How do I breathe quietly through my nose?
How do I breathe quietly through my nose?
I hate deep breathing/diaphragm breathing around others, it's loud enough for them and they always ask if I'm angry, upset etc. How do I breathe quieter while still having it be deep?
If your normal breathing is really that audible, it might be worth checking with a doctor. You could have something going on, even as simple as a deviated septum or something like that.
Or asthma
Either a deviated septum or nasal polyps.
Depending on how the original poster gets their health care (either by referral or direct outreach), they will want to find a good Otolaryngologist.
I had the same issue. The problem got so bad that I temporarily lost my ability to smell. Two surgeries later and I’m a-ok.
Yeah I have to agree with everyone else. If this is a question you're actually asking, it's probably a question for your doctor, because the actual answer should just be "just breathe dude"
Some people require surgery to do so.
The issue may be exacerbated by mucus, phlegm, cold symptoms, greasy diet etc.
Most people breathe silently
And don't think about it. Something's wrong if someone is conscious of how they're breathing.
Doesn't have to be physical either. You can think you're breathing loudly and annoying everyone and then hyper focus on that while you attempt to breathe quieter.
By doing it slower. The sound comes from breathing quickly not deeply.
Coming from someone with a deviated septum, you can't 😔
I had that after getting hit with a hockey stick as a kid. Got it straightened in my 20’s and it made a big difference.
I only ask because it's highly relevant.
Are you overweight, or obese?
Both
Is your nasal septum ok? Maybe it could be deviated (almost all are, but at different degrees) and creates the sound you hear.
How rapidly are you breathing? Are you taking 15 breaths per minute or 50?
If you're breathing in and out slowly at closer to 15 and it's audible then something is wonky with your nose. If you're at 50 just sitting still or casually walking around then you're probably just out of shape.
Do a complete inhale and exhale over 10-15 seconds. Move a lot of air slowly. The inhale should physically push out your ribs and stomach and the exhale should push in your stomach and you should feel your rib muscles hurt. As a bonus you can freak out people counting your respirations.
Flare your nostrils and breathe in and out slowly. The velocity of the air will affect how loud it is.
If that doesn't help then yeah, maybe see an ENT doctor.
Like everyone else's comments, if it's actually noisy you should speak to a doctor. But I do deep breathing sometimes when I'm angry/anxious to help me relax, and now my partner is conditioned to spot the very quiet sound of me doing it. I've had a chest cold for the last few weeks and he kept asking if I was okay because I was taking deep breaths.
My point is, even if their breathing is quiet, the sound of someone taking slow breaths can be noticeable. Only tip I can think of is to practice breathing smoothly and regularly. When I'm actively trying to take a slow, long breath I notice it can be quite uneven. I breathe in, that breath tails off and I breathe in some more. That leads to an uneven sound that is more noticeable. If I really focus I can breath steadily and smoothly and it's much less noticeable.
You let your passive breathing be passive breathing and you actively breathe when you need to actively breathe.
I've found my breathing in general has improved since I started trying to institute a 20:80 rule.
since I started trying to institute a 20:80 rule.
A... wut?
Why are you even thinking about your breathing at all? Your body will handle it, that's why you don't die when you go to sleep.
What's a 20:80 rule in this context?
20% of my day, intentionally breathe strongly and manually. 80% of the day, try not to breathe manually.
You stop explaining and apologizing.