Every night, I reach over to my night stand for a roll of mouth tape. I say goodnight to my pup, and place a small strip of the tape over my lips, relaxing into my slumber.

Sound weird or creepy? Yes, it looks a bit creepy. And honestly at first, just the thought of taping my lips made me feel like I couldn’t breath. But the opposite happened. I’ve snored since I was a little girl. As an adult, I noticed I was also waking up multiple times a night and most mornings with a fully dry mouth/throat, desperate for water. So I was pretty open to trying something new if it helped in any way.

Using mouth tape forces you to breathe out of your nose (instead of your mouth). This is a simple way to reap the benefits of better sleep and improved oral and dental health.

Mouth & Nose Breathing

We have two air passageways to our lungs — the nose and the mouth. Healthy people use both their nose and their mouth to breathe. Breathing through the mouth only becomes necessary when you have nasal congestion due to allergies or a cold. 

However, breathing through the mouth ALL the time, including when you’re sleeping, may not be the most efficient way to provide your body the oxygen it needs, and can lead to many other problems.

People who breathe through their mouth at night may have the following symptoms:

WHAT causes Mouth Breathing?

There are many factors that could contribute to mouth breathing. Generally it’s the result of an obstructed nasal airway (partially or fully blocked), due to and not limited to:

• nasal congestion
• deviated septum
• enlarged adenoids
• enlarged tonsils
• shape of your nose or size of your jaw line
• shape of your nose
• stress/anxiety (this can be a big contributor to someone breathing through their mouth as stress activates the sympathetic nervous system which can cause fast, shallow breathing.

So WHAT is Mouth Tape?

Mouth taping is as easy as it sounds—you simply tape your mouth shut before bed.

NO, it’s not the harsh duct tape or scotch tape. Mouth taping is pain-free and there are options. 

You can purchase packs of individual adhesive strips like Somnifix which are designed specifically for mouth taping. 

OR

You can purchase a roll of surgical tape from a CVS/Walgreens which is the more affordable option and what I personally use. I find a roll cost no more than $3.49 and last me a couple of months. 

KEY BENEFITS to Mouth Taping

• Reduced/Elimination of snoring
• Reduced risk of dry mouth & cavities
• Reduced teeth grinding
• Increased nitric oxide levels
• Improved sleep cycles 
• Can help lower blood pressure

Storage

I like to store mine in or on my night stand so that I remember to grab it before bed. 

Note

Mouth taping may take a few nights or even a week to get used to. My biggest issue at first was dry sides of the mouth which I easily got rid of by applying a good chapstick every morning.

If taping your mouth stops you from breathing altogether, something is not right and you should remove it. You should be able to breath through your nose without issue, but if there is any sort of obstruction, you may want to consult with your medical professional to locate the source of the obstruction.