Mouth taping is gaining popularity.
It’s exactly what it sounds like.
You use a porous tape to keep your mouth closed. This is to be done while sleeping and forces you to breathe solely through your nose.
Why on earth are people doing this?
Possible benefits include:
😴 Reduction in snoring
😴 Reducing frequency in lapses of breathing for those with mild obstructive sleep apnea
Other benefits which require more research:
😴 Reducing symptoms of ADHD
😴 Reduction of dry mouth
😴 Reduction in cavities
😴 Improving gum disease
😴 Reducing bad breath
😴 Reducing likelihood of slowed growth in children
😴 Improvement of cognitive function
The improvement of cognitive function is interesting. Apparently, mouth breathing negatively affects memory.
Now if you have mild obstructive sleep apnea, mouth taping should reduce the amount of times you stop breathing in your sleep. When you stop breathing in your sleep, it interrupts your sleep, and leads to feeling less rested upon waking.
Regarding snoring, taping the mouth changes the angle of the palate and tongue in your mouth which opens the airways and reduces snoring. Side sleeping versus sleeping on your back can also reduce the amount you snore.
More research will be coming out on this topic, but I thought it would be valuable to share this information with you now.
Remember, the tape should be porous! This doesn’t mean you’re going to use duct tape, scotch tape, or masking tape over your mouth.
They do make tape for the purposes of mouth taping while sleeping, but you could also opt for athletic tape, surgical tape, or hypoallergenic tapes.
They even make chin straps you can wear to keep your jaw closed while sleeping. You can see one by clicking here.
Personally I’d probably use the chin strap. I’m curious if it would help with grinding teeth at night too.
Let me know if you’re already doing this. I haven’t given it a try yet and I’d love to hear some feedback.
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