As respiratory infections do the rounds in offices and schools this February, a simple, cost-free hack is being promoted by yoga gurus and ENT specialists alike: keeping your mouth shut. Specifically, the habit of breathing through the nose rather than the mouth.
When the temperature drops, the air becomes dry and cold. Inhaling this air directly through the mouth sends a blast of cold, unfiltered air straight to the lungs, irritating the airways and making them susceptible to viruses. The nose, however, is a sophisticated air conditioning system.
"The nose is designed to protect the lungs," says Dr. Alok Singh, an ENT specialist in Mumbai. "The nasal hairs (vibrissae) trap particulate matter and pollutants. More importantly, the nasal turbinates—the bony structures inside your nose—warm and humidify the air by the time it reaches your throat. In winter, this is crucial. Mouth breathing bypasses this entire defense mechanism."
The hack involves conscious practice. If you wake up with a dry throat in the morning, it means you are a mouth breather at night. The fix? Try "Nadi Shodhana" (alternate nostril breathing) before bed to decongest the nose. During the day, if you are walking in the cold, make a conscious effort to inhale and exhale only through the nose.
If your nose is blocked due to a cold, use a steam inhalation hack before stepping out. Boil water with a few drops of eucalyptus oil and inhale the steam to open the nasal passages. This ensures that when you step into the 10-degree chill, your body's natural air heater is working at full capacity.
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