Does mouth taping help you sleep better?
For healthy sleepers, mouth taping has not been proven beneficial, and it is risky if you have a blocked nose. If you have sleep apnoea and are considering mouth taping, discuss it with your doctor first.
Mouth taping reduces snoring and improves sleep: you hear and read that claim a lot. But the scientific evidence behind it is largely absent. Two reviews together found only a handful of studies, and those studies partly contradict one another. There is no convincing evidence that mouth taping improves sleep quality in healthy people.
In people with obstructive sleep apnoea, a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops during the night, two small studies showed a measurable improvement in the number of apnoea episodes per night. In total, however, all studies combined involved only 213 patients. That is too few for firm conclusions. Discuss this with your doctor if you have or suspect sleep apnoea.
Mouth taping also did not help in asthma. In the best-designed study available, in which 51 asthma patients either used or did not use mouth tape for four weeks, there was no difference whatsoever in lung function or symptoms. That is a clear negative result.
Claims circulate on social media about better energy, greater resilience and healthier teeth. None of these benefits has been demonstrated in research. They have simply not been put to a serious test.
There is also a safety risk. If you suffer from a blocked nose or other nasal problems, mouth taping can be dangerous: if you cannot breathe properly through your nose and your mouth is taped shut, you may experience breathing difficulties. Many studies therefore preventively excluded this group. Do not use mouth tape if your nasal breathing is not unobstructed.
This answer is based on two review studies that together include approximately twenty studies, and on one randomised study involving 51 asthma patients. The total number of participants across all sleep apnoea studies combined was 213. The researchers themselves described the evidence as scarce and inconsistent. The randomised study in asthma patients is the most rigorously designed study in this field and showed no effect.
What can I do to sleep better?
CBT-I is the most powerful approach for persistent sleep problems; if you do not have access to it, ask your general practitioner about a shorter behavioural treatment of four sessions. Fixed sleep times, less caffeine and alcohol in the evening, and regular exercise are the best-supported self-help steps.
Does CBD oil help you sleep better?
There is currently too little good research to say that CBD oil genuinely helps with sleep problems; if you suffer from them, there are better-supported options to discuss with your doctor.
Does a weighted blanket really help you sleep better?
A weighted blanket may be beneficial for sleep in some people, particularly those with anxiety, autism, or sensory sensitivity, but solid evidence is still lacking. Feel free to try it, but do not expect a guaranteed result.
What are the best ways to fall asleep more easily?
Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia works best and lasts longest; sleeping pills are a short-term solution and are even dangerous in older adults. A digital version of the therapy is a good, accessible first step.
Does apigenin help you sleep better?
There is currently no evidence that apigenin as a supplement meaningfully improves sleep in humans. Animal research is promising, but the only randomised study in humans showed no effect, so caution is warranted.
Does getting more sleep improve my memory?
Sufficient sleep demonstrably benefits your memory: your brain processes and stores new information while you sleep. Too little sleep impairs that processing after just one night.