This is not uncommon and may get better on its own. The dominant nostril switches throughout the day This is called the nasal cycle So why do we rarely breathe out of both nostrils at once? Uncover why you often breathe through one nostril Explore the natural reasons for this unique bodily function and when it might indicate an issue.
As to why we don't breathe through both nostrils simultaneously, i couldn't find anything which explains it. youtu.be/eiax2kqmupq has the answer (with sources in the description) By having both at once, we can easily smell a wider range of things. When you become ill, one nostril may feel more blocked due to the natural nasal cycle, where congestion alternates between nostrils We might not realise it, but our bodies deliberately direct the airflow more through one nostril than the other, switching between nostrils every few hours A constant airflow can dry out the nostrils, which damages their lining, so giving one nostril a rest. The phenomenon of alternating nostril breathing is known as the nasal cycle
Typically, one nostril is more open while the other is slightly blocked, and this alternation can happen every 30 minutes to several hours. This is the process it uses to regulate air through your airways For most people, the body automatically moves between having one dominant nostril throughout the day That means you might only breathe through one nostril at a time The key, though, is that with the nasal cycle, the body switches back and forth between nostrils.
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