I don’t know about you, but a good sleep sounds like a dream. It sounds like something I once knew and enjoyed long ago before tiny humans invaded my life.
Someone once told me you won’t get a good sleep until your kids are at least 8 years old. Tell me that isn’t true!! I have so many years to go!
Like most things in life, when it comes to sleep it’s about quality versus quantity. It would be miraculous (in some cases) and ideal to get 7-9 hours of quality sleep. However, according to recent studies, if you get 5 hours of quality sleep it could be better for your body than 9 hours of poor-quality sleep.
So interesting!
Do you ever find yourself going to the bathroom multiple times a night, snoring, tossing and turning, grinding your teeth, waking up with a dry throat, having sensitive gums and bad breath? Does any of that sound familiar? If so, you might be a mouth breather. (Gasp!)
Bad sleep is very common. So common, in fact, that researchers say it is one of the main reasons why so many of us are sick and tired.
Wow!
My husband wasn’t sleeping well. He was getting up often to use the restroom at night and would wake up feeling more tired than when he went to bed. So, he began researching tips and tricks for better sleep and he found mouth taping.
You’re probably wondering: What is mouth taping and is this just another wellness fad?
It’s exactly as it sounds — you place a piece of tape over your mouth while you sleep. We soon discovered that it’s a simple, but powerful tool for better sleep.
It sounds crazy, but mouth taping quickly improved our sleep quality. It’s true!
My husband ended up buying Somnifix strips which are soft and almost gel-like compared to regular tape. Each strip has a tiny vent so even if you get a stuffy nose in the middle of the night, you will still be able to breathe easily. They also come off painlessly and do not leave any sticky residue. The first night he tried one, and every night since, he has slept through the night, his snoring has gone down almost completely (huge win!), and he has woken up feeling refreshed and energized.
Have you heard of mouth taping for better sleep?
It’s the best, the strangest, and most effective sleep hack that I’ve come across and the benefits are undeniable. It’s also arguably the cheapest hack for quality sleep — no need to purchase any treatments or equipment.
Here’s how it works –
When you sleep with your mouth closed and breathe only through your nose you are enabling your body to produce nitric oxide which plays a crucial role in your health.
Now for the science!
Nitric oxide is a molecule that occurs naturally in your body and there are three ways for it to get in your blood. Either by eating nitrate rich foods like vegetables, by exercising or by nose breathing. Your body’s ability to produce nitric oxide decreases as you age, so it is imperative that you develop good nose-breathing habits early.
Some important drawbacks of not breathing through your nose? Worsened vascular function, drop in cognitive function, decrease immunity, inflammation, and high blood pressure.
On the flip side, breathing through your nose and improving your nitric oxide levels can help improve heart function, digestion, blood pressure, enhance memory and learning, strengthen immunity and gut function, ease inflammation, assist with weight loss, and improve symptoms of anxiety and depression and athletic performance.
Needless to say, nitric oxide is very important and taping your mouth when you sleep is an easy way to ensure your body is getting enough in its bloodstream.
And also — no more getting up to pee at night! Let’s not forget that great benefit to taping your mouth at night.
In case you were picturing your bathroom cabinets filled to the brim with mouth strips, don’t worry, you don’t need to stock endless supplies and tape your mouth forever. You will eventually train your body to sleep and go about your day for that matter, while breathing through your nose.
Maybe this sleep hack looks a little creepy at night and feels a bit strange at first, but the benefits are powerful.
Are you ready to give it a try?
No matter how many hours of sleep you are able to get at night, make them quality hours. Try taping your mouth at night and let me know if you give it a go! I would love to hear what you think of it.
