Mouth Taping: A Cheap Way to Get Better Sleep and Prevent Disease?

Photo Credit: by russtee86, flickr.com

Mouth taping: a funky new wellness trend or a surprisingly simple way to get better sleep and potentially prevent certain diseases? In this article, we’ll discuss.

But first, let’s back up. If you’ve never heard of mouth taping, just know that it’s exactly what it sounds like: taping your mouth shut.

Why would you do this? Well, because you want to breathe through your nose exclusively, of course -- it’s better for you -- and you can’t do this while you’re unconscious (as in, asleep). That’s why some

people place tape over their mouths every night before their head hits the pillow. (No, it’s not just a way to get your spouse to stop snoring or talking in their sleep!)

Think about it: over the period of human evolution, our mouths were designed for things like communicating and consuming food and drink, while our noses exist solely to breathe for us (and smell things, which is part of breathing). It only makes sense that the less we use our mouths for breathing, the better.

Mouth taping even has a surprising oral benefit that will make your dentist happy. Read on to discover more about mouth taping and its potential benefits, especially while the pandemic rages.

What is mouth taping?

Before we discuss the potential benefits of mouth taping, we should take a look at what exactly it is and where the technique comes from.

According to Everyday Health, “Mouth taping has its origins in something called the Buteyko Method, created by Russian doctor Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko, which studies the connection between the way we breathe and overall health. The practice largely focuses on ‘functional breathing,’ or breathing in and out of the nose. Practitioners of the method claim that it improves a number of health issues, including anxiety, ADHD, insomnia, asthma, and more.”

Mouth taping is a wellness practice wherein you tape your mouth shut when you go to bed, which forces your body to breathe through your nose all night long. Many people resort to mouth breathing, snoring, or even sleep apnea once they hit the hay. However, as long as it’s anatomically possible, it’s important for your body to breathe through your nose.

But once you fall asleep, you can’t force your body to continue breathing through your nose. That’s why some people practice mouth taping. It’s a way to force your body to keep using your nose to breathe, which is healthier, more effective, and better for your body.

Best of all, it’s a pretty cheap and drug-free way to boost your health, as we’ll discuss in more detail below. And since you are not ingesting anything, there are no prescription medication contraindications to worry about, and mouth taping has no negative side effects except, possibly, some minor skin irritation on your lips and around your mouth. Applying a thin layer of Vaseline before applying the tape should help with this.

What can mouth taping do for you?

People who practice mouth taping swear by its benefits. It works based on the simple scientific fact that if and when you cannot breathe through your mouth, your body will automatically start to breathe through your nose.

What’s more, a scientific report published in Neuroreport says that “Individuals who habitually breathe through the mouth are more likely than nasal breathers to have sleep disorders and attention deficit hyperactive disorder.”

This is important information because the quality of our sleep is closely and inextricably linked to the strength of our immune system. If we’re missing out on nights of deep, restorative sleep, we’re much more likely to get sick and suffer more overall.

The power of mouth taping is also linked to nitric oxide, which plays a crucial role in your health. Not having enough nitric oxide leads to worsened heart functionality, high blood pressure, drops in cognitive function, chronic inflammation, and weakened immunity -- none of which you want to encounter on your road to health.

And guess what helps to increase the amount of nitric oxide circulating in your blood? Nose breathing, of course.

Developing good nose breathing habits by consciously choosing to breathe through your nose while you’re awake -- and then taping your mouth shut at night -- can do more for you and your body than you would think. Just like taking daily vitamins, mouth taping may be a simple and relatively inexpensive way to give your body a fighting chance. All it costs you is a small roll of skin-safe surgical tape (or a brand-name sleep tape, if you prefer).

The dangers of mouth breathing

Mouth taping isn’t just about enjoying the many benefits of nose breathing. It’s also about the dangers of mouth breathing that you can now avoid.

Mouth breathing comes with a whole host of complications and drawbacks. It’s simply not very good for you. Among its many downsides are being linked to allergies, snoring, high blood pressure, heart problems, sleep apnea, worsening asthma, increased stress, cognitive dysfunction, and more. It even deprives the heart, brain, and other vital organs of optimal oxygenation.

According to Healthline, “Mouth breathing is also said to increase inflammation in your body. Chronic inflammation is associated with long-term consequences. … Mouth breathing is a potentially serious medical concern, especially if you’re starting to notice ongoing symptoms. Mouth taping may potentially help, but you should acclimate yourself to the process and have the right gear on hand.”

In fact, in addition to hurting your sleep quality, mouth breathing also interferes with the healthy, optimal balance of your oral microbiome, which makes you more prone to tooth decay. Who would’ve thought that mouth breathing can be a major cause of cavities and throw your mouth’s pH levels out of whack? Your dentist will thank you for switching to nose breathing.

Boosting your immune system during the pandemic

While it seems possible that this mouth taping method could help with your immunity, it’s a good idea to also supplement your immune-boosting efforts with over-the-counter supplements such as Nutrazul Calcium & Vitamin D3 to boost your immune system. These effervescent tablets will help to provide maximum immune protection to your system. That’s something all of us could use more of while we endure the stress and uncertainty of the pandemic.

Note that Sandoz has discontinued its version. However, Nutrazul tablets come in lemon-lime flavor and contain 500 mg of calcium and 2.5 mcg of Vitamin D3. With 20 tablets per tube, you should stock up and carry them with you wherever you go so you never run out.

Making sure you are nourishing your body and guarding it against disease, virus, and infection by boosting your immune system is an important step in increasing your lifespan during the global battle against COVID-19. Try mouth taping and see how you feel after a better night’s sleep.

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