A female HYROX athlete stares intently at the camera while wearing a black BREATHMODE performance nasal strip

Why Nasal Breathing?
It's simple. It's how your body was designed to breathe. Your nose is much more than just two holes...

THE INCREDIBLE POWER OF THE NOSE

Every time you nasal breathe, something amazing happens.

You activate a complex, high-performance breathing system that to conditions every breath you take.

A diagram showing how nasal strips and nose breathing works

WHY NOSE OVER MOUTH?

Nature's Air Conditioner: Turbinates slow airflow so the cilia (tiny hairs) & mucus can trap dust, bacteria, & allergens, while dense blood vessels humidify each breath. [1][2][3]

Built-In Regulation: The nose adds needed resistance to naturally engage the diaphragm, slow each breath & stimulate the vagus nerve, activating your parasympathetic system. [3][4][19]

The Chemistry Boost: The sinuses produce nitric oxide (NO), only from nasal breathing. NO is a powerful bronchodilator & vasodilator. [5][6][8]

But how does this impact your performance, recovery & health?

THE EFFICIENCY ENGINE

NASAL BREATH FOR PERFORMANCE

A male cyclist is powering through a road race while wearing a black BREATHMODE nasal strip

Breathing Economy: When nasal breathing, your breath frequency & minute ventilation drops at sub-max workloads. Translation = your body learns to sustain the same effort using less air. [9][11][12]

The Oxygen Delivery Switch: Nasal breath naturally slows exhalation, allowing for a controlled accumulation of carbon dioxide (CO2​) in the blood, which triggers the Bohr Effect & maximizes oxygen transfer to working muscle cells. [13][14] 

Metabolic Defense: That 50% nasal airway resistance we mentioned earlier? This strengthens the diaphragm and delays the Metaboreflex, preventing blood 'steal' away from your limbs, in turn delaying systemic fatigue. [3][15][16][17]

18% MORE ARTERIAL OXYGENATION

Per Lundberg
(1996) [7]

22% LESS BREATHS NEEDED

Per Dallam
(2018) [9]

THE CALMING ACCELERATOR

NASAL BREATH FOR RECOVERY & SLEEP

An athlete sleeping peacefully and deeply while wearing a black BREATHMODE sleep nasal strip

Accelerated Systemic Recovery: The parasympathetic state triggers a physiological reset that reduces stress hormones & lowers blood pressure, in turn accelerating recovery & enhancing overall stress resilience. [18][19][21]

Restorative Sleep, Less Snoring: Nasal breath stabilizes the airway & reduces the turbulence that causes snoring. This steady airflow ensures high oxygen saturation at night, a critical factor for restorative sleep. [22][26]

Refreshed & Ready: Conditioned nasal airflow keeps the mouth closed & airways moist, preventing nighttime dryness & keeping oxygen consistent, so you wake less parched & more recovered. [26]

30% LESS NIGHTTIME SNORING

Per Pevernagie
(2000) [22]

7% INCREASE TO RESTING HRV

Per Zaccaro
(2018) [18]

THE DEFENSE SYSTEM

NASAL BREATH FOR HEALTH & WELLNESS

Two older people walk hand in hand through the sunny forest having a good time, enjoying their health, while wearing black BREATHMODE nasal strips

Immunity Shield: Nitric oxide, when delivered to the lungs via nasal passages, possesses potent antiviral & antibacterial properties, forming a line of immune defence against pathogens. [5][6][8][27]

Airway Armour: The nose's filtering & humidifying systems ensure less irritant load reaches the lower airways. Meaning fewer congestion triggers & allergy symptoms every day. [1][2][3]

Brain & Jaw Development: Nasal breath is linked to calmer focus & memory processing. It prompts the tongue to rest on the palate, creating wider dental arches for healthier jaw/airway growth. [28][29][30][31]

10% MORE TISSUE OXYGENATION

Per Lundberg
(1996) [7]

11% LARGER PALATE IN CHILDREN

Per Lin
(2022) [31]

THE EXPERTS

James Nestor speaks on a podcast about nasal breathing and nasal strips

"SWITCHING TO NASAL BREATHING CAN CHANGE YOUR PHYSIOLOGY, YOUR SLEEP, YOUR ENDURANCE, AND YOUR LIFE"

James Nestor
—Author of 'Breath' & Scientific Researcher

BUT IT'S NOT JUST WHAT NASAL BREATHING GIVES YOU...

IT'S WHAT CHRONIC MOUTH BREATHING TAKES AWAY...

Dr Andrew Huberman discusses the dangers of mouth breathing on a podcast

"Associated with sleep apnea, cardio-vascular issues, impaired craniofacial development in kids, and tooth and gut health problems in adults...

...MOUTH BREATHING IS NOT JUST UNDESIRABLE, IT'S ACTUALLY DANGEROUS"

Dr Andrew Huberman
—Stanford Professor & Neuroscientist

THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR. NASAL BREATHING RULES.

BUT IS YOUR NOSE HOLDING YOU BACK?

BECAUSE 1 IN EVERY 3 ADULTS HAVE A NASAL RESTRICTION

Research shows there's a good chance you suffer from a deviated septum, inflamed turbinates, misshapen nostrils, or something else that restricts your nasal airways. [40][41]

Watch James Nestor explain the 10-second test to see if you suffer from a nasal restriction.

Results: If you found the 'Cottles Maneuver' significantly improved your breathing, you'll very likely benefit from nasal strips...

A male endurance athlete staring intently at the camera wearing a black BREATHMODE performance nasal strip

How do nasal strips work?
Nasal strips are adhesive bands with a spring‑like rib that sit across the lower bridge of your nose. When applied, the band tries to straighten, gently lifting the sides of your nostrils to widen the narrowest part of your nose.

THE MECHANICAL AID

HOW NASAL STRIPS UNLOCK NASAL BREATHING

A diagram showing how BREATHMODE nasal strips work to open up the nasal valve and prevent nasal collapse to improve nasal breathing

Nasal restrictions collapse the nasal valve (the narrowest part of the nasal airway) and stop people from proper nasal breathing, but nasal strips:

Widens the nasal valve: The flexible spring lifts the sidewalls of your nose outward, widening the nasal valve by 17%. Wider valve means less collapse on hard inhales. [32][33][34][37]

Reduces nasal resistance: Nasal strips reduce inspiratory nasal resistance by 33%, creating a sweet spot of easy, smooth nasal breath, with each breath requiring less effort. [26][34][36][37][38]

Delays mouth breathing under load: During exercise, strips reduce the nasal bottleneck, keeping you nose-only for longer & slowing the inevitable switch from nose-only to mouth breathing by 15%. [34][35][36][37]

Stabilises the nasal airways: By supporting the nasal valve during sleep, strips keep airflow smooth & balanced, reducing snoring, with studies reporting 33% fewer snoring events per hour. [22][23][24][25][26]

Nasal strips don't rewire how you breathe. But they do stop your nose getting in its own way, so your body can work the way it was designed.

17% WIDER NASAL VALVE AREA

Per Roithmann
(2013) [34]

33% LESS NASAL RESISTANCE

Per Roithmann
(2013) [34]

15% LONGER NOSE-ONLY TIME

Per Kirkness
(1999) [35]

33% LESS SNORING EVENTS/HOUR

Per Cartwright
(1998) [23]

AN HONEST PERSPECTIVE

CLINICAL RESEARCH vs ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE

Heres the honest truth...

We wholeheartedly believe in the power of nasal strips, but we also want to be transparent. Clinical research on external nasal dilatators (nasal strips) is mixed. Many studies show improvements (like the ones above), but an equal number show minimal effects.

The truth is, like many things in published medicine, there simply aren't enough large-scale, randomised control trials & subsequent meta-analysis focused on this exact topic to prove what we at BREATHMODE have found through our own anecdotal evidence:

That nasal strips are a no-nonsense, cost-effective, drug-free, non-invasive aid that can instantly & significantly improve nasal breathing for those 1 in 3 adults who suffer from a nasal restriction.

At the same time, we must also state that nasal strips will not work for everyone. They are not magic (like many of our competitors make them out to be!) and some people simply do not need them because they do not have nasal restrictions.

All we can say is that when we first saw nasal strips, we laughed, then we tried one... and it changed our lives.

All you can do is try them too.

A female HYROX athlete wearing a black BREATHMODE performance nasal strip
SO IF YOU NEED SOME HELP TO

UNLOCK BETTER BREATHING

WE'VE GOT WHAT YOU NEED

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Want to nerd out?

HERE'S ALL OUR SOURCES, CITATIONS & REFERENCES

Reviews foundational nasal anatomy and functions (air conditioning, filtration).
Link: https://www.immunology.theclinics.com/article/S0889-8561(03)00107-3/fulltext

Explains ciliary motion, mucociliary clearance, and respiratory defense functions.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17009929/

Quantifies nasal resistance (50% of total airway) and describes the biophysical conditioning of inhaled air.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18565805/

Describes diaphragm-led slow breathing, vagal stimulation, and autonomic regulation
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16624497/

Landmark paper demonstrating exceptionally high NO output in the human paranasal sinuses, establishing nasal NO as a major contributor to pulmonary oxygen uptake.
Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/nm0495-370

Identifies high nitric oxide (NO) levels from paranasal sinuses and details their physiological impact on gas exchange
Link: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/54/10/947

Demonstrates NO’s effect on oxygenation related to sinus output.
Link: https://www.paulwulleman.be/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Lundberg1996.pdf

Shows NO’s crucial bronchodilator and vasodilator effects in pulmonary tissue.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10598133/

Runners achieved similar VO2 max with 22% fewer breaths/min and reduced minute ventilation, demonstrating improved breathing economy.
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325521734_Effect_of_Nasal_Versus_Oral_Breathing_on_Vo2max_and_Physiological_Economy_in_Recreational_Runners_Following_an_Extended_Period_Spent_Using_Nasally_Restricted_Breathing

Randomized trial comparing NN vs NM vs MM breathing; nasal routes improved endurance and oxygenation.
Link: https://bmcsportsscimedrehabil.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13102-024-00840-6

Six-week nasal breathing training improved VO2 peak and ventilatory efficiency in young basketball players.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34821493/

Academic thesis confirming breathing-economy and oxygenation benefits in trained athletes, particularly reductions in minute ventilation at submaximal intensities.
Link: https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/entities/publication/95486723-f5b9-4824-95e3-ea7214686e5b

Defines the Bohr effect, increased CO2 promotes oxygen release to working muscles.
Link: https://books.google.co.nz/books/about/Respiratory_Physiology.html

 Demonstrates higher CO2 tolerance and improved ventilatory efficiency during controlled breathing.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31286240

Shows inspiratory muscle work can trigger a metaboreflex diverting blood from limbs; training mitigates it.
Link: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/pdf/10.1152/ajpheart.00798.2001

Primary evidence of the respiratory muscle metaboreflex: high breathing work diverts cardiac output from locomotor muscles, explaining fatigue delays when respiratory muscles are conditioned.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9134907/

Follow-up to the 1997 metaboreflex paper, quantifying the redistribution of blood flow and oxygen delivery under elevated inspiratory load.
Link: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/jappl.2000.89.1.131

Systematic review demonstrating that slow breathing lowers blood pressure (BP) and cortisol, and improves Heart Rate Variability (HRV).
Link: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353/full

BMJ clinical study showing that breathing at 6 breaths per minute during recitation or mantra increases heart-rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity, confirming parasympathetic activation with slow nasal breathing.
Link: https://www.bmj.com/content/323/7327/1446

Demonstrates parasympathetic activation and HRV increase during controlled breathing.
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5316555/

Demonstrates immediate autonomic/HRV improvement with nasal route, lowering diastolic blood pressure and increasing parasympathetic contributions.
Link: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/10.1152/ajpregu.00148.2023

Objective polysomnography (PSG) showed approximately 30% snoring reduction with external nasal dilator strips in patients with chronic rhinitis.
Link: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/10885415

Placebo-controlled trial reporting an approximate 33% reduction in snoring event frequency among habitual snorers using an external nasal dilator.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9707518/

Randomized, placebo-controlled trial demonstrating that the external nasal dilator reduced subjective and objective snoring in habitual snorers.
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/13921093_Effect_of_Breathe_Right_nasal_strip_on_snoring

Randomized crossover trial showing reductions in snoring frequency/intensity among snorers experiencing nasal obstruction.
Link: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/11345160

Systematic review aggregating clinical results for nasal dilators and identifying ideal candidates for this intervention.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28070421/

Demonstrates the antiviral activity of Nitric Oxide (NO) against coronaviruses in an in vitro replication cycle study.
Link: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/JVI.79.3.1966-1969.2005

fMRI/EEG study showing that nasal airflow synchronizes limbic and cortical activity, enhancing memory and emotional processing compared with oral breathing.
Link: https://www.jneurosci.org/content/36/49/12448

Links chronic mouth breathing to altered craniofacial growth, showing the negative long-term developmental consequences of oral respiration.
Link: https://www.scielo.br/j/jped/a/hrC4mVvGdXwYgQhhpGyf3Pg/?lang=en&format=pdf

Associates chronic mouth breathing with malocclusion and narrowed dental arches due to incorrect tongue and jaw posture. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20824738/

Provides a modern review of the effects of chronic oral-breathing on dental and airway health, emphasizing structural changes.
Link: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.929165/full

Explains the prevalence and evaluation methods for nasal valve compromise, which is the most common site of airway restriction.
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0030666509000073

Provides consensus guidelines from leading clinicians on the causes and management strategies for nasal restriction.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20620619/

Used acoustic rhinometry to find that external nasal dilators increase nasal valve area by 17% and reduce nasal resistance by 33%
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165587613003005

Demonstrates that external nasal dilator strips allow a longer nasal-only breathing window and maintain higher nasal airflow before the required switch to mouth breathing during exercise.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10638341/

Journal of Applied Physiology study quantifying that external nasal dilator strips reduce inspiratory resistance and work of breathing during exercise, supporting claims of improved airflow and breathing efficiency.
Link: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/jappl.2000.89.3.1114

Acoustic rhinometry and rhinomanometry study showing significant increases in nasal valve area and reduced resistance in healthy volunteers using nasal strips.
Link: https://www.rhinologyjournal.com/Rhinology_issues/441.pdf

Provides a systematic review summarizing the evidence on nasal dilators across various applications including sport, sleep, and congestion relief.
Link: https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/4234285

Meta-analysis concluding that external nasal dilator strips (ENDS) do not produce a statistically significant acute improvement in objective maximal performance measures (VO2 max) for "healthy" adults.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32683573/

Systematic review noting that nasal obstruction has a prevalence close to 30% in Europe, approximately 1 in 3 adults
Link: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/pdf/10.1055/s-0044-1782527.pdf

UK study stating the prevalence of nasal blockage is “just over 30%", approximately 1 in 3 adults.
Link: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10046749/1/Patient%20experience%202018%20manuscript.pdf