Sleep Expert Cautioning Against TikTok’s ‘Mouth Taping’ Trend

147K people are Googling this dangerous hack every month

Key Points:

• Sleep expert warns that the viral mouth taping trend flooding TikTok could pose serious risks for people with undiagnosed sleep apnea
• With 147,000 people Googling “mouth tape" every month and thousands of videos flooding social media, the fad shows no signs of stopping
• The DIY sleep hack could be deadly for anyone with undiagnosed sleep apnea, and millions of Americans have no idea they have it

Your late-night TikTok scroll just served up another “life-changing” sleep hack: slap some tape over your mouth before bed, and boom! Better sleep, less snoring, and sweet dreams guaranteed. At least, that's what thousands of videos claim. With 147,000 people searching for mouth tape globally each month, it seems like everyone's jumping on the bandwagon.

But here’s the problem: for some people, particularly those with undiagnosed sleep apnea, this viral trend could pose serious health risks if used without medical guidance.

“I'm genuinely worried every time I see one of these videos,” says Aaron M Fuhrman, Founder and CEO of Sleeplay, a sleep therapy company specializing in CPAP equipment. “People think they're being proactive about their health, but what they're really doing is taping over a potentially serious medical condition.”

Fuhrman breaks down exactly why this TikTok trend is more dangerous than most people realize.

You Might Be Suffocating Yourself Without Even Knowing It

Here's what most people don't realize: millions of Americans have sleep apnea, and a huge chunk of them have no idea. Sleep apnea means your breathing literally stops and starts while you're asleep. Your airway gets blocked, oxygen levels tank, and your body jolts awake just enough to get air flowing again.

“When you tape your mouth shut and you've got undiagnosed sleep apnea, you're basically removing your body's emergency exit,” Fuhrman explains. “Your nose is already struggling to get enough air through. Now you've sealed off the only backup route. What do you think happens next?”

In these situations, breathing disruptions can worsen, leading to more frequent oxygen drops and sleep disturbances.

@barrettplasticsurgery Mouth Tape For Sleeping ?? #mouthtape #mouthtapeforsleep #mouthtapesleeping #lifehacks #sleephack #sleephackstohelpsleep ? original sound - Dr Daniel Barrett

Why Everyone Thinks It's Working

So if it's dangerous, why are people obsessed with it? Simple: some folks actually feel better after trying it. They wake up thinking they've cracked the code to perfect sleep.

That's the trap,”

says Fuhrman.

Maybe you don't have sleep apnea. Maybe you're just experiencing a placebo effect. Or maybe you're one of the lucky ones whose nasal breathing is totally fine. But here's the thing: if you do have sleep apnea and you feel ‘better’ after mouth taping, you're not fixing anything. You're just masking a condition that's slowly wrecking your health.

What Happens When Things Go Wrong

Let's get real about what can happen if you tape your mouth and you've got sleep apnea lurking underneath:

• Your Oxygen Levels Nosedive: If your nose can't keep up and your mouth is sealed, your blood oxygen can drop to scary-low levels. Repeated drops in oxygen levels over time are associated with increased risks to cardiovascular and neurological health.
• Your Sleep Gets Worse, Not Better: Your body will fight to get air, meaning more wake-ups, more tossing and turning, and feeling like garbage the next day.
• You Never Get Diagnosed: Untreated sleep apnea is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

“I've had customers speak to me after trying this trend and reporting terrifying experiences,” Fuhrman says. “One person woke up ripping the tape off, gasping for air, thinking he was going to die. That's when he finally came in for a proper sleep study and found out he had severe sleep apnea. In his case, mouth taping may have delayed proper diagnosis and put him at greater risk.”

What You Should Do Instead

Look, nobody wants to hear “go see a doctor” when TikTok's offering a quick fix for $10. But if you're dealing with snoring, exhaustion, or crappy sleep, here's what actually works:

• Get a sleep study: If you snore like a freight train or wake up feeling like you got hit by one, talk to your doctor about a sleep study.
• Try real treatment: If you do have sleep apnea, CPAP machines aren't sexy, but they work. They keep your airway open all night long with a steady stream of air.
• Fix your nose issues: If you can't breathe through your nose, there's usually a reason. Get that checked out instead of just taping your mouth and hoping for the best.
• Stick to actual sleep hygiene: Go to bed at the same time, keep your room cool and dark, ditch your phone an hour before sleep.

I get why people try mouth taping,” Fuhrman says. “It's cheap, it's easy, and TikTok makes it look like a miracle cure. But no viral trend is a substitute for proper diagnosis and treatment. Get tested, get treated, and sleep the way nature intended.

About Sleeplay

Sleeplay is a U.S.-based modern CPAP and sleep therapy destination dedicated to helping individuals, especially those with sleep apnea, achieve deeper, more restorative rest through expert guidance and high-quality products. They offer a comprehensive range of CPAP machines, masks, cleaners, humidifiers, travel solutions, and accessories from leading brands like ResMed, Fisher & Paykel, and Philips Respironics, paired with white-glove customer support to simplify the often complex process of finding and using the right equipment.

Sleeplay also provides digital prescription uploads, complimentary troubleshooting, flexible financing, and a user-friendly smartphone app that connects customers with CPAP experts and educational resources. With a focus on removing hassles and enhancing the sleep therapy experience, Sleeplay supports customers at every step, from diagnosis and product selection to long-term comfort and recovery.

Sources: Thousands of TikTok videos promoting mouth taping trend

1. 147,000 monthly global searches for “mouth tape”: Source for search data - Ahrefs

Submitted by Reporter Angle on Behalf of:

• Company: Sleeplay

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• Email: steph.m@reporterangle.com
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