Mouth taping, the observe of sealing the lips shut throughout sleep to encourage nasal respiration, has gained traction on-line, promoted as a useful resolution for loud night breathing, dry mouth and poor sleep.
Whereas some folks tout it as a easy technique to get higher sleep, medical consultants warn the observe could also be ineffective at finest and probably dangerous for these with undiagnosed sleep problems.
The pattern has exploded on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the place influencers and wellness lovers declare that taping the mouth shut at evening can result in deeper sleep, decreased loud night breathing and even improved focus and immunity.
At first look, it appears like a innocent (if barely odd) sleep hack. However consultants are pushing again, saying the pattern oversimplifies a posh difficulty. Whereas nasal respiration may be useful, they warn that mouth taping isn’t a one-size-fits-all resolution.
Seek for “mouth taping” on social media and also you’ll discover sharply divided opinions.
Numerous movies tout well being advantages from selling nasal respiration and decreasing loud night breathing, whereas others warn the observe may very well be harmful, notably for these with undiagnosed situations like sleep apnea, the place proscribing airflow may pose severe well being dangers.
Now, these warnings have scientific backing.
A Canadian research revealed Wednesday in PLOS One confirms this hazard, discovering that mouth taping may very well be notably dangerous for folks with sleep apnea — a situation that always goes undiagnosed as respiration repeatedly stops and begins throughout sleep.
The researchers from the London Well being Sciences Centre Analysis Institute in London, Ont., took a better take a look at the science behind mouth taping.
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They combed via current medical literature and located 10 research they thought-about excessive sufficient high quality to incorporate of their closing assessment. These research checked out other ways folks attempt to hold their mouths closed throughout sleep — from tape to chin straps — and included knowledge from a complete of 213 contributors.
Two research confirmed a slight enchancment in sleep apnea signs for a small group of individuals with delicate circumstances. However a lot of the analysis confirmed no significant advantages for issues like mouth respiration, loud night breathing or sleep-disordered respiration, the researchers stated.
4 of the research flagged a possible security difficulty: for folks whose noses are blocked or narrowed, as a consequence of allergy symptoms, persistent nasal irritation, a deviated septum or different situations, sealing the mouth shut may pose an actual danger of asphyxiation.
“Eighty per cent of the papers published did not show any benefit to this practice. Twenty per cent did show a slight benefit … likely statistically beneficial, but not really clinically beneficial,” stated lead creator Dr. Brian Rotenberg, who’s an otolaryngology specialist at London Well being Sciences Centre, St. Joseph’s Well being Care London and Western College.
Rotenberg stated that till about three years in the past, he’d by no means heard of mouth taping. However then sufferers began exhibiting up at his clinic asking about it after seeing the pattern on-line.
As extra folks started mentioning it, he determined that if sufferers have been making an attempt this themselves, researchers ought to look into what precise proof exists to assist or refute the observe.
“Our nose is a very vital structure … it humidifies the air we breathe in, it warms the air we breathe in … so breathing through the nose in all honesty just kind of feels better. And so people want to breathe through their noses,” he defined.
“The issue is that many, many people out there, for many numbers of reasons, they just can’t breathe through the nose. So why can’t we breathe through our nose is the real question. And there are many reasons … could be allergies, could be a deviated septum, could be nasal polyps, or even in some rare cases, you can have a nasal tumour there, and these things happen as well,” Rotenberg added.
However when you don’t know you’ve these underlying issues, mouth taping isn’t going to deal with them, he stated, and will even pose actual well being dangers, particularly for these with sleep apnea.
He acknowledged that some folks do report optimistic experiences with mouth taping, saying it helps them breathe extra simply via their nostril and get up feeling extra rested.
Rotenberg doesn’t dismiss these accounts outright — however he emphasised that one individual’s success doesn’t essentially imply the strategy is protected or efficient for everybody.
In case you’re having bother respiration via your nostril, he recommends talking along with your physician to verify for any underlying nasal obstructions or sleep-related points.
— With information from International Information’ Katherine Ward
