Cold air presents a unique challenge to your respiratory system. Air below body temperature triggers airway constriction and can cause exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, particularly during outdoor winter activities. Nasal breathing is your first line of defense — your nasal passages warm and humidify incoming air to near body temperature before it reaches your lungs, protecting the delicate bronchial tissue that reacts to cold, dry air.
Beyond airway protection, specific breathing techniques can actually increase your body's heat production. The Wim Hof method and similar stimulating breathwork patterns activate brown adipose tissue and trigger sympathetic nervous system responses that increase core temperature. Studies of trained cold-exposure practitioners show they can maintain core body temperature in extreme cold through breathing techniques alone, demonstrating the powerful thermoregulatory potential of breathwork.
For winter athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, the practical protocol involves strict nasal breathing during moderate-intensity cold-weather activity, combined with pre-activity stimulating breathwork sessions to prime thermogenesis. If exercise intensity demands mouth breathing, using a buff or gaiter over the mouth provides a secondary warming chamber. Post-activity, warming breathwork helps restore comfortable body temperature and prevents the chill that often follows winter exercise.