How Do I Guarantee I’m Not Mouth Breathing All Night?

I knew I mouth breathed all night not just because I had photographs of myself doing so, but because I would wake up with a dry mouth and bad breath having consumed almost a pint of water between going to bed and getting up. Not to mention the dry lips or trips to the toilet to go for a wee.

I snored and had done since I was a child. I even did this strange thing with my throat that sort of clicked, so my husband nicknamed me ‘The Predator’ at night and ‘Darth Vader’ during the day, when I was also a chronic mouth breather. I am now as quiet as a mouse.

I’d often get out of bed and feel off balance. I’d regularly feel unrefreshed and groggy. Throw a breastfeeding child into the mix and poor quality sleep just went from bad to worse. Something had to change and I started looking for answers. One of my greatest joys was learning about stuff we should have been taught as kids on Dr Rangan Chatterjee’s podcast, Feel Better Live More.

Here is the episode that had me consciously breathing through my nose for the very first time.

It was when listening to these podcasts that I heard about mouth taping at night for better sleep.

My first reaction was- “There is no way I’m taping my mouth at night”.

And then I learned more about:

1) the importance of nose breathing

2) the negative health traits of mouth breathing

3) how to train myself to become a nose breather

4) how mouth taping can revolutionise how you feel

I now wear mouth tape nearly every night as well as having trained myself to become a nose breather during the day. I can guarantee that for approximately a third of the 24 hour day, I am nose breathing without fail.

How does mouth tape feel to sleep in?

I’ve tried a range of mouth tape or skin suitable tape that you could use for mouth taping during sleep. There are pros and cons to them all depending on who you are. The one thing I’d say I found most surprising, as do many of my clients, is that when you first put the tape on during the day calmly having been breathing slowly through your nose, it gives a calming feeling. You lose the 'choice’ between nose or mouth. I find my brain accepts the current option and the slow breathing itself calms me almost instantly. It may sound strange, but I feel as though I’ve just been swaddled. Safe, calm and natural, like a baby. It is important however that you have done some work to ensure that you are comfortable to nose breathe for long periods of time during the day before mouth taping at night.

Will I have to wear mouth tape forever?

This is a really good question. I have trained my tongue out of the wrong position and into the correct position. I’m now also working on the tone of my tongue, upper palate and throat. The tongue position alone has been enough to hold onto nose breathing for the majority of nights when I test without mouth tape. I actually like the idea of taping for the foreseeable future because I can guarantee a good night, however I am working with a number of clients to see how many people find tongue position and other toning work to be sufficient.

Is mouth tape suitable for children?

Mouth tape is a relatively modern thing and there is not yet enough guidance around it. There is however a brand who specifically market themselves as suitable for children, as it does not seal the mouth but instead brings the lips together by surrounding the mouth. This ensures that children can still vomit, drink or talk whilst wearing mouth tape. MYOTAPE is a purpose-built hypoallergenic lip tape, designed by Patrick McKeown to support nose breathing during sleep and exercise.

Which sleeping mouth tape should I try?

What I use - cheap and effective

I personally make my own mouth tape from Kinesiology Tape. Before you jump online to order the cheapest option though, beware that I’ve trialled a few and some of the cheaper China shipped ones weren’t so good, resulting in blackheads, uncomfortable removal and remaining residue. I have personally enjoyed using the following brands of Kinesiology Tape as have a number of people I’ve worked with. I recommend you test patch your skin before use on your face. I cut it 1 square wide for day use and 2-3 squares wide for night use. If too sticky and uncomfortable, apply to hand first and then apply vertically above and then below lips as you press lips together. Peel off very slowly and carefully downwards. You are usually able to remove half of it to drink or talk and then replace it for the rest of the night. Please note it is not advised if you have been drinking alcohol if there is a risk of being unresponsive or unconscious. It is also not advise for night use for children in case they need to vomit (although can be used during TV time etc when supervised). You’ll need a nice sharp pair of scissors.

Other options

MYOTAPE is a purpose-built hypoallergenic lip tape, designed by Patrick McKeown to support nose breathing during sleep and exercise. It is advertised for children, teenagers and adults. My purchased product arrived in good time. The product is what was advertised.

3M Micropore tape is cheap but also has hypoallergenic adhesive. Although not advertised as a sleep tape or mouth tape, it does the job. Even a tiny piece can work depending on the resistance of your jaw. When trialling micropore tape as mouth tape initially, I tried Boots, Wilkos and Superdrug for their own brand options too. I found that the cheaper brands were less sticky but I needed more. They also crinkled up more. 3M had a chemically scent when I first opened it but it stayed in position with very little tape. Make sure you fold over the end though so you have a good tab to get it off with. Most people have this sort of tape in their first aid kit already. I moved away from Micropore tape because I found it less pleasurable to use, although cheap and effective. I went on to develop my own mouth tape which I use daily.

I don’t recommend Somnifix

SOMNIFIX is a sleep tape which is clear and shaped like lips. It is also hypoallergenic and has a small valve in the centre which allows air through the mouth but encourages nasal breathing. I personally received delivery after 7 months months of no contact or reply to my emails through this company, so I can not recommend.

If you have any questions about trying mouth tape or retraining your breathing and snoring habits, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Either book a breathing assessment call or email me on jane@canidoitmyself.com.

*Please note, I am an amazon associate and myotape affiliate. Whilst this does not affect the price to you, it may mean that I receive payment for qualifying purchases.