Mouth taping trend to improve sleep quality, athletic performance poses serious health risks, says Maryland doctor.<\/p>\n
The social media trend of mouth taping to improve sleep quality and ultimately boost athletic performance is largely unproven, and potentially dangerous, says Dr. Jennifer Gourdin, a sports medicine physician with Kaiser Permanente in Silver Spring, Maryland.<\/p>\n
\u201cMouth taping is when you put a piece of tape across your lips to encourage nose breathing when you\u2019re sleeping,\u201d Gourdin told WTOP. \u201cIt\u2019s currently trending on Instagram and TikTok, claiming to improve sleep quality, oxygen levels and reduce snoring.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gourdin, whose handle on Instagram and TikTok is @drjthesportsdoc, said many of those engaging in mouth taping are athletes. \u201cThis is a big deal in the sports field, because improved sleep quality is associated with improved muscle recovery and improved athletic performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
The theory behind it is that nose breathing during sleep is more efficient, Gourdin said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you breathe through your nose, you filter the air. It\u2019s humidified and warm, so you\u2019re less likely to wake up in the middle of the night with dry mouth or bad breath, and you\u2019re less likely to wake up fatigued,\u201d she said. \u201cHowever, there\u2019s not any strong evidence currently to suggest that this true.\u201d<\/p>\n
And, the practice of mouth taping poses several risks to many people.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you have something like sleep apnea or some other underlying sleep condition, if you have nasal congestion, a deviated septum, or allergy symptoms, taping your mouth could lead to more restricted breathing,\u201d said Gourdin. \u201cIt could also lead to dangerous drops in your oxygen levels while you\u2019re sleeping, and in some individuals, it can also lead to panic attacks or anxiety attacks.\u201d<\/p>\n