Sleep better with Mouth Taping?

Taping your mouth shut with a plaster to sleep better? We explain here whether mouth taping is more than just a trend or really improves sleep.

Table of Contents

1. What is Mouth Taping?
2. Breathing at night
3. Can mouth taping improve sleep?
4. Is mouth taping dangerous?
5. Conclusion

1. What is Mouth Taping?

Mouth taping describes a method in which the mouth is closed with a plaster or special sleep tape while sleeping. This is intended to prevent mouth breathing during sleep, which should help against snoring and improve sleep quality.

Many influencers, actors and athletes such as professional footballer Erling Haarland swear by this sleep technique and are sure that sleeping with their mouth taped improves their health and performance.

2. Breathing at night

When we sleep, the entire body relaxes and the muscles in the mouth and throat area also relax. It often happens that the mouth is open during sleep and is used unconsciously to breathe. The mouth and throat tissue dries out and the air you breathe flows unfiltered through the lower respiratory tract. In addition, when the mouth is open, the tongue falls more easily into the throat, which further blocks the airways and promotes snoring and sleep apnea.

Nasal breathing, on the other hand, is generally considered a “normal” and healthy breathing technique, as the incoming air is filtered, moistened and warmed with the help of the nasal mucous membranes. This improves oxygen supply and ensures more restful sleep.

But there are various reasons that cause us to breathe through our mouth instead of our nose in some situations. During strenuous exertion, for example during sport, mouth breathing can actually effectively help you breathe in more air in a short time and increase your oxygen supply in the short term. However, it is often only used when breathing through the nose is difficult, for example because the nostrils and upper airways are blocked. In the case of viral infections and allergies of any kind, especially to pollen or house dust, the nasal mucous membranes swell and produce increased secretions, which causes a runny nose and blocks the nose. But anatomical narrowing of the nasal airways can also mean that air cannot flow in and out freely - and you automatically tend to breathe through your mouth.

3. Can Mouth Taping Improve Sleep?

Yes and no! Taping the mouth shut is intended to prevent opening and breathing through the mouth so that inhaling and exhaling automatically takes place through the nose. Various studies show that mechanically closing the mouth has positive effects on sleep quality and can help against severe snoring and mild symptoms of sleep apnea. However, some experts agree that these studies are not conclusive enough. The effect of mouth taping has therefore not been fully scientifically proven.

In principle, it is not wrong to prefer healthy breathing through the nose. But it is more important to find out why people breathe through the mouth in the first place and what prevents breathing through the nose. If allergies and infections are the cause of preferred mouth breathing, these should be examined and treated first.

Tip: Sometimes just changing your sleeping position can help! When sleeping on your back, your mouth is open more often because your jaw muscles relax and your tongue slips into your throat. If you turn on your side, it's easier to keep your mouth closed.

4. Is mouth taping dangerous?

Mouth taping itself does not pose any direct danger to healthy people who do not have any restricted nasal breathing. Sleeping with your mouth taped cannot usually lead to unnoticed suffocation during sleep, as insufficient oxygen supply puts the body on alert and causes awakening. However, anyone who has difficulty breathing through their nose, for example because they suffer from sleep apnea, allergies or an acute respiratory illness, should avoid mouth taping.

5. Conclusion

• Mouth taping is a trend in which the mouth is taped shut with a plaster while sleeping.

• Mouth taping can help support healthier nasal breathing, but is not recommended for sleep apnea, allergies and respiratory diseases.