I Tried Mouth Taping for 3 Days and This is What Happened
I’ll show you exactly how I did mouth taping in this video.
First a quiz:
Is mouth taping:
A) A way to stop snoring as much?
B) A way to stop eating as much?
C) A way to reduce bacteria in your mouth for oral health?
D) A way to stop speaking as much?
(Right: Looking good at 3 AM!)
The Answer: A, B, and C:
A) A way to stop snoring as much?
B) A way to stop eating as much?
C) A way to reduce bacteria in your mouth for oral health?
Mouth Taping – what is it and why is it increasing in popularity?
Sounds similar to the old weight loss hacks of the 1960s to wire your mouth shut.
Is it for weight loss or is there something else?
First, The process behind mouth taping works exactly as it sounds:
You literally tape your mouth shut before you go to sleep.
If you’re a regular mouth breather, then, in theory, you should automatically breathe through your nose if you’re not able to through your mouth.
While you might need to breathe through your mouth occasionally, especially during exercise or if you have nasal congestion, it’s important to stimulate nasal breathing and breathe through your nose as much as possible.
Health Benefits of Nose Breathing Include:
- It lubricates your nostrils and prevents your sinuses from drying out
- Makes the air you breathe in more humid, which can help chronic lung diseases like asthma
- It can balance out pH levels in your mouth, preventing dental decay, dry mouth, and gingivitis
- Increases your intake of nitric oxide, which is crucial for brain function, cardiovascular health, and overall blood oxygen levels. Therefore increasing nitric oxide production.
- Decreases your chance of snoring
Speaking of mouth breathing, there are many downsides.
One study published in December 2013 in the Journal Neuroreport found that mouth breathing can lead to:
- High blood pressure
- Heart problems
- Sleep apnea
Mouth breathing also:
- Worsens asthma
- May cause cognitive dysfunction
- Deprives the heart, brain, and other organs of optimal oxygenation
According to Steven Y. Park, MD, ENT specialist in New York City and author of Sleep, Interrupted: A Physician Reveals The #1 Reason Why So Many of Us Are Sick and Tired, breathing through your mouth can also increase your stress responses. And needless to say, more stress equals less sleep.
Mark Burhenne DDS, a family and sleep medicine dentist in Sunnyvale, California, and the creator of AskTheDentist.com.
When you breathe mainly through the nose, you wake up feeling more rested, without a dry mouth or a sore throat.
Dr. Berhenne further goes on to say:
Not only does mouth breathing reduce the quality of your sleep, but it disrupts the balance of your oral microbiome and makes you more prone to tooth decay.
Lastly, Dr. Burhenne, believes mouth breathing is the number one cause of cavities — even ahead of eating a thousand chocolate chip cookies and not brushing your teeth!
Here is the test.
I’d use a piece of mouth tape at night.
Each night after my last meal (dinner), put a piece of Somnifix mouth tape on my mouth.
I’d continue to read, watch TV even go online. But just a gentle reminder that I should keep my mouth shut.
Then I’d go to bed.
In the AM, I would remove the tape.
I did this continuously for three days, and here’s what I noticed.
- It was a gentle reminder to not eat or consume anything. I removed it if I wanted a sip of water but quickly affixed it.
- I had no difficulty sleeping with it and did not notice a change in my sleep habit. I thought it might be an issue in the middle of the night, to get used to it but not at all.
- I was worried it would leave a mark or hurt in the AM, cause skin irritation. Once again, no issues
- My mouth and throat felt better in the AM. This was due to less snoring and less air going through my throat.
My wife said I still snored somewhat but it seemed to be less frequent and not as loud.
I felt well-rested in the AM and that I got deep sleep.
My percentage of light sleep (Bad Sleep) is normally in the 40-percent range, which is good for a person my age.
When I wore the mouth tape I was in the 30-percent range which is incredible for a man my age.
What does all this mean?
My goal of mouth taping was to try something different but determine my own conclusions. I do have some conclusions for people who want to lose weight, eat better, feel better and be healthier.
By proceeding with nighttime mouth taping, it does help with avoiding nighttime eating. I see it as a plus – kind of like a personal coach and a physical barrier reminder to not eat after dinner.
For most people, it will help them with less dry mouth and the potential for oral diseases or problems with bacteria and cavities.
For most people, it will improve their sleep due to less snoring and increased nitric oxide, which should help produce more deep (restful) sleep.
My recommendation is to:
- Get medical-grade mouth tape and try it out for a night or two after dinner. I think that will diminish nighttime eating.
- Then, try sleeping with it on.
- Lastly, make it a routine and you’ll lose weight, drop fat and improve the quality of your life!
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