NW LA Times

Healthy breathing influences your overall health, and issues related to breathing should be treated with priority.

There’s evidence to indicate that better breathing leads to better health, and when you are suffering from a cold, chronic sinusitis or nasal inflammation, breathing may be all you can think about. Now might be the time to consider seeing a doctor about your chronic nasal inflammation.

“There's a very significant correlation between not only depression, but anxiety as well, with people who have chronic sinusitis," Dr. Matt Hershcovitch, an otolaryngologist at the SoCal Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers, told NW LA Times. "Those who have developed chronic sinusitis are much more likely to develop depression and anxiety. This is because it is like a weight on top of you, 24-7. You have headaches, you have congestion, you can't breathe, you can't sleep well at night. You have postnasal drip, you're constantly clearing your nose, you can't speak for long periods of time without having to blow your nose or clear your throat. This is very taxing to high-functioning individuals and can lead to mental problems that wouldn't otherwise occur. So treating the chronic sinusitis is important, not only for quality of life, but mental health as well.”

According to the medical journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, a study found that there is a substantial evidence to support the idea that the act of intentional breathing interacts with several functions of the human body and promotes general health. Data shows that utilizing slow breathing techniques can have a major impact on stress, anxiety and depression. 

In addition to promoting general health, a link has also been found between intentional breathing and the quality of sleep. A breathing technique known as the 4-7-8 technique, also known as pranayama, is based on centuries of studies and has been shown to improve the quality of your sleep.

According to Healthline, taking a more intuitive approach to the way you breathe can be beneficial to your health and help increase endurance. But what should you do when sinus inflammation gets in the way of normal breathing? You don't have to just live with it. It's time to see an ear, nose and throat specialist when nasal inflammation, sinus infections or allergies impact your daily life and your ability to breathe.

We encourage our readers to learn more about their sinuses by taking this online Sinus Self-Asessment Quiz.