For once, there may be something to a trendy piece of running advice.

Meredith Dietz

Meredith Dietz Senior Staff Writer

Experience

Meredith is a marathon runner and stand-up comedian. As Lifehacker’s Senior Staff Writer, she covers personal fitness tech, home gym equipment, and more.

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April 23, 2026

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Credit: Zain bin Awais/Lifehacker/Getty Images

Running is more popular than ever, and with an influx of new runners comes an influx of influencers offering up their advice—some of it helpful, some of it distinctly not . If you've spent any time scrolling through running-related videos, you've probably stumbled across a coach, athlete, or "runfluencer" insisting that you shut your mouth when you run. The advice to breathe through your nose while running is nothing new, but is it actually backed by science?

The answer, as with most things in running, is nuanced.…