Know Your Nose: A Narrative Review of the Developmental and Functional Impact and Importance of the Nose, Nasal Breathing and Techniques on Health and Emotional Wellbeing.
Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) March 21, 2026 Alireza Amirsadri, Hooman Sedighi
Nasal breathing influences immune defense, autonomic and emotion regulation, limbic entrainment, and aspects of consciousness. Contemplative traditions such as yogic pranayama, Sufi, and Buddhist practices have long emphasized nasal breathing, and contemporary evidence increasingly supports components of these traditional beliefs. The evidence ranges from well-controlled experimental work to preliminary small-sample studies, so specific therapeutic inferences should be made cautiously. Nasal breathing represents an underappreciated, low-cost, and accessible adjunctive approach with genuine clinical potential, but controlled trials are needed to isolate its effects from other aspects of contemplative practices.