Do you prefer mouth breathing or nose breathing? It might sound like a strange question, but the answer could be important for your sleep.
Research tells us that when you breathe through your nose, you're setting yourself up for better quality sleep. One way for mouth breathers to break this bad habit is to use mouth tape.
Mouth taping for sleep is exactly what it sounds like — taping your mouth shut overnight. But, how do you do it? And what potential benefits does it hold?
We have everything you need to know — from the main purpose of mouth taping to the sleep disorders it can help with, and how to keep your mouth closed safely.
What is mouth taping?
Mouth taping refers to using a small piece of tape to keep your lips closed overnight. The tape can be placed over or around the lips [1].
The main purpose of mouth taping is to encourage breathing through your nose while you’re asleep [4].
It’s a concept that was introduced in the 1940s in Russia as part of the Buteyko method.
This method combines breathing techniques to encourage nasal breathing with mouth taping to keep your mouth closed at night [6].
More recently, mouth taping has gained popularity on social media, being hyped by everyone from sports stars to celebrities, influencers, and even some clinicians [7].
Does breathing through your nose really matter?
You might be wondering what the big deal is with nasal breathing at night. Well, there are a few reasons that it’s typically preferred.
First, there’s the fact that breathing through your nose is the natural preference for most people [2]. You might have noticed it’s your main form of breathing throughout the day.
Second, there’s the fact it helps to humidify and filter the air that you breathe. Plus, nose breathing at night can reduce the chance of your airways being obstructed, since it’s a smaller cavity [4].
And third, nasal breathing has been shown to help circulate oxygen in the blood, which can lead to better quality sleep [1].
Rest assured if you're a mouth breather, it's not a disaster. But, there are plenty of good reasons to breathe through your nose instead.
The benefits of mouth taping for sleep
Along with the fact that mouth taping helps you breathe through your nose, there are a few other reported benefits, such as [1][2]:
- It improves snoring
- It helps you avoid a dry mouth
- It helps with sleep quality
- It minimises disturbance from sleep conditions
While there are lots of potential benefits being talked about, we don't have enough scientific evidence yet to prove that keeping your mouth taped works for them all.
For example, snoring can be caused by many things, from your natural airways to being overweight. Mouth taping might help some people cut back on snoring, but it’s not guaranteed to work [5].
Another area being explored is mouth taping for people with asthma. A study from the UK performed sleep tests on 50 people with asthma, asking them to try mouth taping.
Unfortunately, they found no real benefit to the practice, even for those who reported mouth breathing at night [6].
Part of the reason evidence is limited is because not enough research has been done. Studies into mouth taping are fairly new, so we need more of them before we can really say what it’s good for (or not) [7].
We do have promising evidence for some sleep disorders, such as mouth taping for obstructive sleep apnoea.
Does mouth taping work for sleep apnoea?
There's a wide range of sleep disorders that can make getting 8-hours of shut-eye feel like a dream.
Sleep apnoea is a condition where your breathing stops overnight, causing you to wake up with the need to catch your breath [5].
It is suggested that mouth breathers are more likely to suffer from sleep apnoea, which is one reason keeping the mouth taped might help.
In a study from Taiwan, a group of adults with mild obstructive sleep apnoea tried out mouth taping. The aim was to see if it could reduce snoring and other symptoms [2].
In good news, mouth taping led to a significant reduction in snoring and trouble breathing.
The researchers recommend mouth taping as a first-line treatment since it's easier than other options like CPAP therapy or surgery.
Is mouth taping dangerous?
We bet you’re thinking; what harm could a tiny piece of tape do? It might seem small and insignificant — but for some people, mouth taping can be dangerous.
Mouth taping is not recommended for people with allergies, chronic nasal congestion, sinusitis, or heart and lung issues [5].
There is also a small risk of suffocation for people with a nasal obstruction, such as allergies, an infection, or the common cold [1].
There have been a few reports of people swallowing mouth tape as well.
The safety of mouth taping also depends on how severe your sleep disorder is. For example, mouth taping has been shown to work for people with mild sleep apnoea; but it can be dangerous for those with moderate to severe obstructive cases [2].
