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Everyone thinks they know how to run (but they don’t), and everyone also thinks they know how to breathe (but they don’t). Put the two together, and you have a group of athletes called runners. Not to worry—this article will teach you how to breathe while running, and some breathing tips in general that are useful in both running and day-to-day life.

Improve Your Health & Running With Proper Breathing

Breathing while running is not as straightforward as it appears. Especially if you’re a beginner runner, you’ve likely already had the experience of feeling erratic/panicked breathing patterns, shortness of breath, gasping for air, and the like. Despite these anxiety-inducing and uncomfortable states, they’re very normal for the runner that doesn’t know how to breathe properly.

When you run, your muscles require oxygen to sustain the increased levels of physical activity; your body also produces more carbon dioxide, as a result. Efficient breathing helps your body get the oxygen it needs, while at the same time expelling this excess carbon dioxide. Improper breathing can lead to fatigue, side stitches, and reduced performance.

Learning how to regulate your breathing while running is a skill that takes time and practice. But lucky for you, we’ve pared it down into some simple and easy to follow guidelines that we’re going to teach you later on. Techniques that anyone can start playing with to help make themselves a better runner!

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“Is There a Right Way to Breathe?”

In fact, there is! Have you ever seen people with their mouths hanging open (maybe you’re one of them) while they breathe? Mouth breathers tend to breathe into their chest instead of their bellies. This often limits their breath intake and results in shallow breathing, while at the same time overusing the neck muscles as opposed to the diaphragm to take in air.

So that’s problem number 1; when we’re walking around doing normal, non-exertional activities like sitting, walking, driving, and eating…you shouldn’t be breathing through your mouth. You should be breathing through your nose.

Nasal Breathing & Its Benefits

Breathing in through your nose encourages deeper, diaphragmatic (belly) patterns of breathing, and allows you to take in more oxygen. It also filters and moisturizes the air that you’re taking in, reducing the risk of respiratory infections and dryness in your mouth and throat. 

Did you know that nasal breathing also increases the production of nitric oxide? Nitric oxide is a molecule that helps to improve lung function and oxygen uptake, which can improve your endurance as a runner. Nasal breathing also stimulates the parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system, and can help reduce anxiety and calm you down whenever you’re feeling stressed.

Before we start learning how to breathe while running, you first have to learn how to breathe while living. Nasal breathing is a far more beneficial breathing pattern that is going to serve your health and athletic performance long-term. If you’re not doing it already, here is a simple exercise to help encourage you to do so. If you’re already a nasal breather, you can skip to the next section.

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Exercise: How to Nasal Breathe

1. Find a comfortable position sitting or lying down
2. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen
3. Inhale through your nose and focus on expanding your belly 
4. Allow your chest to expand only in the last ⅓ of the breathe
5. Hold the breath for a brief moment (about 1-2 seconds)
6. Exhale slowly and gently through your nose, allowing your chest, then abdomen, to fall
7. Continue this pattern of slow, deep nasal breathing for 5-10 minutes

Aim to practice nasal breathing exercises daily, and eventually you won’t have to do them at all (you’ll naturally breathe through your nose). You can incorporate this practice into your morning routine, before bed, or during breaks throughout the day.

How to Breathe When Running

Should you breathe through your nose while running? You can, but it’s not always easy. Studies show that it is possible to breathe nasally at all levels of running intensity without compromising VO2 max, and with improved running economy compared to mouth breathing. While this is encouraging, any runner will know how challenging it can be to implement consistently.

This is why it’s beneficial to practice nasal breathing in your resting and low-intensity states. Building good habits and strengthening your respiratory muscles create a solid foundation that can be advantageous during runs. You can use nasal breathing when you want to and to help with recovery (such as after a hill), but mouth breathing can also be employed to take in more air when needed.

Here’s how you can effectively manage your breathing while running:

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• Warm-up: Begin your run with a 5-10 minute warm-up, gradually increasing your pace. This helps prepare your muscles and lungs for the workout ahead!
  
• Focus on deep, diaphragmatic breathing: Try to breathe deeply into your diaphragm (belly breathing) rather than shallow chest breathing. This allows for better air intake and more efficient oxygen exchange.
• Use a breathing rhythm: Establish a breathing rhythm that aligns with your running pace. For example, try a 3:2 ratio, where you inhale for three steps and exhale for two steps. 2:2 and 1:3 are also popular. Find a pattern that feels comfortable for you.
  
• Nose vs. mouth breathing: Ideally, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. However, during intense runs, it’s common for runners to resort to mouth breathing to take in more air.
  
• Stay relaxed: Keep your shoulders relaxed and avoid hunching over. Tension in your upper body can restrict your breathing.
  
• Practice nasal breathing: Incorporate nasal breathing into your training routine, starting with low-intensity runs. Gradually increase the intensity as you become more comfortable with this breathing method.
  
• Monitor your breathing: Pay attention to your breathing during your run. If you find yourself gasping for air or feeling out of breath, slow down and focus on regaining a steady breathing pattern.
  
• Use nasal breathing for recovery: When you need to recover, such as after running up a hill, switch to nasal breathing to help slow your heart rate and regulate your breathing.
• Cool down: Finish your run with a cool-down period, gradually slowing your pace and focusing on deep, controlled breaths to help your body recover.

By following these guidelines and incorporating both nasal and mouth breathing as needed, you can improve your breathing efficiency, reduce fatigue, and enhance your overall running performance.

Breathing Tips While Running

A couple more tips to help you learn how to breathe better while running.

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Tiered Breathing

Tiered breathing is when you have different breathing rhythms for different intensities of running. You use your breathing strategically to help you through tough portions of a run/race. You might breathe with a 2:2 (2 steps inhale, 2 steps exhale) ratio at your regular pace, 2:1 when it gets tougher, and 1:1 when it gets really tough. Having these different stages helps keep you composed no matter how hard a certain section is.

Run Without Headphones

We know what you’re thinking, “Are you psychotic?” Well, runners are a strange group (we’ll leave it at that). But no, the point is not miserable, self-induced pain and suffering, but instead a heightened awareness of your breathing. Your breath can become its own meditative soundtrack, if you let it. Without the distraction of music or podcasts, you can focus on the rhythm and depth of your breath, tuning into your body's natural cues and responses. 

Enhance Your Running Ability

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Written by Eric Lister – Certified Personal Trainer & Corrective Exercise Specialist