Running can sometimes be exhausting, especially when starting out, it’s easy to lose your breath. But according to an article in The Conversation, three experts set out to analyze breathing technique during running. They asked themselves: “Am I someone who tends to breathe through my mouth or my nose when I run?”
These specialists observed that during low or moderate-intensity exercises, the majority of athletes tended to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Conversely, during high-intensity sports, people tend to open their mouths wide to get more air. However, the scientists are clear: contrary to what was previously believed, when running, it’s better to breathe through the nose.
In reality, when you run, you should breathe through your nose.
“A series of studies have shown that during exercise at different intensities, less oxygen is used when breathing through the nose than when breathing through the mouth. While this may not seem like an advantage, it essentially means that the body can still perform the same amount of exercise while using less oxygen to do so,” explain the experts. “Think of oxygen as the fuel for a car. The fewer miles a car consumes per gallon of fuel, the better its ‘fuel economy.’ The same applies to oxygen. The less oxygen used per step, the less energy a person uses, and therefore, the more efficient they are,” the authors continue.
This means it’s possible to run further without exhausting yourself by breathing correctly. “More oxygen is also released through nasal breathing, which is why there is no difference in heart rate between oral and nasal breathing during the same exercise. This indicates that the heart does not need to work harder to deliver it to the muscles, and it’s not subjected to any additional stress when breathing through the nose,” these scientists emphasize.
