Mouth taping is a sleep trend which took social media by storm in 2024. Largely, this viral practice has not really died down with the internet divided in opinion about how it impacts sleep.
It involves taping your mouth shut to encourage breathing through the nose when you sleep which can potentially help with issues like dry mouth, snoring and sleep apnea. Only breathing through your nose can also help you fall asleep faster.
Our Tom’s Guide sleep team tried it before and we weren't sold. But I wanted to give it another shot, this time using ‘I’- shaped mouth tape which is regarded as a better alternative to the traditional fully covered design. Read on to find out why I'll never try it again...
What is I-shaped mouth tape?
The main objective of using mouth tape is to encourage nose breathing. This improves oxygen circulation in your body and ensures that you breathe in filtered air without any dust, pollen or allergens.
Moreover, mouth breathing leads to problems like asthma, tooth decay, bad breath, and teeth or jaw abnormalities.
Many sleepers including our team members, found the traditional tapes which fully cover the mouth to be claustrophobic.
This is where the ‘I’ shaped mouth tape aims to be different with its unique design which allows minimal mouth movement but not as much coverage.
We tried the Vio2Tape for the second experiment— a product developed by Lindsay and Dr Vincent Ip, to help their 3 year old son (diagnosed with sleep apnea) who was not comfortable with regular mouth tape, have a good night’s sleep.
This was designed based on the ‘golden proportions’ (a facial aesthetics term) in an attempt to make it fit for all faces.
Being someone who breathes through my mouth occasionally (when not having a cold,) I wanted to give this a try to see if it improved my sleep quality and helped me fall asleep faster without inducing feelings of panic or anxiety in the middle of the night.
Why I'll never use mouth tape again
After exactly one use, I realized mouth taping is not for me. Yes, I breathed through my nose, but at the cost of my sleep and healthy skin.
It felt uncomfortable and stuffy but I was adamant to keep it on (or rather I tried to). I laid awake most of the night too aware of the sensation of the mouth tape.
It was in the early hours of the morning that I decided enough was enough and peeled the tape off my mouth. Here are the reasons why I’ll never use it again…
It made me break out
I have sensitive skin and the adhesive used in the mouth tape clearly did not work for me.
As soon as I woke up and checked the mirror, I could see pimples on my cupid’s bow where the tape was on.
The tape didn't just irritate my skin but it caused a full break out, which for me, is not worth ensuring I breathe through my nose. Without a good night's sleep to counterbalance this unfortunate side effect, I won't be trying taping my mouth again.
I didn’t get a wink of sleep
As I mentioned, I couldn’t sleep well at all. I was aware of my mouth being taped shut and therefore was drifting in and out of very light sleep all night long.
It felt stuffy, claustrophobic and uncomfortable and I tossed and turned to find a better position to sleep.
I finally dozed off (for a few hours) in the morning, once I peeled off the tape. Even if I was breathing through my nose, it didn't benefit my sleep at all.
It lead to daytime fatigue
I felt exhausted the next day, which isn't surprising considering the lack of proper sleep during the night.
I struggled to stay alert and active and was waiting to hit the bed after the end of the long day.
3 alternative ways to breathe through your nose during sleep
If you're anything like me, it's unlikely mouth tape will work for you. But don't worry. There are plenty of other ways to ensure you breath naturally and normally throughout the night for healthy sleep.
1. Treat nasal congestion
If you're someone who constantly struggles with a blocked nose, it's better to treat the cause first.
Nasal congestion can happen due to several reasons like allergies, colds or even structural issues like a deviated septum (the thin wall of bone and cartilage can be displaced causing one passage to be smaller than the other.)
By ensuring you've got clear nasal passages before you go to bed, you can improve your chances of breathing through your nose while you sleep.
If you've got a cold, try having a hot bath or shower to break up the mucus before you try to sleep. If you're still struggling, read our guide on how to sleep with a blocked nose.
2. Maintain a healthy lifestyle
Our lifestyle can significantly impact our how we sleep. Smoking, for instance, is a practice which infamously affects our breathing during the night.
Studies show that it causes upper airway inflammation which can result in obstructive sleep apnea, snoring and sleep disruptions.
Alcohol too is proven to have similar effects to your breathing since it causes blood vessels to constrict and dilate, leading to blocked airways thus worsening symptoms of sleep apnea and snoring. This can in turn lead to more mouth breathing.
3. Try nasal strips instead
Using nasal strips is another option to try at home and it's less invasive than mouth tape.
These are also adhesive, sticking to the sides of your nose to gently lift and widen the nostrils, which improves the airflow and makes nose-breathing easier.
While this may not be a long-term solution to treating your snoring or sleep apnea symtoms, it can, however, provide better sleep, reducing nighttime wakings caused by mouth breathing.
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