Everyone on TikTok is mouth taping for sleep, but here’s why you should never do it

Another week, another TikTok health trend, and this one might literally stop you from breathing. The latest viral sleep hack doing the rounds is mouth taping: people are sticking tape over their lips at night in the hope of improving sleep, reducing snoring and waking up feeling more refreshed. But doctors are now warning that it’s not just ineffective, it could be downright dangerous.

Videos about mouth taping have racked up millions of views on TikTok, often shared by wellness influencers or, in some cases, people selling their own branded sleep tape. The claims sound tempting: Better rest, less snoring, more focus. But experts say there’s no real science behind it.

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“The studies behind mouth tape are small, the benefits are modest, and the potential risks are there,” Dr Kimberly Hutchison, a neurologist and sleep medicine expert at Oregon Health and Science University, told The Independent.

The main idea behind mouth taping is that breathing through your nose is healthier than breathing through your mouth. And that part’s true. Your nose filters air, traps dust, and keeps your airways moist. Mouth breathing, on the other hand, can lead to a dry mouth, sore throat, bad breath, and even more snoring. But, as Dr Hutchison and other experts point out, taping your mouth shut is not the solution.

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In fact, it can make things much worse. Doctors warn that mouth taping can worsen sleep disorders like sleep apnea, where breathing repeatedly stops during sleep, and in extreme cases could even cause suffocation.

Dr David Schulman, a sleep specialist at Emory University, says that if you’re struggling with mouth breathing or snoring, it’s far safer to look into medically approved treatments: “There are prescription mouthpieces that open up your airway, or CPAP machines that can make a huge difference.”

If you find yourself constantly breathing through your mouth, that might actually be a red flag for an underlying issue like sleep apnea or nasal obstruction. Schulman recommends getting a sleep test, some of which can even be done at home, to find out what’s really going on.

As he puts it: “It’s always better to know than not know. And if you know something’s wrong, at least you can make an educated decision.”

So, before you reach for the duct tape in the name of better sleep, don’t. Your lungs will thank you.

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Featured image credit: TikTok/@babynursemeg, @devonkelley_