Having trouble falling asleep? Are you not getting very good quality sleep? What if all that separated you from the arms of Morpheus was a piece of tape stuck to your mouth? Here is the principle of “mouth tapping”, which consists of putting plaster on your lips before bedtime to force yourself to breathe through your nose. A technique that may leave you perplexed, but which was nevertheless promoted by footballer Herling Haaland, and adopted by tennis player Iga Swiatek during her training to improve her performance. It has even become a trend relayed on TikTok by a number of influencers.
The promise ? More restful sleep, less snoring at night and more energy during the day. But is the effectiveness there? And is it safe?
” A false good idea “
In practice, “we breathe through the nose and through the mouth during the day, but through the nose during the night, and we sleep with our mouth closed: it is not physiological to breathe through the mouth during our sleep”, explains to 20 minutes Dr Maxime Elbaz, doctor in neuroscience, sleep specialist and scientific director at BioSerenity. We are designed to breathe through our noses, which filters and humidifies the air we inhale, and ensures our oxygenation.
Can a piece of tape then promote optimal breathing during sleep? “Mouth taping” was popularized by a footballer and by social networks, but taping your mouth to improve your sleep has absolutely no scientific basis. No serious study has demonstrated its effectiveness. It’s just a fad, a false good idea, certainly not a good practice.”
Pimples, but no results
But if it is not effective, does mouth taping carry any risks? “The first is dermatological,” believes Dr. Elbaz. Taping your mouth can make you allergic to duct tape, which can cause a rash, an itchy rash, and other uncomfortable little pimples. But most often, it is not even certain that the tape will hold, between nighttime movements and perspiration. Moreover, people suffering from sleep apnea generally have significant night sweats.”
And this is not trivial for anyone who dares to stick their lips together. Because if the sleep specialist doctor mentions this pathology, it is because “when a person breathes through their mouth while sleeping, it is generally the sign of an ENT problem, of an obstacle that blocks the upper airways . This can be temporary, in the case of nasal congestion, but also very often an indicator of sleep apnea, emphasizes Dr. Elbaz. Taping your lips if you suspect a respiratory problem is clearly not the thing to do! Imagine a person who has, for example, a deviated nasal septum problem, or a problem with the nasal cavities, and condemns his mouth when he already has problems breathing through his nose, it makes no sense! »
Find a suitable treatment
Thus, “it is recommended to consult a sleep specialist if you have a problem with mouth opening at night, especially since it dries out the mucous membranes and further disturbs sleep, prescribes Dr. Elbaz. You need to see an ENT doctor and a sleep specialist. We will place sensors at the level of the nostril and mouth to measure the respiratory flows and thoracic and abdominal breathing, in order to make the diagnosis and determine the appropriate treatment in the event of a problem”.
And what about snoring, that mouth taping would manage to reduce? “It’s a mechanical phenomenon: you either have too long a soft palate or too big a tongue, which will obstruct the upper airways, describes Dr. Elbaz. You can put all the tape you want on his mouth, it won’t change anything, you need mechanical treatment to fix it.” Facial mask to wear while sleeping, orthoses – or gutters – for mandibular advancement or even physiotherapy and orthodontics are among the treatments available to treat sleep apnea syndromes and snoring.
Promote an environment conducive to sleep
But it is true that we are not all equal when it comes to sleep. To put all the chances on your side, you must foster a conducive environment. The best: a well-ventilated room, in which it is not too hot, and where screens are banned. Then, we can “encourage letting go by trying sophrology methods, deep breathing with inspiration through the nose and expiration through the mouth. This can help you relax, clear your head, and fall asleep more easily, notes Dr. Elbaz. Not everyone is sensitive to it, but for some it works. And we can set up cognitive-behavioral therapies to treat insomnia, and basic treatments for each type of sleep disorder”.
And if you want to optimize your nasal breathing, rather than a roll of adhesive tape, washing your nose, “with a mixture of warm water, coarse salt and lemon” will decongest it effectively, advises Dr. Henry Puget, general practitioner, in his work Family remedies: Smart and natural treatment from A to Z (ed. La Martinière).