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A while ago, my wife and I decided to give mouth taping for sleep a try. We rummaged through the cupboard, found some medical tape, stuck our lips shut, laughed at each other and then shared an awkward goodnight kiss.
As my wife dozed off astonishingly quickly, I lay there beside her, making sure I could still hear her breathing. Any parent, especially of a first-born, may recall this somewhat irrational behaviour.
Little did I expect that, like a concerned parent, I'd be placing my finger below my wife's nose to feel her breath. The next morning, I declared, "We are not doing that again."
I later discovered that according to the Sleep Foundation, anxiety is one potential side effect of mouth taping. But guess what? We're still at it.
We found a tape (one that keeps my anxiety in check) that doesn't completely shut the mouth. It's a bright shade of blue and wraps around the whole mouth. So, hilariously, when our daughter wakes in the night, or we forget to take it off before getting her up in the morning, she gives us a very perplexed look.
In this edition of The Rebound Roadmap, we explore the potential health impact and science behind mouth taping - a trend that is being popularised on social media and by sports stars such as Erling Haaland and Iga Swiatek.
The Rebound Roadmap Framework The Rebound Roadmap newsletter provides insight into one trending health or fitness topic, within a simple prioritisation framework, empowering you to personalise your well-being journey.
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Impact (7/10)
Mouth taping involves placing a porous adhesive over or around your lips to encourage nasal breathing. According to Healthline, nasal breathing has many advantages over mouth breathing. Including, reducing exposure to foreign particles and warming the breath to make it easier for the lungs to use.
So how might mouth taping during sleep help?
Reduced snoring. When your mouth stays closed, you're more likely to breathe through your nose, which can reduce the vibrations that cause snoring.
Deeper sleep: Nasal breathing leads to deeper, more restful sleep, by keeping you in ‘rest and digest’ state. This can leave you feeling more refreshed and energized in the morning.
More oxygen: Nasal breathing results in up to 20% more oxygenation. This can lead to increased alertness and mental clarity.
Confidence (5/10)
Mark Burhenne, a dentist and sleep researcher, claims the health benefits of nose breathing are undeniable" after studying the links between mouth-breathing and sleep.
He found mouth breathing to be the cause of snoring and sleep apnea and recommends his patients tape their mouths shut at night.
Whilst nasal breathing is heavily researched and the benefits widely supported, the act of taping your mouth is not. Some argue that mouth taping is risky, such as Kathryn Palmer, a sleep medicine specialist.
Palmer explains how mouth breathing is a back-up, but perhaps the most serious consequence is “ if you vomit or have acid reflux when your mouth is taped, the stomach contents could go into your lungs. “This can lead pneumonia and even death.”
The science world appears split on this topic. The likes of Patrick McKowen, breathing expert, author and founder of The Oxygen Advantage even designed Myotape, which is the tape my wife and I use, whilst Jeff Kahn sleep expert for Rise Science (sleep app) is vocally against the practice.
Ease (6/10)
If you are already comfortable breathing through your nose and want to try mouth taping, the Sleep Foundation suggests first testing your mouth strips during the day, (in hindsight this is smart advice) to reduce anxiety.
Having experimented with various tapes, I do recommend Myotape which you can get on Amazon, especially if you have any worries about completely shutting your mouth.
Who shouldn’t mouth tap?
The general consensus is that those that have difficulty breathing through your nose due to allergies, a cold, or another reason, should avoid mouth taping.
Final thoughts
If you want to dig deeper into this topic and particularly in relation to how nasal breathing relates to athletic performance, I recommend starting with this Oxygen Advantage page
If taping feels extreme to you, you may want to consider exercises that promote nasal breathing and its benefits, such as alternate nostril breathing or breath holds.
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