose not only improves posture and cognition but also promotes cardiovascular stability and emotional resilience.
Restricted nasal airflow has far-reaching consequences, extending beyond just breathing difficulty. One of the most common outcomes of impaired nasal breathing is a shift to mouth breathing, which can dramatically alter posture. Mouth breathing encourages overuse of accessory muscles like those in the neck and chest, leading to forward head posture and cervical misalignment. Over time, this disrupts spinal integrity and contributes to chronic tension and musculoskeletal discomfort (“Investigation on the Effect of Oral Breathing”).
Cognitive function also suffers under poor nasal airflow. Breathing through the mouth can reduce oxygen availability to the brain and disrupt CO₂ balance, impairing memory, focus, and alertness. This is often experienced as “brain fog,” especially in people with chronic nasal congestion or poor breathing habits (“The Effects of Mouth Breathing”). In turn, mouth breathing places greater strain on the body’s stress response, keeping individuals in a sympathetic nervous state.
Watso, J. C., et al. (2023). Acute nasal breathing lowers diastolic blood pressure and increases parasympathetic contributions to heart rate variability in young adults. American Journal of Physiology–Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.
Investigation on the effect of oral breathing on cognitive activity. (2021). PMC.
The effects of mouth breathing and the role of heart rate variability. (2023). NCT Neurofeedback.
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