So, I’ve been up to something pretty weird lately, and I can’t wait to tell you about it. You see, for the past month, I’ve been taping my mouth shut while I sleep. I know, it sounds downright strange, but bear with me.
You might know that I’m always on the hunt for clever life hacks to improve my health, fitness, productivity, and just overall happiness. And one big piece of the puzzle that affects all these areas is good old sleep. There’s a ton of scientific evidence that says when we sleep well, our lives improve in countless ways.
So, I’ve been on a mission to find simple ways to enhance my own sleep. That’s when I stumbled upon the idea of taping my mouth shut at night. Now, I’ll admit, this might sound like one of those quirky health fads with no scientific backing. But I found enough stories online from people who swear by it that I figured, “Why not give it a shot?”
Here’s the basic idea: when you tape your mouth shut while you sleep, you’re forced to breathe through your nose. Now, regardless of your thoughts on the shape of your own nose, it’s designed pretty darn well. It helps humidify and filter the air we breathe, making it just right for our lungs. But if you’re like me and often default to mouth breathing during sleep because your nose feels stuffy, you’re missing out on all that goodness.
Mouth breathing can lead to issues like dry sinuses, dental problems, and it even affects brain function by reducing nitric oxide intake. Plus, it messes with your sleep quality, heart health, and oxygen levels. Personally, I’ve been plagued by that middle-of-the-night thirst for years. You know, when you have to gulp down water and then can’t get back to sleep. So, that’s why mouth breathing is a no-no.
So, I decided to embark on a 30-day experiment. The first night was a bit interesting. I used these mouth strips I found on Amazon, which are supposedly clinically proven to help with breathing and sleep quality. They come in these nifty packets with a hole in the middle so you can still talk. I even warned my husband, just in case I ended up looking like a mummy in the morning.
Day one went pretty well. My mouth felt a bit dry, but I didn’t wake up during the night, and it was way less parched than usual. So, I considered it a success and decided to keep going.Now, here’s the deal with these strips: they’re meant for single-use, so you toss them after each night. I couldn’t help but wonder if they make daytime versions of these things.
Fast forward three weeks into the experiment. I’ve been faithfully taping my mouth shut every night. But for the next week, I decided to go without the tape while tracking my sleep with my phone. It was time to see if this tape was really making a difference.
And now, the grand finale. After 30 days, it was time to assess whether this whole mouth taping thing actually works. There are two ways to look at it: my personal experience and the data from my phone.
Subjectively, I noticed a big improvement. I wasn’t waking up as often during the night, and when I did, it was closer to morning. My mouth felt less dry when I woke up, and I didn’t need to guzzle water in the middle of the night. Oddly enough, I’ve been feeling more refreshed in the mornings lately, which was a rare occurrence last year.
Objectively, it’s a bit tricky. I’ve been meticulously tracking my sleep with an app called AutoSleep, nightly. But the data is mixed, and there are too many variables to draw a clear conclusion. It’s frustrating because during the week when I didn’t use the tape, the data actually suggests better sleep quality, despite what I personally felt.
So, would I recommend trying this? Absolutely! Especially if you’re a mouth breather or struggle with a dry mouth at night. As for continuing the experiment, well, I’m still taping my mouth shut every night. It’s become part of my bedtime routine, and I plan to keep doing it.
I’m still here, didn’t suffocate, and it seems to have improved my sleep quality. If you enjoyed this, and you’re looking for more tips to enhance your life, check out my wellness Wednesday section of my blog. Untill next blog post!
