Do you breathe through both nostrils or is one predominate most of the time?

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Selected by the asker, SoulFire. (What's this?)

1) "In humans, the nasal cycle is the normal ultradian cycle of each nostril's blood vessels becoming engorged in swelling, then shrinking. During the course of a day, they will switch over approximately every four hours or so, meaning that only one nostril is used at any one time."
Source and further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostril

"Ultradian rhythms are recurrent periods or cycles repeated throughout a 24-hour circadian day. In contrast, infradian rhythms, such as the human menstrual cycle, have periods longer than a day.
The descriptive term ultradian is used in sleep research in reference to the 90–110 minute cycling of the sleep stages during human sleep.
Some of the other ultradian cyclings of the body are hormonal release, heart rate, thermoregulation, urination, bowel activity, nostril dilation and appetite."
Source and further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultradian

2) "In studying the relationship of lucid dreaming to the daily cycle of
waking and sleeping, it is essential to consider the biological rhythms
involved. In addition to the well-known 24 hour circadian cycle there
are shorter cycles, called ultradian. One of these appears in the form
of shifting dilation of the nostrils. If you hold one nostril closed and
breathe through the other, and then switch nostrils, generally you will
find that one nostril is easier to breathe through than the other. The
change from left to right seems to follow an approximately 90 minute
cycle.

Some research has suggested that the nasal cycle may be connected to
cycles of activity in the brain and also to cognitive abilities.
Furthermore, a shift in nostril dilation can be produced by pressure on
a reflex point on the side along line beneath the armpit. Possibly,
then, one could effect a change in cognitive activity by deliberately
pressing on this point."
Source and further information:
http://www.lucidity.com/NL42.1001Nights.html

3) "Ultradian rhythms of alternating cerebral dominance have been demonstrated in humans and other mammals during waking and sleep. Human studies have used the methods of psychological testing and electroencephalography (EEG) as measurements to identify the phase of this natural endogenous rhythm. The periodicity of this rhythm approximates 1.5–3 hours in awake humans. This cerebral rhythm is tightly coupled to another ultradian rhythm known as the nasal cycle, which is regulated by the autonomic nervous system, and is exhibited by greater airflow in one nostril, later switching to the other side. This paper correlates uninostril airflow with varying ratios of verbal/spatial performance in 23 right-handed males. Relatively, greater cognitive ability in one hemisphere corresponds to unilateral forced nostril breathing in the contralateral nostril. Cognitive performance ratios can be influenced by forcibily altering the breathing pattern."
Source and further information:
http://informahealthcare.com/doi/ref/10.3109/00207459109150697?cookieSet=1

Comments

Thanks for such a comprehensive answer.
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by SoulFire on January 24th, 2010
SoulFire: you are very welcome!
:-)
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by iwnit on January 24th, 2010
When I am breathing I seem to be using both nostrels and can feel the air flow through both of them.
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by WierdFeeling on January 29th, 2010
The statement in the first article "only one nostril is used at any one time" seems inacurate. Both nostril are used, but "one nostril is always more open than the other".

I also found a statement "about alternating turgescence of the inferior turbinates in 80% of a normal population" Nasal cycle

This might support your self observation that the nasal cycle could not be so strong by all individuals.

But this could also be the result of a not accurate method of measurement. Most of those who have not heard of this assume that we always breathe equally through both nostrils.

"Although the average person might be surprised to discover it, one nostril is always more open than the other; air flows more freely through it than through the other, more obstructed nostril. This more open nostril is called the active or dominant nostril, while the less open nostril is considered to be passive.
In a healthy person, this process of nostril dominance will shift about every ninety minutes to two hours, as the active and passive nostril exchange roles."

Meditation and Its Practice

"Try this: Breathe deeply in and out of your nose for a moment. Then hold a mirror under your nostrils. You'll find the pools of condensation from your two nostrils are different sizes. This is the right and left brain dominance."
What side of brain you are using?
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by iwnit on January 29th, 2010
WierdFeeling: my last comment was addressing your comment. Unfortunately, we cannot edit comments, so I could not correct this.
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by iwnit on January 29th, 2010

More Questions. Additional questions in this category.

ANSWERBAG BUZZ

Do you breathe through both nostrils

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Yes to both?
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by SoulFire on January 22nd, 2010
Let me see again .... yes I can breath throw both nostrills! Do you have a cold all the time or it's just like that for no good reason?
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by Sokoot on January 22nd, 2010
Nope, actually when I get a cold both my nostrils clear up for a day then they stuff up.

I have always only breathed through one side at a time. It's weird. I thought it was normal for years until the end of high school when my friend said she breathed through both. I asked my mom and she only breaths though one at a time. Maybe it's genetic.
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by SoulFire on January 22nd, 2010
It's anything. One of your tonsils is bigger than normal so it jams your breathing pipe. You can get rid of it with an easy operation.
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by Sokoot on January 23rd, 2010

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Do you breathe through both nostrils or is one predominate most of the time?

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Question

Do you breathe through both nostrils or is one predominate most of the time?

Answers. 3 helpful answers below.

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Asker's Pick

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