A new trend has appeared on TikToku, which is supposed to improve the quality of sleep or deal with the problem of snoring. People put duct tape over their mouths at night. Although TikTok users praise the solution, the doctor believes that it may be dangerous.
- Dealing with snoring, relieving yourself of chronic pain in the jaw and throat are just some of the pluses that people allegedly felt after starting to put their mouths stuck overnight
- Experts believe that while nasal breathing has many more benefits than mouth breathing, sticking them up can lead to unpleasant consequences
- «This is one of the most dangerous trends I have heard about in a while and I am very concerned that it is being promoted as a health trend» — Dr. David Culpepper told Fox News
- You can find more similar articles on the TvoiLokony home page
According to users of the popular app who are eager to check the surprising trend on themselves, medical tapes should be chosen over adhesive tape, as the latter can damage the lips and the skin around them. However, the numerous recordings on TikTok show that some people probably use the most ordinary tape. A lot of people, including Cory Rodriguez, who runs a channel on food and dietary curiosities, praise this trick, which they believe improves health and well-being.
«The goal is to breathe through your nose while you sleep, not your mouth. It will help the oral cavity, improve your sleep, reduce snoring » — listed the benefits he allegedly observed.
Tape your mouth overnight
Equally delighted is James Jun, known on the Internet for recording videos on which he talks about anatomy and encourages him to lead a healthy lifestyle. As he admitted, he has been sticking his lips together for the night for two years, and this has improved his ability to breathe through his nose. He claims to snore less, has relieved himself of chronic pain in his jaw and throat, and wakes up refreshed every morning.
User Chance Culp also says she sees the benefits of the trend, although she admits that she herself does not know why sticking her lips made her sleep better. Opinions are divided among those who comment on the videos. Some believe they have tested this trend and see positive effects, but there are people who believe that they would “suffocate” or that it “looks scary”.
Dr. David Culpepper, a Lexington GP, is worried about the mouthtapingchallenge trend.
This is one of the most dangerous trends I have heard about in a while and I am very concerned that it is being promoted as a health trend. Simply put, intentionally blocking your airways while you sleep is a terrible idea
— he said in an interview with Fox News.
Nose breathing better than mouth breathing?
The authors of the Sleep Foundation website report that they conducted a survey of people who put their mouths tight at night. The respondents claim that thanks to this they stopped snoring, they are not tired, they have no problems with concentration, and they got rid of bad breath and excessive thirst at night. The Sleep Foundation stresses, however, that “most of these claims have not been scientifically researched.”
“So far, studies have shown only one benefit of sealing the mouth: reducing snoring and fatigue in people with obstructive sleep apnea” — reported by sleepfoundation.org.
There are better and safer ways to snore than sealing your mouth with tape. Try Antichrapacz – nasal insert.
Newsweek spoke to sleep expert James Wilson, which is true encourages breathing through the nose instead of the mouth, but does not recommend sticking them up.
«Nose breathing has its benefits, it is healthier than mouth breathing because it filters foreign particles, moisturizes the air you breathe and helps to dilate blood vessels, which can help your body circulate blood more efficiently. Nose breathing also helps prevent tooth decay, reduces snoring and the likelihood of reacting to allergens, and even helps prevent bad breath » — he confessed.
See also: Breathing exercises – indications, benefits, techniques. How to start breathing exercises?
The expert believes that in some cases, sealing the lips may be more of a problem than a benefit.
Lipsticking is an extreme way to encourage nasal breathing and comes with serious health risks. It can contribute to more serious problems such as heart disease, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – ed.) And stroke, especially if used by people suffering from sleep apnea
— Wilson explained.
The expert encourages breathing exercises to help you learn to breathe through your nose, rather than reaching for the tape and putting it on your mouth.