Taping Your Mouth Closed While You Sleep - is it just another fad, or a health ‘hack’ we all need to begin implementing?

Blog written by Joely Franklin

Taping your mouth shut at night sounds more like some sort of punishment than a loving act of kindness right? I remember my mother doing it when I was younger and thinking she was well and truly insane. I was even a bit embarrassed! It looked like torture… A part of me didn’t even want to understand it because it looked like such a silly thing to do.

I’ll happily share that my stance on this topic has changed drastically in the last 10 years.

What if taping your mouth closed at night, and breathing fully through the nose, actually could be a loving act of self-care?

I’m on one full year of taping my mouth shut at night and it’s quite possibly one of the best things I’ve ever done for my physical wellbeing, not to mention the impact it has had on my Breath-work practices.

So, where shall we begin? Let’s dive into a little bit of physiology, shall we? To set the tone a little and get that curiosity flowing (or maybe not, I love a bit of science so bear with me….).

Let’s go back to some basics. Here are 10 pretty cool reasons why breathing through the nose is not only what the nose is designed for, but the best way to breathe for our physiology overall.

1. Your nose hairs help to filter the air you take in. This is extremely important if you live in a high-pollution area, such as a city. Think of them as your own personal air conditioning filters.
2. The nose warms and moistens air as you breathe, making air the perfect temperature for your body to assimilate.
3. Breathing through the nose can increase oxygen intake by roughly 10%! Nasal breathing is slower, which activates and recruits more of the diaphragm, meaning we draw in more air deeper into the lungs.
4. Nitric Oxide (NO) - the ultimate anti-inflammatory, is produced in the body through nasal breathing. NO is antiviral, antibacterial, and antimicrobial.
5. Our breathing volume re-balances when we breathe using the nose. Nasal breathing means we take in, and release, the optimal amount of air (ensuring optimal co2 and o2 levels). This is very important for athletes and those wanting to boost physical performance.
6. Nervous System Regulation is improved (my favourite topic on earth). The Vagus Nerve is activated through deeper nasal breaths. Optimal diaphragmatic movement improves vagal tone. The slowing down of the breath also impacts our heart rate, slowing it down too. This helps us settle into a rest and digest state, leaving us feeling more calm, open, and connected.
7. Mouth breathing has been shown to increase the sensations of anxiety and panic. We tend to ‘over breathe’ when we use the mouth, which can increase anxious sensations and racing thoughts.
8. Nasal breathing at night reduces the risk of sleep apnea and snoring (in some people eliminating it entirely).
9. Nasal breathing has been shown to synchronise our brain waves in the regions of the brain associated with behavioural and emotional responses.

So, it’s pretty clear there are a ton of benefits when it comes to breathing through the nose. Maybe you are already becoming more aware of your own breathing mechanics.

I was a chronic mouth breather for most of my life, and it’s only in the last few years that I’ve truly come to understand why that was and that it’s possible to change.

Are you open to improving your own breath mechanics if you are part of team ‘mouth breather’?

I really should give it a better name……

When it came to taping my mouth closed at night, I had so many questions and concerns.

Could I suffocate being the biggest one…. And seeing as I’m here writing this blog, you can rest assured that, no, you will not suffocate yourself, as long as you tape yourself safely and know your body and unique anatomy.

Here were my main questions and concerns, plus my present-day answers based on 1 year of taping.

1. Would this be uncomfortable and stop me from sleeping?I used surgical tape, and once it was on I barely noticed it. There are a TON of mouth-specific tapes surfacing at the moment, and in all honesty, they aren't really necessary in my opinion. Some simple surgical tape from your local pharmacy will do the job perfectly.?
2. What if I need to breathe through my mouth, or tough, sneeze, speak etc.Some people fully tape their mouths shut, placing the tape horizontally to fully close the mouth. You don’t need to do this, especially at the start while you’re getting used to it. Over time you’ll actually find your body naturally begins to nasal breathe and you won’t need much tape at all (I now no longer need to tape my mouth every night, my body has adapted).
3. Will the tape hurt my skin/lips?Using lip balms will stop the tape from sticking, so make sure your lips are clean and dry. If you find plasters irritate your skin, maybe try sticking the tape on another part of your body overnight to see if you get any irritation - like a patch test.
4. ?How did I feel/sleep after that first night?Fan-bloody-tastic. It was the deepest sleep I’d had in a long time and I awoke with so much energy. I couldn’t quite believe it to be honest. It felt really good to gift my body a night of deep breathing. Plus my mouth was not dry, and I felt less dehydrated.

How did people find it?

“I slept like a baby the first night, and didn’t snore once according to my wife! It was much easier than I thought”. Michael, Yoga Teacher.

“At night we go into hibernation, we aren’t breathing, there’s something that breathes us. It’s like awareness play, and the more aware we become, the more we live in our body. Nasal breathing helps us to breathe properly” Pavel, NOA:AON.

“It’s a game changer.? Start with thin tape either one strip in the centre or one on each side of your mouth until comfortable.? Don’t buy super strong tape to start with, if it comes loose in the night it’s okay while you’re just getting used to it”. Helen

Closing words

Now you’ve probably got a fairly good idea of why I’m loving this so much. I’ve not stopped talking about it for many months and most of my colleagues, clients, and friends are all now on board too! It feels like a collective empowering act to take back our respiratory health.

Ready to improve your own respiration system? Breath-work, both functional and therapeutic, helps to boost, improve, and heal the body, mind, and spirit.

As part of the Mindful Elements team day we will be exploring the power of the breath, utilising the breath for optimal function and wellbeing.

Good luck, breathe easy.

Joely ( Mindful Elements Facilitator)

#workplacewellbeing #nervoussystemregulation #breathawareness #highperformingteams