Taping your mouth to sleep better is nonsensical, don't do it

Social media platforms have become popular in promoting aspects of health. In many cases, what gets promoted is beneficial. But in other cases, so-called influencers tend to promote aspects of health that are questionable at best, and potentially harmful. It is no wonder that there has been a craze about how you could improve your sleep by taping your mouth shut when you hit the sack!

Hold on, how is the practice of taping up your mouth meant to improve sleep? The purported benefits being touted are rooted in exclusively breathing through your nose whilst asleep. The benefits claimed range from improving snoring to reducing episodes of sleep apnea (not breathing at all for brief moments). There are even outrageous claims that mouth taping will make your nose and jaw look better. It is no wonder Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists have been appalled by such claims.

Contrary to the purported benefits of mouth taping, ENT specialists have pointed out that the practice is actually harmful. If you have sleep apnea, mouth taping could severely restrict airflow and deprive your brain and other vital organs of critically needed oxygen. Apnea can lead to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke and premature death. You certainly can accelerate your pathway to such conditions by recklessly taping up your mouth whenever you go to bed.

Matters can get more complicated. Strapping the chin to keep your mouth closed could pose a serious risk of asphyxiation in the presence of nasal obstruction or regurgitation of oral and nasal secretions. Anybody getting asphyxiated and regurgitating matter into their lungs gets predisposed to serious risks of multiple organ damage and death.

Breathing through the nose is ideal. The air gets moisturised, fine nasal hairs trap dust, allergens and other environmental debris. Nasal breathing is also associated with keeping your blood pressure under control and aiding relaxation. So proponents of exclusively getting their air into the lungs via the nose aren’t completely off course. But caution is warranted.

If you want to tape up your mouth, check with an ENT specialist if you could do it safely and whether you might accrue any benefits. Some ENT gurus might even instruct you on ideal techniques to promote nasal breathing, including optimal positioning of the tongue against the front teeth and the roof of your mouth. If you harbour any conditions that might provoke additional health risks, taping up your mouth shut is foolhardy. Don’t forget there are other things you could do to sleep better. Consult a sleep specialist if necessary. For the sake of your nose and jaw looking better, taping your mouth is nonsensical.

Dr Murage is a Consultant Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist