Having become aware of the boost in wellbeing that mouth-breathing (as opposed to nose-breathing) can induce, I’ve been thinking many-a-nights that it’s time to bring the surgical tape for sensitive skin we keep in the medicine cabinet up to my bedroom. Night after night, I climb into bed, only to remember that I’ve forgotten, yet again, and am definitely not willing to get out of bed and walk two flights down to the basement to get it.
One morning I actually remembered to look for it in the medical cabinet. Only to find… nothing.
It. Wasn’t. There. Giving myself a bit of time to think and ponder where it might be, I remembered my youngest had approached me with the tip of his index finger all taped up, so… perhaps… in his bedroom?
Still.
Night after night passed. Again. Without me having remembered to look for the tape in his room, until yesterday, when I went there to talk to him. And saw it! Sitting on a shelf. Grabbed it, finished talking to him, and placed it on my bedside table.
Now. All set.
So, last night, I got a piece of tape, three to four centimeters long, and taped it across my mouth, vertically, just before I got into bed. And yes, it’s quickly becomes apparent that the only way to breath with a piece of tape across my mouth, is through my nose. As I read for and hour or so, nose-breathing away, I felt validated in my feeling that I do mostly breath through my nose, as I’ve consciously been steering myself to nose-breathing ever since I first heard James Nestor speak to the benefits of it.
Woke up this morning, tape still in place. having slept well, not really feeling any different to any other morning. Perhaps I’ve already learned to nose-breath? Perhaps I do this, without thinking about it, and the mouth-taping isn’t really making any difference? Regardless, I’ll keep up the taping a few more nights, to see if there’s more to find out/learn here.
What about you? Tried it?
(And if you think I both look and seem absolutely bonkers, first of all, I don’t blame you. Second of all, take a listen to Misters Nestor and McKeown in conversation with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee and you just might be willing to give me the benefit of the doubt…)
Nice! I’ve been taping for over a year (crazy when I realize it’s been that long) and it has helped me a ton. I started it to give my jaw a rest, I had heard it can help people avoid clenching. I sleep way better with it now, but I’m pretty sure I’m a reformed mouth breather haha. I’ve had braces a ton of times so after I finished invisalign recently I thought, why not bring it back! I’m a big fan, not just because it helps me breath through my nose but for the way it helps me relax my face muscles. Fun to see others are testing it out!
Oh that’s so interesting – that the taping might even help people stop/minimize clenching?! Interesting! Thanks for telling me, definitely something I will see if I can find out more about.