The claim: Mouth taping
Is mouth taping safe, and does it work?
Unsupported, with a safety catch. Evidence grade: Emerging.
Published Updated
The book tests this claim twice, in a table and in the chapter that owns the subject. Both verdicts are below, each with its own evidence and sources.
Chapter 2's table of nine claims: "Mouth taping"
Unsupported, with a safety catch
The evidence
In a systematic review of ten small studies, two showed some improvement in apnea measures and the rest none, and the reviewers warned of a risk of harm, including suffocation, when the nose is blocked. Tape can also hide the snoring that signals sleep apnea, so get checked first (Chapter 8).22
The "What you've heard" box in Chapter 8: "Taping your mouth shut at night improves sleep and breathing"
Unsupported for self-treatment, and possibly risky
The evidence
A recent systematic review found ten small studies. Two showed some improvement in apnea measures; the rest found no difference, and the reviewers warned of a potentially serious risk of harm, including suffocation, in people whose noses are blocked.24 Tape also hides the snoring that should send someone to a doctor. In one clinical niche, under a clinician's direction, it helped people who breathe through the mouth use their CPAP masks longer.
Where the book tests it
Related claims
- Is sunscreen bad for you?Against: the one trial runs the other way.Evidence grade: Probable. Good observational evidence with a plausible mechanism, or small or few trials.
- Do blue light glasses work for sleep?Mostly unsupported; skip the glasses unless a clinician suggests them for a specific sleep problem.Evidence grade: Strong. Multiple randomized controlled trials, or consistent large cohort studies with a well-understood mechanism.
- Does ten minutes of morning sunlight set your body clock?Right direction, invented number.Evidence grade: Probable. Good observational evidence with a plausible mechanism, or small or few trials.
- Should you wait 90 minutes after waking for coffee?Untested, and the reasoning looks backward.Evidence grade: Emerging. Early, small, animal-only, or actively contested.
- Do tart cherry juice and magnesium help you sleep?Unproven.Evidence grade: Emerging. Early, small, animal-only, or actively contested.
- Can NSDR or yoga nidra replace lost sleep?A pleasant way to rest, not a substitute for sleep.Evidence grade: Emerging. Early, small, animal-only, or actively contested.
Sources
Chapter 2's table of nine claims
- 22.Rhee, J., Iansavitchene, A., Mannala, S., Graham, M.E., et al. (2025). "Breaking social media fads and uncovering the safety and efficacy of mouth taping in patients with mouth breathing, sleep disordered breathing, or obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review." PLOS ONE, 20(5), e0323643. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323643
Note numbers are those of Chapter 2, What Your Body Expects, and How to Trust This Book.
The "What you've heard" box in Chapter 8
- 24.Rhee, J., Iansavitchene, A., Mannala, S., Graham, M.E., et al. (2025). "Breaking social media fads and uncovering the safety and efficacy of mouth taping in patients with mouth breathing, sleep disordered breathing, or obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review." PLOS ONE, 20(5), e0323643. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323643 (Ten studies, about two hundred patients in all.) ; Meksukree, A., Pitipanyakul, S., Laohavinij, W., et al. (2025). "The role of mouth tape for CPAP use in patients with mouth breathing and OSA." Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 21(12), 2063-2071. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.11870 (Randomized crossover in 62 CPAP users who breathe through the mouth.)
Note numbers are those of Chapter 8, Sleep.
This verdict is one of nine in the table Chapter 2 uses to show how the book judges a claim: find the primary study, and grade the claim by what it measured. The grade rates the evidence behind the verdict, by the book's stated method.
Educational content, not medical advice. Disclaimer.