Julia Bradbury has revealed she sleeps with her mouth taped shut every night so she can breathe through her nose.
The 53-year-old presenter candidly described the nighttime ritual she practices every evening to improve her sleep habits as she battles breast cancer.
Julia, who was diagnosed with the disease in September 2021 before undergoing a mastectomy to remove a 6cm tumor, told BBC Radio Wales that the best way to “improve your health is to learn “how to sleep through your nose”.
She said: “We all breathe too quickly and tend to breathe through our mouths and that is not good for our health.”
“The best thing you can do for your health is to learn to breathe through your nose, and some people will say, ‘I can’t breathe through my nose, it’s stuffy.’
Nightly ritual: Julia Bradbury, 53, has revealed that she sleeps with her mouth taped shut every night so she can breathe through her nose
Sleep routine: The presenter candidly described her nightly ritual, which she diligently practices every night to improve her sleeping habits in the fight against breast cancer
“There is a nose blocking exercise to help you with this. The more you breathe through your nose while sleeping, the better you will be at this.
“I sleep at night with a tape, a tiny thin piece of tape, over my mouth to encourage me to breathe through my nose at night.”
“It’s just a little piece of tape that goes from under my nose to under my bottom lip. And it just means it encourages my nasal breathing during the night.”
Julia, who wrote and published a book called Walk Yourself Happy after overcoming her cancer diagnosis, added that you can practice during the day if you feel nervous.
She continued, “Put a little tape on while you’re at your laptop and see how you feel.”
Health experts claim that exhaling through the nose filters out dust particles, allergens and pollen and warms and humidifies the air, which relieves pressure on the lungs and improves oxygen circulation in the body.
Breathing through the mouth has been linked to allergic reactions, asthma, tooth decay, gum disease, sleep apnea, and dental or jaw abnormalities.
She also recently revealed that she has an “eating window” after making lifestyle changes.
Cancer journey: Julia was diagnosed with the disease in September 2021 before undergoing a mastectomy to remove a 6cm tumor – pictured just days before her mastectomy
Health Tips: Julia believes that the best thing you can do to “improve your health is to learn to sleep through your nose.”
And in a new interview two years after the initial diagnosis, Julia told how she suffered a health scare and cut alcohol and junk food from her diet as she asked herself: “Do I want this feeling again or do I want to stay alive?” ‘
Meanwhile, the mother-of-three admitted she is “grateful” for her breast cancer diagnosis as it has allowed her to “re-evaluate my life”.
Julia looked great in a new photo shoot with Prima magazine and told the publication about the changes in her life. She noted that she has an “eating window” where she eats breakfast around 1 a.m. and dinner around 6 p.m., with lots of vegetables, fats and protein.
She explained: “What I don’t do anymore is eat buckets of ice cream and chocolate brownies.” I’ve also given up alcohol as alcohol can increase the risk of a recurrence and I’ve probably had enough to drink in my life. The question is: Do I want that feeling again or do I want to stay alive?
The broadcaster went on to reveal how cancer has changed her as a person and given her a different outlook on life – something she is grateful for.
She said: “There’s no question that a cancer diagnosis changes your life. “It doesn’t define you, but it shapes you. It has certainly revolutionized my approach to health, life and death. It brought gratitude to the forefront of my mind, made me rethink every aspect of my lifestyle, and it increased my love for Mother Nature.
“I also think it has made me a kinder, more understanding and patient person. “It may sound strange, but I’m actually grateful for my diagnosis because it made me reevaluate my life.”
And while Julia is grateful for the way she sees life now, she adds that the act of gratitude is really “important” and “uplifting” for her, as the star now wakes up with a smile every day.
Brave: Julia shares her son Zephyr, 12, and twin girls Xanthe and Zena, eight, with her property developer husband Gerard Cunningham (pictured together in 2022)
Amid her heartbreaking ordeal, one person who has always been by her side is her husband Gerard Cunningham, with whom she shares 12-year-old son Zephyr and eight twin girls, Xanthe and Zena.
Julia shared how his support in her battle with cancer had brought them “closer together” and added “a new dimension” to their relationship.
After her diagnosis in 2021, she had her tumor, two lymph glands and her left breast removed before undergoing reconstructive surgery.
Julia first discovered a lump in her breast in 2020, which turned out to be a benign cyst collection.
A year later, she had to undergo another mammogram, and although it didn’t reveal anything unusual, doctors found a shadow at her follow-up appointment.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, affecting more than two MILLION women every year
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. There are more than 55,000 new cases in the UK every year and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the United States, it affects 266,000 people each year and kills 40,000. But what causes it and how can it be treated?
What is breast cancer?
It comes from a cancer cell that develops in the lining of a milk duct, or lobe, in one of the breasts.
If the breast cancer has spread into the surrounding tissue, it is said to be “invasive”. Some people are diagnosed with “carcinoma in situ,” in which no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobe.
Most cases occur in people over 50, although younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men, although this is rare.
Staging provides information about how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body.
The cancer cells are graded from “low” (slow growth) to “high” (fast growth). High-grade cancers are more likely to come back after the first treatment.
What causes breast cancer?
A cancerous tumor arises from an abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. Something is thought to damage or alter certain genes in the cell. This causes the cell to become abnormal and multiply “out of control”.
Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the risk, such as genetics.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most are non-cancerous and are fluid-filled cysts that are benign.
The first place breast cancer usually spreads is the lymph nodes in the armpit. In this case, a swelling or lump occurs in the armpit.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
- Initial assessment: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may do tests such as a mammogram, a special X-ray of breast tissue that may indicate the possibility of tumors.
- Biopsy: A biopsy involves taking a small sample of tissue from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.
If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, you may need further tests to see if the cancer has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the liver or a chest x-ray.
How is breast cancer treated?
Treatment options that may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone treatment. A combination of two or more of these treatments is often used.
- Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or removal of the affected breast, depending on the size of the tumor.
- Radiation therapy: A treatment that focuses high-energy rays on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells or stops them from multiplying. It is mainly used as a supplement to surgery.
- Chemotherapy: A treatment for cancer using anticancer drugs that kill cancer cells or prevent them from multiplying.
- Hormone treatments: Some types of breast cancer are influenced by the “female” hormone estrogen, which can stimulate cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments that lower levels of these hormones or prevent them from working are often used in breast cancer patients.
How successful is the treatment?
The best prospects are those who are diagnosed when the cancer is small and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumor at an early stage can then offer good chances of recovery.
Routine mammography, offered to women between the ages of 50 and 70, means more breast cancers are diagnosed and treated early.
For more information visit breastcancernow.org or call the free hotline on 0808 800 6000