09/16/2026
👃🏼 Nasal breathing is one of the main myofunctional pillars I focus on for all my patients.
Breathing in AND out through the nose helps warm, humidify and filter the air we breathe. This allows us to take advantage of nitric oxide produced within the paranasal sinuses. Nitric oxide plays a role in vasodilation, pulmonary blood flow, and can support more efficient oxygen exchange.
But where that breath goes matters, too.
Healthy breathing is not just ‘deep belly breathing with a big, mouth exhale’.
When the diaphragm and rib cage carry tension and perform less efficiently, many compensate by recruiting accessory breathing muscles in the neck and upper chest. That including the scalenes and SCM muscles. Overuse of these muscles can contribute to the patterns of neck, shoulder and head tension we often see. Restoring a more efficient 360° breathing pattern allows the diaphragm to be the primary driver of respiration, reducing unnecessary upper-chest and neck recruitment while supporting better pressure management through the deep core and pelvic floor.
When we slow the breath down and allow a full, controlled, relaxed exhale, we can also influence the autonomic nervous system supporting a shift toward a calmer, more regulated state.
Breathing is automatic, but that does not always mean we are doing it optimally.🌿🤍
