Does Mouth Tape Work for Better Sleep? We Asked Sleep Specialists

We share some of the best products if you're looking to try it yourself

Melanie Rud is a freelance beauty writer, editor, and expert living in Chicago.

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People / Brian Kopinski

Take a quick scroll through sleep-related TikTok videos, and it quickly becomes apparent that seemingly everyone and their mother is taping their mouth. (Even comedian Heather McMahan frequently films her husband sleeping with his mouth taped shut and posts it on her social media.) The practice is, well, exactly what it sounds like — using tape to keep your mouth shut in order to force you to breathe through your nose while you sleep. But, is that actually a good idea? The jury is still kind of out.

“Mouth-taping refers to the practice of using tape to seal the lips together during sleep to promote nasal breathing," explains Dr. Shereen Lim, a dentist specializing in dental sleep medicine. "Try snoring with your mouth closed, and then open. You can see that it's harder to snore with the mouth closed." What’s so great about breathing through your nose? A whole host of things. “Nasal breathing promotes better oral and jaw muscle tone. This tends to reduce collapsibility of the airway, and sleep becomes more restful,” Dr. Lim points out. Additionally, breathing through your nose allows you to filter, warm, and humidify the air, which can reduce irritation, adds sleep specialist Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell. “Breathing through your nose also aids in the elasticity of the lungs and leads to more oxygen absorption in your blood. All of these things help to improve your sleep quality,” she says.

All that’s fine and dandy, but if you’re not naturally breathing through your nose, forcing yourself to do so by taping your mouth shut may not be as great of a solution as it may seem.​​ “Many people report fewer sleep disturbances and feeling more refreshed upon waking with mouth-taping, but it’s not going to be beneficial if there’s severe structural narrowing of the airway,” says Dr. Lim. “This could be related to problems inside the airway like severe congestion or enlarged adenoids and tonsils, or extremely narrow or receded jaws which form the outer support for the airway.” Her suggested rule of thumb: “If you can’t breathe comfortably for three minutes with your lips sealed during the daytime, then it’s best not to try mouth taping — and also, seek out treatment from a ENT, airway dentist, or myofunctional therapist.” Dr. Holliday-Bell agrees, pointing out that, while there is some research showing that mouth-taping may be beneficial for select individuals, the research is still lacking to make it a more broad recommendation and that it’s absolutely worth consulting with a medical professional before trying it.

All that being said, if you do want to give it a try (and have the okay from an expert to do so), which mouth tape you choose matters. Below, take a look at five good options.

Amazon

Anyone searching for an inexpensive option, particularly if you have sensitive skin, as this is both hypoallergenic and latex-free.

Those who want a tape that’s shaped or designed for mouth-taping specifically.

This is a favorite of Dr. Lim’s, who lauds it for being lightweight, breathable, and hypoallergenic, not to mention inexpensive. It’s just a general type of medical tape, so, there’s nothing specific for mouth-taping about it. Still, you can feel confident that it won’t irritate your skin, and you can easily cut it into any size strips you’d like.

Price at time of publish: $4.66

Size: 10 yards | Material: Hypoallergenic paper

Amazon

If you have sensitive skin, try this pick, which is hypoallergenic and also comes off painlessly.

People who would prefer pre-cut strips intended for the mouth.

Many Amazon reviewers note that they love using this medical-grade paper tape for mouth-taping purposes. Along with being hypoallergenic, it also comes off easily and painlessly, without any uncomfortable pulling or tugging. The other boon: it’s water-resistant, a nice attribute when it comes to using it on your lips and mouth.

Price at time of publish: $12 for 2 rolls

Size: 4 yards | Material: Hypoallergenic paper

VIO2

If you want to experiment with different ways of taping your mouth shut, these pre-cut strips can be used both vertically and horizontally.

Those on a budget, as they are a bit more expensive.

