Is it possible the reason you feel stressed is not your job but the fact that you are an "obligate mouth breather"? Many patients with a deviated septum or valve collapse may be obligate mouth breathers, which means that they are patients who can only breathe through their mouths. The consequence of this is seemingly minor. However, there are many physiologic benefits of nose breathing over mouth breathing.

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First of all, the nose can filter and warm air prior to going to the lungs. Breathing through the mouth will cause air to stay dry and can lead to water loss. In addition, breathing at night through our mouth is more likely to lead to snoring, while nose breathing can lead to more restful sleep in some patients (and their spouses!). Nose breathing also allows for full inflation of your lungs, while mouth breathing does not. Finally, nose breathing tells your body it is in a relaxed situation. Think of all the relaxation techniques and yoga techniques available. However, breathing through your mouth is a much more stressful on your body. It signals a fight or flight response which can lead to the release of cortisol. Cortisol can lead to increases in heart disease, cancer, aging and death.

So what do patients who are obligate mouth breathers do? An evaluation by a nose surgeon can be helpful. Dr. Anil Shah, a facial plastic surgeon in Chicago, IL sees these differences in his patients. "Not in every patient, but in a large enough subset patients will tell me how much more relaxed they feel, less anxious and rested. I attribute part of this to more physiologic breathing from the nose." Dr. Shah can straighten the inside of the nose, allowing for improved breathing. So if you are feeling anxious and stressed, maybe it is time to breath through your nose!