How to Use a Neti Pot to be a Closed-Mouth Breather

If you find yourself constantly breathing through your mouth because your nose is too stopped up, using Neti Pot will help clean out your sinuses. The Neti Pot, based on a classic India Ayurveda tradition, uses a saline solution forced through your nasal passageways. As you breathe in air, your nose filters out foreign particles to protect the body from disease. Too much pollen or other particles can cause increased irritation in your sinuses, blocking your passageways and making breathing more difficult. By regularly using a Neti Pot, you can keep your nose clean.

Things You'll Need

• Neti Pot
• Water
• Salt

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Instructions

• 1

  Dissolve 1/4 tsp. of salt in 1 cup of warm water to make a saline solution. You want to use only warm water, not boiling or cold water. Pour the solution into the pot once ready.

• 2

  Tilt your head slightly to the side and insert the spout into your nose until it creates a nice seal. Your forehead and chin should be near the same level, though experiment with what is most comfortable. You want the solution to freely flow from one nostril through the other, so the angle depends on what works best for your head.

• 3

  Lift the pot slowly so that the solution flows into one nostril. At the same time, breathe regularly through your mouth. If done correctly, the solution will go into one nostril and out the other. If the solution drains into your mouth, tilt your forehead forward more until it goes just through the nose.

• 4

  Breath in and out several times, and use a tissue to blow out excess mucous. Repeat the process again for the other nostril, using a full pot of solution for each side.

• 5

  Blow your nose after completion, then clean out the Neti Pot with warm water and soap.