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If you wake up with dry mouth or still feeling tired and unrested, the culprit may not be that you didn’t get enough sleep the night before. It could actually have everything to do with the way you’re breathing while you’re asleep. The human body was designed so that we breathe through our nostrils and use our mouths for only eating–but that’s not always what happens. When we breathe through our mouths, particularly at night, it can backfire and result in a slew of detrimental side effects, not only in terms of the quality of our sleep but for our overall health and wellbeing.
There’s one unorthodox sleeping solution that’s becoming more popular: using mouth tape. Yes, it’s tape for your mouth, while you sleep.
We know this sleeping trend may sound weird (because it kind of is), but some people swear by it. Dr. Mark Burhenne, a family and sleep medicine dentist at Ask the Dentist, explains why sleeping with mouth tape (something he says he does every night) can have incredible benefits when it comes to your sleep, overall wellness, and even your dental health.
Here’s how to use mouth tape for better sleep.
Why Should You Use Mouth Tape While Sleeping?
It’s simple, really. When you place mouth tape over your mouth before bed, it forces you to breathe through your nose. This gives your body the benefit of nitric oxide, which is produced in the sinuses. When you breathe through your mouth, you don’t benefit from the same amount of nitric oxide. In fact, the body produced 25 percent of nitric oxide through nasal breathing. Once your body gets an adequate amount of nitric oxide, you’ll notice the difference, according to Burhenne. Some key ways in which nitric oxide helps you function include:
--Enhancing memory and learning.
--Reducing inflammation in your body.
--Regulating blood pressure.
--Improving your quality of sleep.
--Improving your immune system so that you can better fend off illnesses.
--Increasing your endurance and strength.
Over time, if you get used to breathing through your nose at night, Burhenne says you can expect to wake up feeling better rested and benefit from a reduction in high blood pressure and decreased risk of heart disease.
But there’s even more to look forward to when you use mouth tape:
--Reduced anxiety and depression.
--More relief from headaches, back pain, migraines, and sciatica.
--Improved digestion and an easier time losing weight.
You May Not Be Able To Keep Mouth Tape On All Night–But That's Okay
You may find that you’re falling asleep wearing mouth tape but waking up with it halfway across your bed--that’s okay, Buhenne said. There is an adjustment period that comes with using mouth tape. You have to understand your body and the struggle you’re experiencing when it comes to breathing through your nose.
If this happens to you, visiting a sleep specialist may provide insight into what’s creating a blockage in your nose. Once that issue is addressed, you’ll find it much easier to breathe through your nose at night. Eventually, you may not even need mouth tape.
How Do You Use Mouth Tape?
If you’re ready to give mouth tape a fighting chance and are wondering how the heck to apply it correctly, Burhenne provides three tips:
1. Fold over the tape on both ends so that it doesn’t stick to your skin and become torture to remove the next morning.
2. A roll of tape is always easier to apply that tape strips.
3. Yet again, if you do rip off the tape before morning, take that as a sign that something like allergies, dust, or a deviated septum could be to blame. Visit a doctor to find a solution.
[Photos: Shutterstock]
Nexcare Micropore Tape ($5.06)
Which Mouth Tape Should You Use?
No, you shouldn’t grab the first roll of Scotch tape or duct tape sitting around your house and start taping up your mouth. There are hygienic mouth tapes designed specifically for sleep. Burhenne suggests two brands: Snorless Strips, which is a hypoallergenic surgical quality tape that adheres to your skin without damaging it, and Micropore Tape, a latex-free surgical tape that he says is easy to dispense--perfect for applying in the dark right before you go to bed.
Mouth tape will feel and seem odd at first. But once you begin experiencing the benefits of nasal breathing, experts like Burhenne make it pretty obvious: you may never go back to your old way of sleeping (and mouth breathing).
For more tips on getting a better night's sleep, check out:
