Patent ID: 8408211

Claim:
A method of intercepting controlled quantities of air exhaled from at least one of two nostrils on an individual's nose to permit inhalation of the intercepted air, the two nostrils each having a width between a septum and an alar on the individual's nose, the method comprising the steps of: providing an air flow intercepting apparatus; and placing the air flow intercepting apparatus in an operative position relative to the individual's nostrils so that as the individual inhales and exhales during repeating breathing cycles: a) a first quantity of air exhaled from at least one of the individual's nostrils flows past the air flow intercepting apparatus; and b) a second quantity of air exhaled from the at least one of the individual's nostrils impinges upon the air flow intercepting apparatus so as to at least one of: i) stagnate; and ii) be redirected by the air flow intercepting apparatus so that at least a portion of the second quantity of exhaled air is drawn into the individual's nostrils as the individual inhales, wherein the step of providing an air flow intercepting apparatus comprises providing an air flow intercepting apparatus with a body defining a first surface that is spaced a first distance below the one of the individual's nostrils so that the second quantity of air exhaled from the one nostril travels the first distance before impinging upon the first surface, wherein the first surface comprises a solid surface extending over a majority of the width of the one nostril.