Some people claim taping your mouth shut helps you sleep better—but what are the risks? - eviltoast

According to a 2023 survey of 2,005 adults who had recently tried sleep trends, more than one in 10 people had tried mouth taping. People admit to trying the trend to stop snoring, reduce mouth breathing, and for some—to change their face shape. Some videos on the social platform claim that mouth taping improves the jawline and reduces the appearance of a double chin.

Despite the online popularity of the sleep trend, the medical evidence to support this practice is scant, says Indira Gurubhagavatula, professor of medicine at Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Instead, mouth taping may actually cause health problems.

  • ShaunaTheDead@fedia.io
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    2 months ago

    If your nose happens to get plugged from allergies, this could be dangerous. You would probably wake up before suffocating but I’m not a doctor so I dunno.

    I have heard that some CPAP machines have a foam that degrades and makes it’s way into people’s lungs which is scary. And they aren’t even necessarily cheap CPAP machines. Just, buyer beware on that front too.

    I think everyone should just be making whatever decision is right for them and their circumstances.

    • Blaster M@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      That was the Philips Respironics machines, if you were to use the SoClean or other “activated oxygen” style cleaning systems, it would disintegrate the noise suppression foam, which was placed where it would enter the airstream. The foam particles aren’t good for your lungs, and Philips recalled all their machines because of it.