PHX Reporter

While many people will be flocking to gyms at the start of the New Year, others will look to improve their sinusitis, which can be a painful, inconvenient and unpleasant condition to deal with.

As it turns out, what many view as an inconvenience that is dealt with on a day-to-day basis is actually something that burdens the health of everyone ranging from kids to elite athletes. 

A recent study published in the International Journal of Kinesiology and Sports Science studied 10 runners, both male and female, who implemented nasal-only breathing for six months while exercising. Their maximum rate of oxygen consumption did not change between nasal and mouth breathing. But the study found that the runners’ respiratory rate, which is breaths per minute, and ratio of oxygen intake to carbon dioxide output decreased during nasal breathing.

Additionally, breathing through the nose while exercising promotes good form and good posture, and therefore prevents injuries. When breathing slowly through the nose, we allow our lungs to fill up and use the diaphragm more effectively.

"Sinusitis can impact quality of life in many ways," Diana Ruiloba, physician assistant at Arizona Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told PHX Reporter. "It can impact life from a sleep standpoint. If you are not breathing well, you are not sleeping well. If you are not sleeping well, you are not able to perform daily tasks to your best potential."

Dr. John Stewart, an otolaryngologist at Arizona Breathe Free, also spoke to PHX Reporter.

“Chronic sinusitis can have many significant consequences to one’s health," Stewart said. "If left untreated, it can affect not only one’s nasal passageways and respiratory system but your cardiovascular health as well."

Specialists say that one of the best ways to overcome breathing and nasal issues is to do breathing exercises. The way to get used to breathing through the nose while exercising is to push yourself until you feel the sensation of what researchers call “air hunger,” or breathlessness, and only challenge yourself as much as you can while maintaining nasal breathing. 

This means slowing down significantly at first and being patient. This training process can take anywhere from six weeks to six months, depending on your fitness level and how much you are committed to it.

If you're considering seeing a doctor and would like to evaluate your sinus or allergy symptoms, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.