I Tried A Viral Sleep Routine That Includes Mouth Tape

Jun 11, 2023

Once I saw @HannahChody bust out the silk sleep mask and mouth tape, I knew I had to try out her sleep routine for myself.

BuzzFeed Staff

this is so specific but life changing sleep is important what can i say #sleep #sleephack #mouthtaping #wellnesshacks #lifehacks #wellness #productivity #morningroutine #nighttimeroutine #health #ouraring #sleepcrown #fyp

I'm a total sound machine girl myself and have resorted to playing a "10 hours of rain sounds" YouTube video when in need. It gives my brain something comforting to focus on instead of my phone, aids in blocking out racing thoughts, and helps me to drift off to sleepy town. As Hannah perfectly summarizes in her post, "Sleep quality is of utmost importance for me to function."

This level of commitment to restful sleep is truly something to be admired, and I honestly trust her with my life after this thorough demonstration. I knew immediately that I had to try out this routine myself.

NOTE: I did do a bit of a cheaper version using thrifty alternatives while I'm testing it for the first time before making the full commitment.

She tells viewers in a follow-up video, "From what I've read, it helps lower your blood pressure, sleep more deeply, and helps to avoid waking up with a sore throat because that is usually caused by sleeping with your mouth open."

"It promotes nasal breathing. The nose is our organ for breathing. To skim the surface, nasal breathing is important as it warms, moisturizes, humidifies, and filters the air we breathe. When we breathe air through the nose, it stimulates the release of nitric oxide from our sinuses that surround the nasal cavity. This creates dilation of the blood vessels, which therefore reduces blood pressure, increases the area for gas exchange, as well as acting as a potent defender against pathogens."

When asked if it is safe to sleep with mouth tape, she said, "Yes, it is. There is a caveat to it being 'safe' in that most people have the ability to breathe through their noses. However, some people have anatomical or bony blockages in the nose which keep them from breathing properly throughout the nose. Our bodies are prone for survival, and so, you would remove the tape from your mouth before it would cause harm. For this reason, that's why I recommend a tape that is easy to remove and is not too adhesive. A good way to test if mouth taping might be safe for you is to tape your mouth for small periods of time during the day. At the minimum, you should be able to tolerate tape on your mouth and nasal breathing for at least 5 minutes during quiet, restful activities like watching TV or reading. If you cannot, you might have a nasal blockage and I wouldn't recommend taping at nighttime until you consulted with an ENT."

I searched for everything on Amazon and just selected the cheapest option for each — no product was more than $10! For a DIY sleep crown, I took one of my floppiest pillows and forced it into a bowtie shape with a scrunchie so my nose and mouth would be uncovered. Was it aesthetically pleasing? Absolutely not. Was it crafty? Hell yeah, it was.

Although I 100% trust the expert's recommendation, I am a human blob of anxiety just wandering the earth and worrying about everything, so I had a few concerns, including but not limited to:

😰 What if the tape isn't sticky enough, comes undone, and I choke on it in my sleep?

😰 What if it's TOO sticky and I can't rip it off if I need to breathe because my nose gets stuffy?

😰 What if it irritates my skin and makes me break out?

😰 What if I just get sensory overload by my mouth being taped and can't fall asleep?

Once I put the tape on, I noticed a few things. First of all, it feels super light and sticky! It goes right on and stays there. Although I was worried it would stress me out, I hardly noticed it after a few minutes, and it actually made me feel weirdly calm. I can't explain that, but I'll literally accept anything without question if it helps me relax. I will say, however, that it's best to put it on riiiight when you're lying down, because I put it on and then had to reapply because I got thirsty before crawling in bed.

Okay — I honestly loved this so much.

It's easier said than done to just put my phone away when it's time to go to bed, but all of these factors in the mix made reaching for my phone a non-issue. Just having a routine with a set structure helped so much. The sleep mask and pillow over my face worked amazingly to block out light and sound, and they stayed in place the entire night! The mouth tape stayed on all night too and was super easy to take off in the morning. Surprisingly, it didn't leave a slimy residue from the adhesive. All I had to do was open my mouth and it came right off without any kind of irritation. I'm actually struggling to find any complaints because I slept through the night super comfortably!

A huuuge shoutout to @HannahChody for changing my sleep routine for the better! If you'd like to keep up with her lifestyle tips and tricks, you can follow her on TikTok.