Why You Can't Breathe Out of Your Nose When You're Sick

Why does our nose get plugged up when we get sick? Do you ever notice how one side of your nose always seems to be more stuffed than the other? There's a scientific explanation! Join Hank Green for a fun episode of Quick Questions that will give you a new found appreciation for your sniffer.
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[RobotHunter]

I never realize how much I take breathing for granted until I get a stuffy nose

[jockae]

I’m a rare breed of viewers who searched for the video

[kelleren]

I'm amazed at how well the algorithm knows my needs at this point.

[SoldiesBC]

The few seconds of relief you get when your nostril opens is amazing

[Nevanyessir]

When I do have a clear nose I don't appreciate it enough

[jiminshi]

Me stands up : nose fixed *
Me : sits back down : nose clogged again *
Me : lays down : suffocation has now started

[nameforcomments]

"When you get like a terrible head cold, half of your nose gets completely stopped up..."
I think you mean "every single time you attempt to sleep"

[FusionC]

i can feel my 'cycle' switching over, its such a neat feeling comparable to your ears popping on a plane. for a few seconds you can breathe out of both nostrils and its GLORIOUS. lol

[quiteindeed]

My mouth is my third and only functional nostril at the moment.

[peezmol]

Me trying to sleep peacefully
My Nose: Switch breathing to Manual Mode😂

[AlexWalkerSmith]

I've never broken my nose, but for some reason my right nostril has always been 95% blocked. This puts extra strain on my left nostril, drying it out frequently, which leads to mouth breathing, which has lead to developing a huge overbite and very crooked teeth. 🤘🏻

[torpeahangelita]

That moment when your nose is about to switch and you think your cold is cured cause u can breathe for a second but ur nose gets congested again...rip

[lancer]

I don’t know what happened to me but one day I had BOTH nostrils open and my breathing was so pure and superb I felt like I could have taken over the world 😭

[zerosumgame]

Right is open, left is closed, and I've been aware of this for a while, I always wondered what was up with the switching. I'll say this, those moments when both are open, I love how easy it is to breath.

[mikepatton]

This was the most educational and interesting two and a half minutes on YouTube.

[internallyscreaming]

Oh I smelled something.

-Brain 2015

[DEADisBEAUTIFUL]

When laying down on my side my nose clogs up on the same side I’m laying on. If I switch to the other side, my nose does as well. I freaking hate it sometimes.

[langreeves]

Thank you. Fascinating.
I love answers to questions I didn't know I had.

[theblues]

It feels good to look in these comments. Helps me know I’m not suffering alone 😂

[awaken]

OMG that feeling when you're laying on one side, so that nostril gets stuffy, so you switch sides and for a brief moment, they're both semi clear... oh its heaven