These H-shaped tape strips are specially and solely designed for mouth taping purposes — so much that the brand actually calls them “a mouth trainer.” They can be applied either horizontally or vertically, making it easy to find your perfect fit; happy reviewers rave about both how well they stay put all night, and how easy they are to remove as well (the brand recommends peeling it from the top down). Plus, you can buy them as a one-time purchase or via a convenient subscription model.

Price at time of publish: $19.95

Size: 48 strips | Material: Not listed

SomniFix

Mouth-taping newbies will appreciate that these mouth-shaped strips have a small vent that makes it easy to breathe out of your mouth if necessary.

Anyone who wants to ensure that the mouth tape keeps their mouth sealed completely.

These sticky strips are designed to cover your mouth entirely; they look basically like a lip mask. That being said, there is a small vent over the lip area that will allow a bit of mouth breathing, a nice option for anyone who feels like having their mouth completely sealed might feel a little bit claustrophobic. The adhesive is also hypoallergenic and residue-free, further upping the comfort factor.

Price at time of publish: $22.49

Size: 28 strips | Material: Specially-engineered hypoallergenic residue-free adhesive

Walmart

If you don’t want to put tape over your actual lips, this is a nice alternative.

Anyone with facial hair should try something else, as this won’t stick to a mustache or beard.

“This is a stretchy elastic fabric that sticks around the ring of skin circling the lips to help encourage the jaws to stay closed,” says Dr. Lim of another one of her picks. In other words, the tape uses elastic tension to hold your lips together which then tricks your brain into transferring to nasal breathing. “It’s most suitable for those who don’t like the idea of sticking tape on their actual lips,” she adds, saying that these are also expert-developed. The cotton material is hypoallergenic, and we also appreciate that they come in different sizes; just keep in mind they won’t work if you have any facial hair.

Price at time of publish: $25

Size: 90 strips | Material: Cotton hypoallergenic adhesive bandage

Certain adhesives can irritate the skin. Seeking out a tape that’s made from a hypoallergenic material is one easy way to help minimize this likelihood, especially one that's medical grade.

According to both experts we spoke with, this is a key quality to look for; the tape itself should be breathable, even though it is keeping your mouth sealed.

“The mouth tape should be easy to remove, allowing the lips to part easily if there is any obstruction to normal airflow with the mouth closed,” advises Dr. Lim. (Plus, you also don’t want it to feel like you’re ripping the skin off when you remove it in the morning.)

The high-level takeaway: Both experts we spoke with underscore the fact that it’s best not to try mouth-taping without proper evaluation by a medical professional first. “If someone truly needs to breathe through their mouth while sleeping due to nasal obstruction or other reasons, mouth-taping can lead to difficulty breathing at night,” cautions Dr. Holliday-Bell. “It can also lead to aspiration, where the contents of your stomach get into your lungs due to reflux or vomiting.”

“It depends," says Dr. Lim. "Obstructive sleep apnea is a multifactorial problem, so there are multiple things that need to be addressed. In general, the airway will be less collapsible if we have our lips closed, but this won’t be optimal if there is restricted nasal airflow, or the jaws are too small and the base of the tongue is forced to rest in the throat." Speak with your primary care doctor or a sleep specialist to determine if you are a good candidate.

Dr. Holliday-Bell says there has been some evidence to show that mouth tape may be helpful in preventing teeth grinding by keeping the mouth closed, but again, underscores the importance of talking with a medical professional first. Dr. Lim disagrees, noting that teeth grinding is usually a red flag indicating obstructed airflow and that there are other things that need to be addressed (nasal obstruction, poor tongue space) in order to help resolve grinding.

Melanie Rud is a beauty and lifestyle writer who covers a wide array of topics and has over 15 years of experience. For this story, she interviewed Dr. Shereen Lim, a dentist in Perth, Australia specializing in dental sleep medicine, and the author of Breathe, Sleep, Thrive. She also interviewed Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell, a physician, sleep specialist, and NEOM Organics certified sleep expert.