The Surprising Risks of Mouth Breathing (Especially For Women)
Here’s why I’m always telling people to stop being mouth breathers, why it really matters and how to fix it.
While my mom was in the hospital recovering from broken ribs, we were talking with her doctor about her breathing. She mentioned that I'm a yoga teacher and that I teach a lot of breath practices. Then, with a little smirk, she said, "She's always trying to get people to stop being mouth breathers."
We all laughed because, yes, I do say that. But when the doctor replied, "I don't care how she breathes, as long as her lungs are filling with air," it gave me pause.
Because while that might be true in an emergency, outside of crisis mode, how we breathe matters. A lot.
I get it. Breathing is breathing, right? Air goes in, air goes out, we stay alive. But here's what I've learned after years of teaching yoga and breathwork and seeing the changes in my students: our bodies are designed to breathe through our noses for a reason.
Especially for women, mouth breathing isn't just a quirky habit. It can have real, measurable impacts on health.
Let's dig in.
The Physical and Respiratory Impact
Your nose is like a sophisticated air filtration system that would make any HVAC engineer jealous. It warms, humidifies, and filters the air before it reaches your lungs. When you breathe through your mouth, you're basically bypassing this entire system.
Increased Risk of Upper Respiratory Infections
What does that mean for you? Well, you're more likely to get sick. Those upper respiratory infections that seem to knock you down every winter? Mouth breathing makes you a sitting duck for them. The nasal passages have tiny hairs and mucus that trap bacteria and viruses. When you mouth breathe, all that stuff goes straight to your throat and lungs.
Dry Mouth and Throat Issues
Mouth-breathers often complain about waking up with a dry, scratchy throat. That's because mouth breathing literally dries out your mouth and throat overnight. This leads to bad breath (not fun), sore throats, and even increases your risk of cavities and gum disease. You know what I’m talking about if you’re a nose breather and have been forced to breathe through your mouth while sleeping because of congestion.
Reduced Nitric Oxide Intake
If that isn’t enough, nasal breathing actually produces nitric oxide, which supports your cardiovascular system and immune function. It's like a free health boost that mouth breathers are missing out on entirely.
Simple Fixes
Use saline rinses or a neti pot to clear nasal passages if they feel blocked.
Keep your tongue resting on the roof of your mouth, which naturally encourages nasal breathing.
Sleep and Energy: The Hidden Connection
If you're tired of being tired, this might be the missing piece of your puzzle. So many of us complain about exhaustion, brain fog, and feeling like we're running on empty.
When we start working on their breathing patterns, particularly shifting from mouth to nasal breathing, the changes in our energy levels can be dramatic.
Poor Sleep Quality
Mouth breathing is strongly linked to snoring and sleep-disordered breathing. Some studies even connect it to sleep apnea. Think about it: when you're breathing through your mouth at night, your tongue position changes, your airway can become partially blocked, and your sleep quality takes a hit.
If you breathe through your mouth at night and are always tired, try focusing on training your body to breathe through your nose throughout the day and implementing techniques to keep your mouth closed at night; you could wake up feeling actually rested for a change.
Daytime Fatigue and Brain Fog
When you're not getting quality sleep, your brain doesn't function at its best. Reaction times slow down, memory gets fuzzy, and decision-making becomes harder. For women juggling careers, families, and everything else, that's the last thing we need.
Simple Fixes
Practice the "4-7-8 breathing technique" before bed: inhale through your nose for 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale through your mouth for 8. This activates your parasympathetic nervous system for better sleep.
Consider mouth tape designed for sleep (start with just 20 minutes while awake to test comfort).
Sleep on your side rather than your back to keep your airways more open.
Mental Health and the Nervous System
This is where things get really interesting, and honestly, a bit concerning. Chronic mouth breathing can actually trigger your body's stress response.
Increased Anxiety and Sympathetic Nervous System Dominance
When you breathe through your mouth, you tend to take shorter, shallower breaths from your chest rather than deep, slow breaths from your diaphragm. This sends a signal to your nervous system that something's wrong, keeping you in that "fight or flight" mode.
