Why You Need To Start Taping Your Mouth While You Sleep 💤😴

Ann-Marie Antic • June 11, 2024

Okay, I know what you're thinking: "Taping my mouth shut? That's crazy!" Trust me, I felt the same way when Neven first started doing it—I thought it was pretty weird. But then I kept hearing experts (or maybe influencers, haha!) rave about the benefits of nose breathing over mouth breathing. That inspired me to give it a try. (Anyone else guilty of ignoring their husband's advice, only to follow it when someone else suggests it?😂😂😂)

Mouth taping can help you snore less, sleep better, and make your mouth feel healthier and cleaner. It’s a great addition to your night time routine. The benefits of nasal breathing include reduced colds and illnesses (prefect now as we head into winter❄️), increased blood flow, increased stamina, improved lung function, and more.

Plus, it actually has beauty benefits as well: a stronger and more defined jawline, a better chin profile, brighter eyes, and you’ll wake up with way more energy. It’s a win in every way!

At first, taping your mouth might seem a little weird and uncomfortable. But after a few nights, you’ll get used to it and start seeing the benefits. I even got my kids to mouth tape at night, especially my son Jake, who is a mouth breather. I noticed a significant reduction in his heavy breathing at night.

What is Mouth Taping?

Mouth taping is exactly what it sounds like: placing tape over your lips while you sleep. This forces you to breathe through your nose throughout the night, which can have several positive effects on your health.

Breathing through the nose is how the human body functions optimally. While we can make a conscious effort to breathe through our nose during the day, it's a different story when we sleep. By taping your mouth, you ensure that you breathe through your nose all night.

Why is Mouth Breathing Not Great?

Mouth breathing is linked to various health issues like asthma symptoms, dental conditions, sleep apnoea, and sore throat. It can also cause yellow teeth, reduce oxygen intake, and increase the risk of infections.

Nose breathing filters, humidifies, and optimises oxygen absorption, which is crucial for overall health and well-being. This is why we have nasal hairs—to filter and purify the air we breathe.

What are the Benefits of Mouth Taping

Improved Immunity

The tiny hairs in your nasal passages filter out viruses, bacteria, and other harmful particles, preventing them from entering your body. Mouth breathing bypasses this filtration, making it easier for these pathogens to enter. Nose breathing acts as a first line of defence, boosting your immune system.

Improved Oral Health

Mouth breathing at night can cause dry mouth, bad breath, cavities, gum disease, and tooth decay. It introduces harmful bacteria and viruses to your oral microbiome. Mouth taping helps maintain better oral health by keeping your mouth closed and encouraging nasal breathing.

Improved Sleep

Breathing through your nose helps establish a stable breathing pattern, which can aid in falling asleep faster, staying asleep longer and achieving deeper sleep. As a result, you'll wake up feeling more refreshed and energised.

Reduced Snoring

Mouth breathing can often lead to nasal congestion and snoring, which isn't fun for anyone. But here's a neat trick: according to the Sleep Foundation, mouth taping can change the angle of your palate and tongue, helping to reduce snoring and improve your sleep quality. The best part? Both you and your partner will enjoy a quieter, more restful night!

Increased Nitric Oxide Production

Breathing through the nose produces nitric oxide, which travels through the airways into the lungs. This promotes relaxation, blood vessel expansion, and the destruction of some bacteria and viruses.

Beauty Benefits

Taping your mouth at night can strengthen and define your jawline and chin profile. Additionally, it can lead to brighter eyes, better breath, and increased morning energy.

Silence

Neven’s favourite perk of my mouth taping? The peace and quiet! It means I can't call out to him from bed for favours. 😂😂😂

What Are the Possible Negative Side Effects of Mouth Taping?

Negative side effects of mouth taping might include skin irritation from the tape, some discomfort when removing the tape in the morning, and anxiety from having your lips taped shut.

How to Use Mouth Tape

Settle Down Into Bed: Make sure it's been at least 15 minutes since you finished your nightly skincare routine before getting into bed.
Apply the Tape: Place the mouth tape gently over your lips, ensuring it's secure. This will enforce nasal breathing throughout the night.
Prepare for a Deep Sleep: Once the tape is in place, you’re ready for bed and a deeper, more restful sleep.
Remove the Tape in the Morning: To remove the tape, pull your skin taut and gently peel it off to minimize discomfort.

Recommendations

For men, it works better when there isn’t too much stubble on the beard.
Where to purchase the Tape:
Cost-Effective Option: I use a breathable, hypoallergenic tape that’s budget-friendly and durable. You can find it here.
Specialty Mouth Tape: There are specially designed mouth tapes available, which are pretty cool. Check them out here.
Premium Choice: For the Rolls Royce of mouth tapes, take a look at this top-notch option here.

Resources

For more information and additional reading, please refer to the sources and references used to compile this article.

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