Nose breathing versus mouth breathing

[Patrick Moore]

I seem to recall Grant writing about this in an old RR. At any rate, I stumbled across this by chance.

https://youtu.be/QgD-bUD99gA

Real or hooey? The authority interviewed seems plausible and has a good web presence, and there seems to be a deep body of research.

Thoughts?

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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[John Rinker]

Hey Patrick, 

I read James Nestor's book Breathe about 3 years ago and switched to nose breathing as a result. Of course, I have no 'scientific' evidence to present (I believe he has already done that), but I can say that it has improved the rate at which I breathe and the recovery time to return to normal breathing. There is a long, steep hill that is the final approach to my home, so all my rides end with an approximate 15-minute climb up this. It took me a good 4-5 months to fully make the transition to breathing solely through my nose from the bottom to the top of this climb, but since I feel my breathing is slower, more even, less strained, and offers quicker recovery at the top. Of course, this is only anecdotal, but I see no compelling reason to switch back to slack-jawed mouth breathing. 

The book is worth a read.

Cheers, John

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks, John, I’ll look for the book. I briefly tried nose-breathing this morning into a modest NW wind but quickly reverted to mouth breathing. Must read up about it and perhaps take the time to habituate myself to it.

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[Chris Halasz]

More anecdotal (and many, many of which, as we all know, do not make a sample): as a nose-breathing convert (even if one is not, it sounds so much better than mouth-breathing, doesn't it?), I go so far as to tape my mouth each evening, with a no-more-than postage-stamp sized piece of Durapore tape, and sleep so well as a result, and have experienced fewer head colds since adopting the practice. Although never a snorer, my wife states I am an even quieter sleeper since taping. 

Patrick: no photos, no way. 

One of these days, going to try running with the small piece of tape. Maybe. 

Nestor's book Deep is also a fun read. 

- Chris 

[Patrick Moore]

John and Chris: Question: when one starts out from habitual mount breathing — I mean as a cyclist, where it seems absolutely necessary to breathe through your mouth to keep up with the oxygenation required by your exertion: how do you make the change from this sort of mouth breathing to nose breathing? This when, if you try to breathe through your nose as you are moderately powering up a hill or against a headwind, you very quickly — within 30 seconds — feel as if you are going to suffocate? I experienced this exact situation this mornin on the way to church, riding NE against a strong NW headwind.

Is the technique for the transition simply to back off and ride at such low levels of exertion (translated into basic English: slowly)  that, in the early stages, you can get by by nose breathing?

On Sat, Mar 14, 2026 at 7:03 PM John Rinker <jwri...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[John Rinker]

Hey Patrick,

Good question! I don't really remember being very regimented in my approach. I'm sure I just breathed through my mouth when I felt I wasn't getting enough oxygen. However, I do remember something about this feeling of suffocation being addressed in Nestor's book. (I think he was talking about experimenting with nose breathing while running.) I'm sure that your reading of the book will make some things clearer. I remember trusting the science about the structure of our nostrils being more conducive to the exchange of oxygen. In this way, I felt I was able to push a little more each time I experienced the feeling of not getting enough oxygen. As I said, it took me some time to adapt, but I'm pleased I persisted. 

There's also a fascinating exploration in Breathe of how our facial structure has changed since the advent of softer foods as a result of the Industrial Revolution, and why breathing through our nostrils no longer seems quite so natural. 

Oh, and Chris, I also experimented with taping my mouth shut during sleep, but invariably I would awake with my tongue taped to my ear!

Cheers, John

[EGNolan]

I too have read the book and focused on nose-breathing while riding (and everything else) for a few years. Outside of Pilates to help with position and strength, nose breathing has been one of my favorite components of fitness. 

For me, just like any adaptation, the focus on nose breathing meant I had to slow down. For a while. Then I built tolerance and my body adapted and now I can produce more power at a lower heart rate while breathing through my nose than I could previously breathing mouth agape. In all out efforts, my mouth still opens to gobble up the air, but under normal rides where endurance is more a priority than absolute speed, the mouth stays shut. 

I will say that I have found it harder in headwinds than anywhere else and that singlespeed riding in a headwind is extremely difficult to manage energy expenditure and breathing technique. You kind of have to do whatever it takes to move, so, your example would've been difficult for anyone...So try the nose breathing when there are no hills, headwinds or other added difficulties first and build towards them.

My $.02.

Best,

Eric

[Chris Halasz]

Patrick 

Maybe what you experienced is something like when holding your breath. There's a learned response, and easy to panic outside of that comfort zone. BTW, what's the record time for holding one's breath? Five minutes? Ten? Nope: looks to be just under twenty five minutes. Talk about a suffocating experience. 

According to the Cleveland Clinic, breathing through your nose is ~10%-22% more efficient at oxygenating your blood compared to mouth breathing, while also increasing oxygen uptake by 10% to 20%. Nasal breathing filters, humidifies, and warms air, creating higher resistance that improves lung capacity and strengthens the diaphragm. 

Finally, according to the NIH, breathing through your nose reduces stress and blood pressure more effectively than mouth breathing. Nasal breathing boosts nitric oxide, which widens blood vessels (lowering blood pressure), and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (reducing stress). It lowers diastolic blood pressure more effectively than mouth breathing.

So eventually with nose breathing you'll be 10-20% more efficient processing oxygen while breathing through your nose, with reduced blood pressure, and a stimulated parasympathetic response. 

All that convinced me to continuous improvement in breathing through my nose, and that in so doing I'm probably gaining as much efficiency as provided by any new set of tires, whatever the width and pressure! 

(Possible next topic: riding upright for pelvic floor health)

- Chris 

On Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 6:24:30 PM UTC-7 Patrick Moore wrote:

[Patrick Moore]

John, Chris, and Eric: thanks again, all good information, and the right technique for acquiring the habit, as now appears obvious, is simply to start doing it when you can and don't try to when you can't. That is, when cruising along, breath through your nose; when riding a fixed gear into a headwind or climbing a steep a hill, don't; and in this way gradually extend your ability to use the technique.

I'm grateful that my parents so long ago kept nagging me to breath through my nose ("Shut yer mouth"! -- Seriously, they were persistent but gentle) so the general habit is already well established.

My sister sent me some information from public webites, which I'll also peruse.

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[John Dewey]

And this, too:

Practicing nose-breathing virtually guarantees we can't swallow a yellow-jacket like I did once. 

Sometimes good outcome requires administering self-actuated tracheotomy. I don't think that's any fun, but do what you gotta do, right?.

BTW, my face blew up like a balloon. No fun. Say NO to yellow jackets.

Jock

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