Breathing through your nose rather than breathing through your mouth releases more oxygen and improves your skin hydration. The more oxygen your skin cells have, the brighter your glow. During the day, skin cells are in defence mode working to protect themselves from UV exposure and free radical damage.
During sleep, our skin goes into repair mode. But, mouth breathing drains moisture from your skin, results in poor sleep quality and makes you wake up with a dry mouth.
You can experience a "a net water loss of 42 percent" when you breathe only out of your mouth, which can be amended if you breathe from your nose instead, advises Dr Ann Kearney (Stanford University)
Some studies show that those who breathe with their mouth are more prone to having dry skin and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) which impacts the integrity of the skin barrier and its function, contributing to inflammation, redness, and irritation says Cynthia Bailey, M.D
Breathing out the moisture in your skin because of stress and poor sleep quality?
Skin experts advise you to keep stress under control because stress can damage your skin and can cause chemical imbalances in your skin that can result in eczema, acne, sensitivity, and irritation. Practice mindfulness and focus on breathing through your nose using your diaphragm to reduce stress and increase your lung capacity.
After stress, mouth breathing disrupts sleep more than anything else, preventing you from reaching deep, restorative sleep.
During deep sleep your body boosts the production of hormones and collagen that rejuvenate and repair the skin. Melatonin signals our brains that it’s time to go to sleep and is known for its antioxidant and anti-aging properties.
Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is greatly enhanced during sleep, especially early in the night. HGH helps to maintain, build, and repair healthy tissue in the brain and other organs and is a necessary ingredient for collagen production.
Poor sleep alters your skin’s ability to synthesize collagen.
Lack of quality sleep produces higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can interfere with collagen production, a protein that provides the skin’s glow and improves elasticity and strength. Deep sleep boosts collagen naturally, but to reach deep sleep you need to avoid sleep disruptions by maintaining nasal breathing all night.
A group of biologists from the University of Manchester explains why a good night's sleep prepares us for the rigours of the day ahead and shows how the body clock mechanism boosts our ability to maintain our bodies when we are most active.
This study also discovered there are two types of fibrils (the rope-like structures of collagen that are woven by the cells to form tissues). A permanent thicker fibrils structure with which we are born and stays with us throughout our lives, and a thinner fibrils structure which breaks down during the day and repairs itself at night during deep sleep to protect the permanent structures from the daily wear and tear on skin cells that need to be replenished regularly.
Mouth breathing dehydrates your skin more.
Saliva, keeps the oral cavity moist and healthy. When you breathe through the mouth, the amount of saliva present will go down and you will lose the benefit of having a moist mouth. When your mouth starts to dry out, you can also develop dry skin and cracked lips that provide more space for bacteria to grow.
The mouth is for breathing only when your nasal passages are congested or you have a deviated septum or enlarged tonsils that make breathing almost impossible. Consult your physician or your dentist for assessment.
If you habitually breathe through your mouth it is likely that you will also experience snoring, dehydration, dry mouth, bad breath, sinus pressure, nasal congestion and poor sleep quality. As a result, you are more likely to wake up tired, irritable, experience poor concentration and spend the day falling sleep during routine activities. If you do, you may be at risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is bad for your health.
So, what can you do if you are a mouth breather?
If you’re a habitual mouth breather and want to improve your skin quality there are a few things you can do to encourage proper nasal breathing.
Use a humidifier.
A humidifier can help to moisten the air, which can help to reduce skin dryness, congestion in the nasal passage and make it easier to breathe through your nose.
Try breathing exercises.
Breathing exercises can help you to condition your body to breathe with your mouth closed and allows the body to calm down and leave the stressed state. The most effective breathing pattern is slow nose breathing, deep from the diaphragm. The reduced breathing rate increases carbon dioxide CO2 levels in the blood, which prevents skin impairment, such as decreased skin barrier and moisturising functions and surface roughening, which occur especially during the dry winter months.
Get checked for sleep issues.
If you find that even after practicing the above techniques you continue to struggle with breathing through your mouth at night, there is a good chance that your sleep is being disrupted by undiagnosed sleep apnea or another related condition. If this is the case, make an appointment with your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
sleepQ+ is a revolutionary new product that helps you maintain nasal breathing while you sleep. This invisible lip-bonding gel releases instantly when touched by the tongue, re-engages when the lips close again and washes off with water in the morning.
Together with lifestyle changes, such as nose breathing exercises and following a healthy diet and lifestyle, sleepQ+ can help you to overcome mouth breathing and get the restful and relaxing night of sleep that you deserve. Your skin will love it.
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