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THERAPIES & TRADITIONS · GUIDE

Nasal and Mouth Breathing: What Research Shows

What studies of sleep, exercise and posture found about breathing through the nose versus the mouth, what is still unproven, and when trouble breathing through the nose is worth a check-up.

Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.

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Before you read on

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you cannot breathe comfortably through your nose, wake gasping, or have breathlessness that is new or getting worse, talk with a clinician. Do not try to force or tape your mouth shut. For sudden or severe breathlessness, call 911 (US) or your local emergency number.

What this page covers

Nose breathing is often described online as a fix for sleep, energy, anxiety and more. The studies are narrower. Evidence labels used here: established, promising but limited, mixed, insufficient evidence, preclinical, marketing claim. For the wider picture, see Breathing and Relaxation Basics and what breathwork is.

What we know about the usual pattern

At rest, most healthy people breathe through the nose. In a sleep laboratory study, healthy volunteers with normal nasal resistance breathed almost exclusively through the nose during sleep. [1] A review of adults describes up to 30% of the population as habitual mouth breathers, so mouth breathing is common. [2]

Findings by question

5 findings · 1 mixed · 4 limited or unclearThe colour follows the evidence label on each card.

  1. Does the breathing route change airway resistance in sleep?

    Small laboratory crossover study; promising but limited for healthy people, and not a test of everyday habits

    In 12 healthy adults, forced oral breathing during sleep gave much higher airway resistance and far more obstructive apneas and hypopneas (full or partial breathing pauses) than nasal breathing. [1]

  2. Does mouth taping help sleep or sleep apnea?

    Insufficient evidence of benefit; potential serious risk if the nose is blocked

    A 2025 systematic review found 10 studies (213 patients). Only two showed clear improvement in sleep-apnea markers. [3]

  3. Does nasal breathing improve exercise performance?

    Mixed / limited; one small study, healthy young adults

    In 49 healthy adults doing two sprint tests, power output did not differ, but effort felt harder with mouth breathing. [4]

  4. Does mouth breathing change posture or jaw function in adults?

    Insufficient evidence (very low certainty)

    A systematic review found very low certainty evidence of links with posture, jaw joint function and chewing muscles, and no study of pain. [2]

  5. Does nose breathing during exercise raise carbon dioxide and improve brain blood flow?

    Preclinical / proposed mechanism, not a proven health outcome

    A 2023 narrative review presents this as a theoretical framework and says more research is warranted. [5]

What the research does not show

We looked for trials showing that switching from mouth to nose breathing treats anxiety, high blood pressure or other conditions in everyday life. Proper evidence not found in the sources we read (searches: PubMed and public-health pages for nasal breathing, mouth breathing, exercise, sleep and taping). The sleep and exercise studies above are small and tested breathing routes under controlled conditions, not long-term habit change. The 2023 review itself says the wider benefits it mentions need more research. [5]

Frequently asked questions

Is nose breathing better than mouth breathing?

At rest and in sleep, the nose is the usual route for healthy people. [1] Whether choosing the nose changes health outcomes in daily life is not established in the studies we read. [2]

Does mouth breathing cause sleep apnea?

We did not find a source showing that. A laboratory study with 12 healthy adults found more breathing pauses when they were made to breathe orally during sleep. [1] Sleep apnoea needs a clinical assessment. [7]

Is mouth taping safe?

A 2025 systematic review found a potentially serious risk of harm for people who practice it indiscriminately, including asphyxiation if the nose is blocked. [3] Talk with a clinician rather than trying it.

Should I breathe only through my nose when I exercise?

One small study of 49 healthy adults found no difference in power output between nasal and oral breathing, though mouth breathing felt harder. [4] Comfort and the advice of a coach or clinician matter more than any rule.

What if I can't breathe through my nose?

See a clinician. Long-term nasal blockage has several possible causes that need different treatments, and the NHS lists blocked or narrow nasal airways as one cause of snoring. [6]

More details: evidence, limits and cautions

The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.

Mouth taping: a caution
The 2025 systematic review reported potential risks, including asphyxiation (a shortage of air) in the presence of nasal obstruction, and noted that many studies excluded anyone with nasal obstruction or other nasal problems. [3] The authors concluded that further studies are required to show any clinical benefit. [3] Their findings mean the trend cannot be assumed safe for people whose noses are blocked, for example by a cold or allergies. More detail is on the mouth taping and breathing trends and mouth tape, nasal strips and airway devices pages.
When to see a clinician
The NHS advises seeing a GP if snoring is not helped by lifestyle changes, or if you feel sleepy during the day, your breathing stops and starts while you sleep, or you make gasping or choking noises. [6] Those can be signs of sleep apnoea, which the NHS says can be serious if not diagnosed and treated. [7] The NHS lists a mouth falling open during sleep among causes of snoring, and blocked or narrow nasal airways among others, each with different treatments. [6] A clinician can look for the cause rather than guessing. See also breathing exercises, myofunctional therapy and sleep apnea. The sources we read here are about adults. If a child often breathes through the mouth, snores or sleeps restlessly, ask a pediatric clinician.
Practical, low-risk takeaways
  • If your nose is clear and breathing through it feels easy, there is no need to force it. If it feels hard, that is information for a clinician, not a reason to push.
  • In a sprint-test study, breathing route made no difference to power output. [4]
  • Never practice any breathing routine while driving, bathing or swimming, or near water.
References
  1. European Respiratory Journal 2004, Effect of nasal or oral breathing route on upper airway resistance during sleep. Read 2026-10-22.
  2. The Laryngoscope 2026, The Musculoskeletal Consequences of Mouth Breathing in Adults: A Systematic Review. Read 2026-10-22.
  3. PLoS One 2025, Breaking social media fads and uncovering the safety and efficacy of mouth taping: a systematic review. Read 2026-10-22.
  4. Sports (Basel) 2025, Effect of Oral Versus Nasal Breathing on Muscular Performance, Muscle Oxygenation, and Post-Exercise Recovery. Read 2026-10-22.
  5. Cerebral Circulation - Cognition and Behavior 2023, A framework of transient hypercapnia to achieve an increased cerebral blood flow induced by nasal breathing during aerobic exercise. Read 2026-10-22.
  6. NHS (UK), Snoring. Page last reviewed 4 August 2023. Read 2026-10-22.
  7. NHS (UK), Sleep apnoea. Read 2026-10-22.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.