Thousands of Soviet and Russian patients with asthma and other conditions have used this simple breathing exercise to clear their stuffy nose. The technique was developed by Russian doctors practicing the Buteyko self-oxygenation breathing technique. Over 150 MDs explained this breath work practice to their patients. In most cases, according to studies of these physicians, patients could clear their congested noses in about one-two minutes.

Steps to follow

Pinch your nose and start walking briskly with your nose pinched and your mouth closed. You probably will be able to make about 20-25 steps. Hold your breath until you get a strong desire to breathe more (air hunger). Sit down, with your spine absolutely straight, and focus on your breath. After releasing your nose, while sitting, resume your breathing, but keep the mouth closed. Instead of taking your usual big inhalation, take a smaller inhalation using the diaphragmatic, and then immediately relax all muscles, especially upper chest and other breathing muscles. Take another (smaller) inhalation and again completely relax. With each breath, take a small and reduced inhalation and then completely relax. The goal is to maintain this level of air hunger for 2-3 minutes with maximum possible relaxation of the body muscles. The breathing is frequent during this reduced or shallow breathing but this is normal.

Our breathing pattern has profound effects on blood circulation and blood supply to all tissues and organs. For example, breathing through the mouth affects hundreds of biochemical and physiological processes in the body. Sleeping on the back can make breathing about 2 times heavier reducing cell oxygenation and triggering sleep apnea, mouth breathing, headaches, anxiety, panic attacks, snoring and many other problems. All these effects are signs of an ineffective breathing pattern or heavy breathing pattern (called "hyperventilation"). Note that over 95% of modern people breathe much more than the physiological norm (see over 20 medical studies on my site).

If you retrain your breath pattern, so that after your exhalation, you can comfortably hold your breath for 25 or more seconds after your usual exhalation, your problem with the blocked nose will completely disappear. Thus, a permanent solution to the problem of a blocked nose is to have normal breathing parameters 24/7 and to sustain normal body oxygen levels, instead of having chronic hyperventilation.

This test (stress-free breath holding time after one's usual exhalation) or body oxygen level (in seconds) is the main health-measuring tool of the Buteyko breathing self-oxygenating technique developed by leading Soviet physiologist Konstantin Buteyko, MD, PhD. He trained over 150 Russian GPs and other medical professionals to appply this therapy on their sick patients. The therapy was approved by Russian Minister of Health for treatment of bronchial asthma and heart disease.

Resources

Hyperventilation - Definition of hyperventilation and its analysis

Clear Stuffy Nose - Breathing exercise to clear a stuffy nose in 1-2 minutes