Mood Swings and Irritability
For women dealing with hormonal shifts, whether it's PMS, perimenopause, or menopause, this chronic stress response can make mood swings and irritability so much worse. Your body is already dealing with fluctuating hormones. Adding chronic stress breathing on top of that? It's like throwing gasoline on a fire.
Simple Fixes
Try "box breathing" when you feel anxious: inhale through your nose for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale through your nose for 4, hold empty for 4. Repeat 5-10 times.
Set phone reminders throughout the day to check your breathing pattern. If you catch yourself mouth breathing, simply close your mouth and take three slow, deep breaths through your nose.
Posture and Structural Changes
Chronic mouth breathers tend to develop specific postural patterns that can create long-term problems.
Forward Head Posture
Chronic mouth breathers tend to have what we call "forward head posture." Their head juts forward, shoulders round, and their whole upper body compensates for the changed breathing pattern. This creates a cascade of tension through the neck, jaw, and shoulders.
Facial Structure Impacts
While facial structure changes from mouth breathing are more relevant for children, the postural impacts affect us at any age. Once you start breathing properly and your posture improves, you'll be amazed at how much better you feel overall.
Simple Fixes
Practice the "chin tuck" exercise: pull your chin back like you're making a double chin (it’s not cute but it’s worth it trust me!), hold for 5 seconds, repeat 10 times throughout the day. This helps counter forward head posture.
When sitting or standing, imagine a string pulling the crown of your head toward the ceiling.
Keep your tongue resting on the roof of your mouth, which helps maintain proper jaw position and encourages nasal breathing.
The Pelvic Floor Connection
This is my specialty, and it's where the breathing conversation gets really important for women. Your diaphragm and pelvic floor work together as part of your body's core pressure system.
Altered Pressure Systems
When you're mouth breathing, you're typically using shallow chest breathing instead of deep diaphragmatic breathing. This changes the pressure dynamics in your core and pelvis. Research shows connections between breathing dysfunction and pelvic floor issues like leakage, prolapse, and pelvic pain.
Increased Risk of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
If your diaphragm isn't moving properly because you're breathing from your chest, your pelvic floor isn't getting the natural coordination it needs to function well. This can contribute to everything from stress incontinence to low back pain.
Pelvic floor health isn't just about doing Kegels (which, honestly, aren't the answer for everyone). It's about getting your whole core pressure system working together properly, and that starts with proper breathing.
Why This Matters Especially for Women
Women face unique challenges when it comes to breathing patterns. During pregnancy, our ribcage expands and our diaphragm gets pushed up, often leading to more mouth breathing. After childbirth, many women never return to proper breathing patterns.
During perimenopause and menopause, hormonal changes can affect breathing pattern, too. Sleep becomes more disrupted, anxiety may increase, and physical changes in the ribcage and posture can compound breathing issues.
The Simple Truth
Look, I'm not saying that changing from mouth to nasal breathing is going to solve all your problems. But what I am saying is that it's a foundational piece that affects so many other aspects of health.
The beautiful thing about breathing retraining is that it's accessible to everyone. You don't need special equipment, expensive supplements, or complicated protocols. You just need awareness and practice.
Ready to Breathe Better?
If you're reading this and thinking, "I might be a mouth breather," or "I never really thought about how I breathe," I'd love to help you explore this further.
The best way to learn proper breathing techniques is through guided practice. That's why I invite you to join me for a live yoga class where we can work on breathing retraining together. In a supportive, community environment, we'll explore how small changes in your breathing can lead to big improvements in how you feel.
I teach four live classes a week inside my virtual studio! Join me and let's breathe our way to better health together.
BONUS: Come to class for FREE
If you haven't practiced with me yet, use code FLOURISHFREEYOGA at check out and you'll get your first class for free.
If you have come to class with me before, I have something for you too! Get 30 days of unlimited yoga (that's not just pelvic floor yoga but weekly chair and gentle yoga classes too!) for just $30.
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