Retraining the way you breathe can be an important part of improving breathing, oral function and sleep.

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At Happy Faces, we use Integrative Breathing Therapy (IBT) to assess and retrain dysfunctional breathing patterns. Breathing therapy can also be integrated with Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy when breathing is contributing to a client's presentation.

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What is Integrative Breathing Therapy?

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Integrative Breathing Therapy (IBT) is a comprehensive and individualised approach to assessing and retraining dysfunctional breathing.

Rather than focusing on one breathing technique or assuming that everyone should breathe in the same way, IBT considers the whole breathing system and the different factors that can influence how a person breathes.

IBT considers three interconnected dimensions of breathing:

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Biochemical

How breathing influences and responds to the body's oxygen, carbon dioxide and acid–base balance.

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Biomechanical

How the muscles and structures involved in breathing work together, including the nose, upper airway, rib cage, diaphragm and respiratory muscles.

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Psychophysiological

The relationship between breathing, the nervous system, emotions, stress and our perception of breathing.

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These three dimensions interact with one another. An effective breathing assessment therefore looks beyond simply asking whether someone breathes through their nose or mouth.

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IBT is person-centred rather than technique-centred. Assessment findings, individual circumstances and treatment goals are used to determine which breathing strategies are appropriate for each person.

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Breathing & Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

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Breathing and orofacial function are closely connected.

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For some clients, the primary concern may be an orofacial myofunctional disorder such as an abnormal tongue resting posture or swallowing pattern. For others, dysfunctional breathing may be an important part of the picture.

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When breathing dysfunction is identified during an Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy assessment, breathing therapy can be integrated into the OMT program rather than treated as a separate issue.

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Breathing therapy may be incorporated when working with:

• Persistent mouth breathing

• Difficulty establishing comfortable nasal breathing

• Dysfunctional breathing patterns

• Snoring or suspected sleep-disordered breathing

• Poor breathing coordination during movement or exercise

• Excessive breathing or hyperventilation patterns

 

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The goal is to address the underlying functional pattern, rather than simply instructing someone to "breathe through their nose."

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For some clients, breathing retraining may be the primary focus of therapy. For others, it may be one component of a broader Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy program.

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What happens during a breathing assessment?

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Breathing is complex, so assessment looks at more than simply observing whether someone breathes through their nose or mouth.​ Depending on the individual, assessment may consider:

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Breathing pattern

Looking at breathing rate, rhythm, depth and overall pattern.

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Nasal & upper airway function

Considering nasal breathing, airway function and factors that may affect comfortable nasal breathing.

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Breathing biomechanics

Assessing how the diaphragm, rib cage and respiratory muscles contribute to breathing.

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Physiological & behavioural factors

Where appropriate, assessment may include measures such as capnography, breath-hold testing, heart rate variability and validated questionnaires.

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The information gathered during assessment helps determine which aspects of breathing may need to be addressed and whether breathing therapy is appropriate.

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Where there are signs of nasal obstruction, airway restriction or another medical concern, referral to an appropriate health professional may be recommended.

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What does Breathing Therapy involve?

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There isn't one breathing exercise that is right for everyone.​ Depending on the assessment findings and treatment goals, therapy may incorporate:

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Nasal breathing retraining

Developing and maintaining comfortable nasal breathing where appropriate.

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Breathing pattern retraining

Working on breathing rate, rhythm, depth and coordination.

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Diaphragmatic breathing

Improving awareness and coordination of the respiratory muscles, diaphragm and rib cage.

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Breath control & tolerance

Gradually developing more efficient responses to changes in breathing demand.

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Movement & breathing

Integrating efficient breathing with posture and movement where relevant.

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Relaxation & nervous-system regulation

Using appropriate breathing strategies to influence arousal and breathing-related stress responses.

Therapy techniques are selected according to the individual rather than following a standardised program.

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The goal is to help more efficient breathing become a comfortable and sustainable part of everyday life.

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Mouth Breathing

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Breathing through the nose is generally the body's preferred route for breathing at rest. The nose helps warm, humidify and filter incoming air and plays an important role in normal respiratory function.

Mouth breathing can occur for many different reasons. Nasal congestion, allergies, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, structural differences, habitual patterns and other factors can all contribute.

