Why putting a stop to overnight mouth breathing can improve health.
FACT OR FAD?
Mouth taping (the practice of taping your mouth shut overnight) is a popular wellness trend promising those who try it a lengthy list of health benefits – from reduced snoring to fresher breath. But how exactly can this unusual nighttime ritual improve health, and is it really necessary?
The scientific thought behind mouth taping is that it stops us from breathing through our mouth – a habit that now affects more than 60% of us. This goes against our biology, advocates argue. We’re designed to breathe through our nose, while the mouth is mainly intended for eating, drinking and talking. Technically, they say, we should only breathe through our mouth in situations where we can’t easily breathe through our nose, such as during intense exercise or when our nose is blocked from a cold and allergy.
Why is mouth breathing bad?
There’s a reason why nature separated the two cavities, and that’s because mouth breathing is not good for health. ‘Mouth breathing lets in unfiltered, poorly humidified air, drawing pollutants and germs directly into the lungs,’ says neuropsychologist Dr Elisabeth Honinx. ‘This leaves you with a dry mouth, and can even cause conditions like sleep apnoea, where your breathing is repeatedly interrupted at night, decreasing your quality of life tremendously.’
Why do so many of us breathe through our mouths?
Stress is one of the main causes of mouth breathing, according to one expert. ‘Over 70% of us don’t breathe properly, and this is because we are stuck in fight, flight or freeze mode for the majority of our day-to-day life. With over 70% more demands on us than our grandparents had, it’s no wonder people today are more stressed, and need to take time to decompress and balance our nervous systems,’ says breathwork coach Sophie Belle. ‘This leads us to gulp in more air, in the same way that you might need to if you were under attack from a tiger. This then becomes habitual and you forget how to breathe through your nose as you’re supposed to.’
How to use mouth tape
Taping our lips together forces us to breathe through the nose and alleviates the health problems associated with mouth breathing. It really is as simple as sticking a piece of medical tape (not too sticky!) vertically across top and bottom lips, and you’re good to go.
For those used to breathing via their mouth, it’s normal to feel a little anxious or even panicky once the tape is on. In these cases, experts advise using the tape during the day to begin with.
‘Using tape for jus
