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In an effort to get better sleep and reduce SnoringSome people are covering their mouths with tape.
But doctors have advised not to do so.
Claims, which are not supported by science, are floating around in places like tiktokSometimes the push is made by people working for companies selling related products.
“The studies behind mouth tape are small, the benefits are modest, and there are potential risks,” said Dr. Kimberly Hutchison, a neurologist and sleep medicine expert at Oregon Health & Science University.
Some of those risks include making sleep disorders like sleep apnea worse or even causing suffocation.
Most of the time it is better to breathe through the nose
Experts say that mouth breathing is not a major health problem in adults, but nasal breathing is better.
Your nose is a natural filtering system that traps dust and other allergens before they reach your lungs.
If you’re breathing with your mouth open at night, you may wake up with dry mouth and throat irritation, which can contribute to bad breath and oral health problems.
Mouth breathing is also associated with increased snoring.
Don’t rush to tape your mouth.
But even though nose breathing is better than mouth breathing, taping the mouth shut is not the best way to fix the problem.
There is no strong evidence that it helps improve sleep. Some studies have been conducted, most of which showed little or no effect, but they were so small that experts say conclusions should not be drawn from them. In the meantime, there are potential dangers that should be avoided.
Dr. David Shulman, Sleep Doctor emory universityThat said, there are other things to try, like prescription mouthpieces that can open your airways, or a CPAP machine. For example, if you smoke or are overweight, quitting smoking and losing weight may help.
Mouth breathing can be a sign of something serious, so find out
The safest approach is to find out why you are actually breathing through your mouth, as there could be something else going on.
You may be breathing through your mouth because you have an obstructive sleep ApnoeaA sleep disorder where breathing stops and starts repeatedly during sleep due to a blocked airway.
This disorder is associated with both open-mouth breathing and snoring, and is usually treated with a CPAP machine.
“The reason sleep apnea is bad is that any reduction in sleep quality can affect you day-to-day or over the course of your life,” said Dr. Brian Chen, a sleep physician at the Cleveland Clinic. “Depending on how poor the sleep is, you may feel sleep deprived or need more sleep.”
Emory’s Shulman says the best thing to do is take a sleep test, some of which can be done at home.
“Knowing is always better than not knowing,” he said. “And if you know something is going on and you decide not to seek therapy, at least you know you’re making an educated decision.”