The ultimate truth is, mouth taping is not a one-size-fits-all treatment. For a lot of people, it doesn’t work [4].
If you’ve been considering giving mouth taping a go, we highly recommend you talk to your doctor about your symptoms first.
How to mouth tape safely
If you’ve been given the green light to make mouth taping a nightly ritual, here are a few tips for doing it safely [1][2].
Use medical-grade tape
There are a lot of types of tape in the world; from duct tape to athletic tape. But, that doesn’t mean you should be reaching for the closest roll to tape your lips.
The best tape to choose is a skin-safe tape, such as surgical or kinesiology tape. These are designed to be gentle on the skin, as well as hypoallergenic.
Kinesiology tape has the added benefit of supporting your lip muscles overnight.
Do a spot test first
Even with hypoallergenic tape, a full night’s sleep is more than enough time to irritate skin or trigger an allergic reaction.
The safest option is to try a spot test. By taping your mouth shut for a few hours during the day, you can check for skin irritation.
If all seems normal, you’ll know that your skin can handle 7-8 hours of mouth taping at night.
Tape upwards, not across the mouth
A lot of videos show taping across the mouth to keep it completely covered. While this might sound practical, it can cause trouble breathing.
Applying your mouth tape upwards is safer as it allows for movement in the tape, in case your body reverts to mouth breathing during sleep.
Tape size and placement
You don’t need to use a lot of tape; mouth strips around 4cm long should be enough.
The ideal position is placing your mouth tape evenly over both lips in line with the philtrum, which is that little groove beneath your nose leading to your lips.
Alternatives to mouth taping
Does covering your mouth in tape sound worse than leg day? Or maybe you’ve tried this viral trend and it achieved nothing at all.
Whatever your reason for asking what else is out there — these 3 alternatives to mouth tape might help you achieve the restful sleep you've been dreaming of.
Improve your sleep hygiene
Sleep hygiene is a fancy way of describing the things that you do each night before heading to bed.
If you've built up bad habits, they might contribute to disrupted sleep overnight.
Examples of bad habits include:
- Drinking caffeine late in the day
- Eating too close to bedtime
- Checking your phone right before bed
Better habits to build include:
- Going to bed at the same time each night
- Avoiding technology for up to 1 hour before bed
- Investing in a quality mattress and pillow
If your reason for mouth taping has a lot to do with wanting better quality sleep, then sleep hygiene could be a great alternative.
Want more sleep advice? Check out the Pilot Journal for a range of sleep articles that answer the big questions.
Consider medical treatments
From mouth taping to whale sounds, chamomile tea, and counting sheep — you might have tried everything under the moon to get good sleep.
But the truth is, there are some sleep issues that need a clinical approach. If you struggle with a sleep disorder — such as sleep apnoea, insomnia, or restless leg syndrome — then a medical treatment might be your best bet.
Pilot’s sleep treatment is made to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep until morning. It starts with an easy online assessment to help our team understand your needs.
Next, a Pilot practitioner will review your experience with sleep and help recommend the right treatment to ensure you wake up feeling energised and ready to tackle your day.
Your treatment is shipped straight to your door and you have access to unlimited follow-ups for support or to tweak your plan.
Practice breathing techniques
Did you know that dysfunctional breathing affects up to 9% of the general population, 30% of people with asthma, and 75% of people with anxiety [3]?
There also appears to be a link between dysfunctional breathing and issues with sleep; such as sleep apnoea.
Practising breathing techniques is one way to train your body to breathe better, both during the day and at night.
There are lots of different techniques you can try; from playing an instrument to singing or learning specific breathing patterns [3].
Also known as breath re-education, these methods are used alongside other treatments to help with issues such as asthma and sleep apnoea.
Some of the breathing techniques, like the Buteyko method we mentioned earlier, even include mouth taping.
To get started with breathing techniques, it’s best to ask your doctor for a recommendation to see a sleep specialist.
Image credit: Ron Lach via Pexels
.svg)