For some people, mouth breathing begins because nasal breathing is difficult and eventually becomes a learned pattern that persists even when the original problem has improved.

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Why does chronic mouth breathing matter?

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Persistent mouth breathing may be associated with changes in oral and orofacial function, including:

• Difficulty maintaining a comfortable lip seal at rest

• Altered tongue resting posture

• Dry mouth and increased risk of dental problems

• Changes in chewing and swallowing patterns

• Snoring and disrupted sleep

• Changes in oral and facial development during childhood

• Jaw or facial muscle tension in some individuals

• Reduced quality of sleep and daytime fatigue

 

The effects vary considerably between individuals, and mouth breathing is often one part of a larger picture rather than a problem in isolation.

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How can you tell if someone is mouth breathing?

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Some common signs include:

• Lips frequently resting apart

• Breathing through the mouth while awake

• Noisy or audible breathing

• Dry mouth or lips

• Frequent throat clearing

• Drooling during sleep

• Snoring

• Waking with a dry mouth

• Persistent bad breath​

 

Some people mouth breathe intermittently rather than constantly, so observing breathing during different activities and during sleep can provide useful information.

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Why is it important to understand the cause?

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Simply telling someone to "breathe through their nose" doesn't address why nasal breathing isn't happening comfortably or consistently.

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At Happy Faces, breathing assessment considers the individual's breathing pattern, nasal breathing, oral posture and relevant medical and functional history.

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Where there are signs of nasal obstruction, airway restriction or another medical concern, referral to an appropriate health professional may be recommended.

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Once contributing factors have been identified and addressed where possible, Integrative Breathing Therapy can be used to help retrain more efficient breathing patterns and establish nasal breathing where appropriate.

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For children, this may be particularly important because breathing, oral posture and facial development are closely interconnected during growth.

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Mouth breathing can also affect tongue resting posture, swallowing and other aspects of orofacial function. Where these patterns occur together, breathing therapy and Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy can be integrated into one treatment plan.

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[Learn more about Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy →]

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Breathing & Sleep-Disordered Breathing

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Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is an umbrella term describing abnormal or disrupted breathing during sleep. It includes conditions ranging from habitual snoring through to obstructive sleep apnoea.

Breathing dysfunction and Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders can sometimes occur alongside sleep-disordered breathing.

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For selected individuals, Breathing Therapy and Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy may form one component of a multidisciplinary approach to SDB.

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Therapy may focus on factors such as:

• Nasal breathing

• Tongue and lip posture

• Oral muscle function

• Breathing patterns

• Functional breathing during waking hours

 

Breathing therapy does not diagnose or replace medical assessment or treatment for sleep apnoea.

If sleep-disordered breathing is suspected, assessment by an appropriate medical or sleep professional may be recommended.

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Who can benefit from Breathing Therapy?

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Breathing Therapy may be appropriate for children, teenagers and adults who experience concerns such as:

• Habitual mouth breathing

• Difficulty establishing comfortable nasal breathing

• Dysfunctional breathing patterns

• Frequent or excessive breathing

• Difficulty controlling breathing during exercise or movement

• Snoring

• Suspected sleep-disordered breathing

• Breathing patterns that interfere with OMT

• Breathing dysfunction identified during an Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy assessment

 

An assessment is the best way to determine whether Integrative Breathing Therapy is appropriate and which aspects of breathing may need to be addressed.

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One integrated approach

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Breathing doesn't happen in isolation from the mouth, face and jaw.

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At Happy Faces, our training in both Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy and Integrative Breathing Therapy allows us to consider breathing and orofacial function together.

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Rather than automatically assigning everyone the same breathing exercises or OMT program, we assess the individual and determine which aspects of therapy are most relevant to their needs.

For some clients, this may mean primarily working on oral function. For others, breathing retraining may be an important part of their program. Often, the two approaches are integrated.

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The goal is to develop functional patterns that are efficient, comfortable and sustainable in everyday life.

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A collaborative approach

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Breathing difficulties and sleep-disordered breathing can have many contributing factors and may require input from more than one health professional.

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Depending on individual needs, collaboration may involve GPs, ENT specialists, sleep physicians, dentists, orthodontists, speech pathologists, physiotherapists, psychologists or other appropriate health professionals.

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At Happy Faces, we recognise when breathing therapy is appropriate and when further assessment or treatment from another professional is needed.