What I learned after two years using nasal dilators every day
I used to live with chronic pain and struggled to breathe through my nose. For seven years, I dealt with debilitating left hip pain that traditional physiotherapy couldn’t resolve. What I didn’t realise was how much my chronic mouth breathing was holding me back.
That changed when I stumbled into Martin Higgins' clinic. He taught me about the importance of nasal breathing for keeping the body in a good position and living a pain-free life.
Choosing the Right Nasal Dilator: What I Tried First
From that day, I began using nasal dilators 24/7. This proved trickier than I expected. I started with sticky plaster-style external dilators. These were annoying — they would peel off when I was sweaty, and everyone assumed I had a nose injury.
Next, I tried the Mute, which was OK until it rubbed the inside of my nose and caused it to develop sores that bled.
Cue the Silent Mammoth to solve all my problems — reusable, lightweight, comfy, and adaptable to my body.
I review why the Silent Mammoth is the best nasal dilator for everyday use.
First Weeks with the Silent Mammoth: Getting Used to It
I remember opening the box for my first Silent Mammoth and wondering — how am I going to fit that in my nose? Following the instructions, I managed to slot it into place and immediately noticed I was able to inhale and exhale greater volumes of air.
It took a bit of fiddling to get it into the optimal position for comfort and airflow. Wearing the device takes a bit of getting used to, but now I barely notice it’s there. I can even blow my nose while wearing a Silent Mammoth.
Increased Cardio and Strength
I immediately noticed that I felt stronger and had increased cardio endurance at the gym and in my martial arts practice. Breathing through my nose — rather than my mouth — helped my body get into a better posture for bigger lifts and harder kicks. I noticed that with the Silent Mammoth, I was able to maintain nasal breathing through intense exercise.
Sleep Quality
I’m not a big snorer (honest), but my partner noticed that it decreased further. I woke up feeling fresher and with no dry mouth.
Very occasionally, I noticed that I took my dilator out in my sleep. I would wake up feeling like I couldn't breathe and scramble through my sheets to find it.
What Changed Over Time: The Long-Term Effects
Over the months, I noticed my performance improve in training. I woke up fewer times in the night. But most importantly, I just felt so much better. Moving from being a mouth breather to a nose breather was clearly doing wonders for my health.
The Unexpected Nasal Breathing Benefits
Everyone kept asking me if I had lost weight. I had not. Being able to breathe properly improved the overall structure and balance of my face. My face was more symmetrical, and my jawline more defined.
With this, I felt a calmness in my body and mind. This is because nasal breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system (our body’s ‘rest and digest’ state), helping reduce stress hormones and encourage calm (Watso et al., 2023).
Seriously, You Never Take It Out?
No technology is perfect. As someone who participates in a contact sport, I can't wear the Silent Mammoth during sparring. Instead, I wear the AIRWAAV Nasal Strips — I find they offer superior stickiness, useful for high volumes of sweat and getting punched in the face.
I also remove my Silent Mammoth to wash it every day and aim to replace it every 60 days.
Is It Worth It?
For me, absolutely yes. Being able to breathe through my nose has fundamentally improved my health. Alongside physiotherapy, I live a life without pain. It is amazing.
If you're struggling with sleep, energy, posture, or just feel like you're not breathing as well as you could — I’d genuinely encourage you to give nasal breathing a proper try. For me, the Silent Mammoth made it easy to stick with. It’s not magic, but over time, it changed my body, my training, and my day-to-day life. If you’re even slightly curious, I think it’s worth trying for yourself.