Sleeping With Your Mouth Open
Do you sleep with your mouth open? Although you can not help this natural reflex, especially when you have a stuffy nose or sinus issues, research shows this is not the best way to rest throughout the night.
Possible side effects of mouth breathing at night:
- Dehydration: Sleeping with your mouth open can dry out your airways and lead to the loss of essential fluids throughout the night.
- Jaw Pain: Having your mouth open at night keeps the jaw in a position which can cause teeth grinding, the development of an overbite or underbite, or general jaw soreness.
- Poor Oral Health: Gum disease and tooth decay are more common in those that sleep with their mouth open.
- Bad Breath: One of the most common side effects of mouth breathing, and one that affects others.
- Worsened Asthma: Keeping your mouth open while sleeping causes you to inhale cold air that is unfiltered (as the nose acts as a natural air filter) which can cause irritation in the airway, especially for those with asthma.
- Tiredness: Sleeping with your mouth open does not let as much oxygen into the lungs, impacting the body's whole supply of oxygen. This can lead to feelings of fatigue when you wake, and can result in restlessness for the whole day.
Snoring and mouth breathing:
Sleeping with your mouth open has a great impact on snoring and sleep apnea, worsening both of these sleep disruptions. Those who are prone to snoring and sleep with their mouth open allow for the airways to be obstructed. Individuals with sleep apnea that wear a CPAP machine do not get the ideal benefits from the device when they have their mouth open, making this breathing method less than ideal.
How to prevent mouth breathing:
Breathing through the nose is definitely better for your health, so how can you ensure you breathe this way throughout the night?
A sure way to promote breathing through the nose is to secure the mouth into a position which does not let it fall open. A snoring mouthpiece such as Good Morning Snore Solution helps gently keep the tongue in the same position all night, both preventing snoring and protecting from the negative effects of mouth breathing. No matter the source of your snoring, a stabilizing mouthpiece can greatly help you breath through your nose overnight!
Sources:
https://www.buoyhealth.com/current/mouth-breathing-effects/#is-it-bad
https://www.healthline.com/health/mouth-breathing#prevention
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