Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a widespread condition that affects 12% of people in the USA and 10.9% in Europe. CRS is characterized by symptoms such as a blocked or stuffy nose, postnasal drip, and a reduced sense of smell. This condition significantly diminishes quality of life, leading to poor sleep quality, difficulty concentrating, and impaired cognitive functions. In fact, 90% of individuals with nasal congestion report trouble concentrating.
This was according to a study conducted by Arslan et al. in 2018, highlighting the negative impact of chronic rhinosinusitis on cognitive functions, such as the ability to focus and maintain concentration. The research noted that after treatment for nasal congestion, significant improvements were observed in symptoms like concentration difficulties and cognitive performance. Thus, nasal congestion can severely impair your quality of life by affecting your sleep and cognitive abilities
Furthermore, the constant discomfort from a stuffy nose can lead to increased stress levels. Stress hormones like cortisol can impair cognitive functions, particularly those related to memory and attention.
Nonetheless, a preliminary study has shown promising results for alleviating these symptoms through breathing exercises taught by Patrick McKeown. After three months of practicing these exercises, participants experienced a 70% reduction in symptoms like nasal stuffiness, poor sense of smell, snoring, trouble breathing through the nose, difficulty sleeping, and the need to breathe through the mouth (Adetola et al., 2013).
What Can This Mean for You?
It is clear that nasal congestion can severely impair your quality of life by affecting your sleep and cognitive abilities. For those suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis or nasal congestion, incorporating breathing exercises into your daily routine can be highly beneficial. These exercises not only help clear nasal passages but also improve overall cognitive function and quality of life.
These breathing exercises are available for free on the OxygenAdvantage app. You can also find out effective techniques to clear nasal congestion, enhance nasal breathing and improve sleep quality with our online breathing courses.
References:
Arslan F, Tasdemir S, Durmaz A, Tosun F. The effect of nasal polyposis related nasal obstruction on cognitive functions. Cogn Neurodyn. 2018 Aug;12(4):385-390. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6048009/
Adelola O.A., Oosthuiven J.C., Fenton J.E. Role of Buteyko breathing technique in asthmatics with nasal symptoms. Clinical Otolaryngology.2013, April;38(2):190-191. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23577891/
