How to stop mouth breathing to sleep better

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Living with a stuffed nose is no fun, but James Nestor was ready. Besides, it was for science.

While doing research for his book, “Breathing: the new science of a lost art”, Nestor allowed scientists from Stanford University to cover his nostrils with silicone and surgical tape to measure the impacts of breathing through the mouth for 10 days.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be good, because there’s a very strong scientific base showing all the harmful effects of mouth breathing, from periodontal disease to metabolic disorders,” Nestor said.

The surprise was how quickly the experiment affected him.

Nestor’s blood pressure rose 13 points, sending the writer into stage one hypertension. Heart rate variability measurements showed that his body was in a state of stress. His pulse quickened and he reeled in a mental fog.

He also snored for hours each night, developing obstructive Sleep apnea. His blood oxygen levels dropped.

“We had no idea it was going to be this bad,” Nestor said. “The snoring and sleep apnea were so dramatic, and came on so quickly, that everyone was pretty floored.”

What Nestor learned, in addition to the dangers of being a research subject, was that breathing through your mouth can ruin a good night’s sleep.

Breathing through the mouth at night increases the risk of sleep disorders, such as snoring, sleep apnea, and hypopneathe partial blockage of air, scientists have found. Each of them, in turn, can lead to fatigue during the day.

That doesn’t mean you’re doomed to wake up groggy because you’re prone to mouth breathing when you sleep.

Experts have a long list of strategies designed to turn you into a nasal breather, including an inexpensive breathing hack you can buy at your corner store.

There’s a long list of reasons why people breathe through their mouths at night, said Dr. Steven Park, a surgeon who specializes in sleep medicine.

“The most common reason is if your nose is stuffy,” Park said. “From allergies, or if you have a deviated septum. Many medications can also cause nasal congestion.”

Those problems are exacerbated at bedtime, he explained.

“Usually when you lie down, the blood vessels inside the nose fill with blood,” he said, explaining that the rush of blood causes swelling and constriction. If you can’t breathe easily through your nose, you’ll likely open your mouth to breathe, Park said. That sets off a positive feedback loop.

“You would think that if you open your mouth you would breathe easier, but actually the opposite is true,” he said. Opening the jaws causes the tongue to sink back, obstructing the airway. “Even if you don’t have sleep apnea, or if you have mild sleep apnea, opening your mouth makes things much worse.”

How do you know if you are breathing through your mouth at night? Many people, Park noted, are alerted by a spouse or partner who notices they are breathing through their mouths.

If you wake up with a dry mouth or persistent tiredness, these may be warning signs. Another indication of sleep apnea or other disturbed sleep is if you have to go to the bathroom multiple times during the night, Park said. Disrupted breathing puts stress on the heart, Park explained, which triggers the release of hormones that cause you to produce more urine.

When Nestor held his nose for science, he experienced an extreme version of mouth breathing. But in retrospect, he realized that he had been waking up with a dry mouth for some time, a sign that he had been giving up nasal breathing for at least part of the night.

If you’re tackling nighttime mouth breathing, Park suggested you start by taking care of your nose to minimize congestion.

“Number one, avoid eating close to bedtime,” he said. This is because stomach juices can back up into the nose, sinuses, ears, and mouth, causing congestion and inflammation.

Park also recommended saline nasal irrigation, rinsing the nose with salt water in a squeeze bottle. “It’s a mild decongestant, because salt water draws clear water out of the membrane,” she explained. (Over-the-counter decongestant sprays can cause habituation and rebound symptoms, Park said, and should be reserved for short-term use.)

Respiratory problems are so widespread that they have spurred an entire industry dedicated to opening the nose. Park said some people find relief with nasal strips, which open the nose from the outside, or nasal dilators, which expand the airways from the inside.

But even if you do get your nose to clear, breathing through your mouth at night can be a hard habit to break. That has led some to search for products that will secure their lips shut at night.

Many experts warn against covering your mouth while sleepingbecause it can be dangerous.

“If you have obstructive sleep apnea, yes, this can be very dangerous,” said sleep specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta, an associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, in a previous article. from CNN.

“There is limited evidence on the benefits of a bandage in the mouth and I would be very careful, including talking to your health care provider, before trying it,” Dasgupta added.

Dasgupta recommended seeing an otolaryngologist or sleep specialist for a diagnosis and treatment plan.