I have been bothered for years by nostrils that refuse to work as a team through an entire night. But now, maybe I have some clues about the cause, having discovered the physiology of the NASAL CYCLE. Let me tell you about it!
Discovered in 1895, the nasal cycle is a predictable alternate swelling and shrinkage of the nasal muscosa, right to left, about every 2.5 hours. We are generally unaware of this shift and change that happens automatically.
The airflow through the nose serves to warm, filter and moisturize air entering the lungs. Air must pass through narrow spaces between the scroll-like turbinates of the sinuses you can see in the image below. The nostrils switch their communication with the brain on a regular and predictable basis. Who knew?
It might interest you to learn that the mucous membrane that lines these narrow bony passageways consists of ERECTILE TISSUE like that found in the genitalia.
I will pause here for the obvious puns, limericks and general snickers to subside. (But send them along— if anything comes up.)
The back and forth is controlled by the ANS--the autonomic nervous system; and in some people, the ANS is overly-active (dysautonomia). Might be me!
The Dreaded Midnight Nose
I sleep mostly on my right side. Every night at 12:30 my right nostril closes up shop like I’d stuffed peas up it. I might now understand why, and have some options for better sleep in the future. Peas be gone!
OPTION 1: Turning to the opposite side (into wife's elbows and knees) is awkward, but as described, this sometimes will give the left nose a chance to close up shop while the right one breathes again. This is not the final solution, however.
NOTE: Most of these details come from an article at "Hormones Matter” and I have left out a lot of interesting Nose News.
👃 The Nasal Cycle: Sinusitis, Allergies, or Something Else?
OPTION 2: A better choice--and low risk intervention, according this article might be to try Vitamin B1. I will let you know how this goes.
Honeymoon Nose?
An additional nugget from this article and topic is "Honeymoon Nose"--the apparently frequently-noted coincidence of nasal congestion after a period of sustained sexual activity--a special form of STRESS. Abstinence of same is certainly too high a price to pay for perfect nasal hygiene.
Stress, through the ANS, often brings about swelling in the erectile tissues of the nose (as it does to the stress of respiratory viruses, as we all well know.) A similar nasal response to stress kicks in when we have emotional episodes. We reach for the tissues when the nasal waterworks kick in. The nose knows.
Exercising Your Nose to Engage Your Brain
OPTION 3: Lastly, we learn that "forced nostril breathing in one nostril produces a relative increase in the electrical waves of the EEG in the contralateral (opposite) hemisphere.” As it happens, this is a known mindfulness and yogic practice that is about far more than nasal air flow. However, I don’t expect this potentially energizing technique to replace coffee in my life any time soon.
Learn how, and why you might want to learn and practice Forced Nostril Breathing: What to Know About Alternate-Nostril Breathing WebMD
OPTION 4: And I do sometimes have success with a physical therapy trick involving pressure on the vomer. Yes you have one too.
Clear Your Stuffy Sinuses in Seconds Using Nothing but Pressure