Tape Your Mouth Shut To Fall Asleep? Explaining The Newest TikTok Trend

The latest Tiktok trend has people taping their mouth shut before going to bed at night.

By Tiffany Velasquez | Published

@laurynbosstick

@Andrew Huberman & @clairegrieve27 raved about this on @tscpod so i had to try it & OMIGOD YES (but do ur own research obv) #mouthtape #mouthtapingforsleep #mouthtape #mouthtapesleeping #sleephacking

♬ Paradise – Ikson

A new TikTok trend, #MouthTaping, is gaining popularity with 25 million views and counting. Attached to the hashtag and new viral trend, you will see videos and pictures of people taping their mouths shut while they sleep and claiming it helps them sleep better. There have been countless weird and dangerous TikTok trends, and this one is just another one to add to that list. 

This TikTok trend of mouth taping is the latest thing that you may or may not have seen come across your for you page on the social media platform recently. In this new trend, users place a small piece of tape, sometimes ordinary tape and others using a tape specifically designed for mouth taping that is in the shape of a sideways, and tape their mouth shut while sleeping. While some users claim to have been taking part in mouth taping for years, experts are warning people of the dangers this may cause.

Those who are participating in this crazy new TikTok trend are claiming that by taping their mouth shut while sleeping, they actually sleep deeper and wake up more energized. The idea is that mouth tapers breathe better through their nose, which results in a better quality of sleep. Nose breathing allows for proper airflow that is correctly filtered through the nose thus, resulting in fewer irritants making their way to the lungs. 

Nose breathing is well known for a plethora of beneficial reasons and people everywhere seem to be taking part in the #MouthTaping TikTok trend to receive the benefits. Nose breathing, specifically while you sleep, is said to stabilize your blood pressure.

Breathing through your nose while you sleep is also linked to reduced snoring, resulting in better sleep not only for the person doing the nose breathing but anyone sleeping with them. Additionally, nose breathing increases oxygen to arteries, veins, and nerves while also increasing your overall oxygen and circulation. 

While there are benefits to nose breathing, experts are making know the dangers of the new TikTok trend, and are even saying that it may actually cause the opposite effect. With dangers involved, it is important to listen to experts and exercise common sense. Sometimes social media users only do things for attention, resulting in injury and in some cases, death for those who follow suit. 

Experts are warning social media users of the dangers that come along with participating in the new TikTok trend. Taping your mouth shut while sleeping could result in worsening your breathing as you sleep and difficulty breathing because of nasal congestion.

When we lay down to sleep, we naturally become slightly congested, and often our mouth instinctively opens to allow us to breathe.

Taping your mouth shut while you sleep could also cause allergies, dry lips, and lip irritation. Experts are urging participants in this TikTok trend to get evaluated by a doctor to investigate and find a proper solution to any issues they may be having. There are safer options that are available to alleviate sleep problems other than taping your mouth shut to get quality sleep.