Nasal Function
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org, please feel free to visit the school website)
Humans breathe 18,000 to 20,000 times a day. This is mostly, if not all, being done through the nose, not the mouth, even though it requires 150% more effort to bring air into the narrow passage of the nostrils, a literal bottleneck for the air to pass through. This means there must be a good reason for it!
The nose does much more than just letting air in. Medical specialists who study diseases of the nose (rhinologists) list thirty distinct functions that the nose performs. It filters, moisturizes, warms, registers smell, brings in oxygen, creates mucus, provides a route of drainage for the sinuses, and affects the nervous system. It has many other functions beyond this as well. The nose prepares air for usage by the body.
The word nose not only pertains to the portion that can be seen on your face, but also the myriad of passageways inside the skull that involves the sinuses and the sense of smell.
The inner passageways of the nose are right under the brain. Breath is obviously quite influencing on the brain, the nervous system and the pituitary gland (which is on the floor of the brain). There is vast information on the functions of these inner passageways and how they work. For the purposes of this course, we will particularly look at the effects of one nostril being predominant over the other and vice versa, and the effects of breathing exercises.
A rhinologist may recommend breathing exercises to increase the flow of oxygen through the nasal passage. But first a nasal wash or nasal lavage can fix a clogged nostril and clear nasal sinuses. Once the nasal cavity is cleared through nasal drainage or a nasal drip, a final nasal rinse will clean the excess mucus. You do not have to be a follower of rhinology to improve nasal function. Pranayama yoga can improve nasal function through a pranayama exercise where alternate nostril breathing, breathing left nostril, nostril exhales, and pranayama breathing will promote healthier breathing habits.