Sleeping with your mouth open can cause problems?

Sleeping with your mouth open can cause problems?

Sleeping with your mouth open can cause problems?

Do you tend to sleep with your mouth open? Do you wonder if sleeping with your mouth open can cause health problems? Are you interested in knowing what you can do to break this habit? We're here to help!

At Vilma Sleep, we help you sleep like royalty by offering the best range of sleep products and providing the best advice to care for your health while enjoying restorative sleep.

In this article, we'll tell you about the potential consequences of sleeping with your mouth open, how to detect if you breathe through your mouth while sleeping, and the reasons why you might be doing it. Additionally, we'll explain what methods you can use to break this habit. Take note and start enjoying better sleep!

Consequences of Sleeping with Your Mouth Open

The first thing to know about the problems that can arise from sleeping with your mouth open is that breathing through the mouth while sleeping is not a normal situation. Typically, this habit occurs when nasal breathing (our usual way of breathing) is not good or sufficient.

It's a problem that can arise for multiple reasons, as we'll see next, and although it's not always a cause for alarm, it's important to correct it because it can lead to certain long-term issues.

So, can sleeping with your mouth open cause problems? Yes, although they are typically not overly serious.

The main consequence of sleeping with your mouth open is that oral breathing often accompanies more or less deep snoring, which can be a nuisance, especially if sharing a bed with someone else. Snoring can also be accompanied by apneas, pauses in breathing that occur because, when sleeping with your mouth open, the base of the tongue can move backward, reducing airflow through the pharynx.

Other consequences of sleeping with your mouth open can include dry mouth and throat and the development of cavities or pharyngitis. This is because, as mentioned earlier, the mouth is not designed for breathing and lacks the natural defenses of nasal mucous membranes. Consequently, infections can occur such as pharyngitis or rhinorrhea.

Cavities, on the other hand, can occur because changes in air temperature and humidity alter the pH of the oral cavity, promoting the presence of microorganisms.

How to Know If You Sleep with Your Mouth Open

Now that you know sleeping with your mouth open can cause problems, you may wonder how to detect if you have this issue. Here are some symptoms that can guide you:

  1. Snoring: This is a direct consequence of breathing through your mouth while sleeping. So, if you've been told you snore, it's likely you have this problem.
  2. Apneas: You'll recognize these because they produce a very distinctive sensation. You'll feel like you're running out of air while sleeping between snores. When apneas are very deep, you may wake up suddenly due to lack of air and feel that breathing is difficult.
  3. Increased cavities: As we explained earlier, sleeping with your mouth open affects the pH of your mouth. As it becomes more acidic, conditions become ideal for bacteria that cause cavities to thrive.
  4. Frequent throat infections, pharyngitis, or rhinorrhea: As mentioned earlier, nasal mucous membranes have natural defense mechanisms that protect us from infectious agents while the throat does not, as it is not designed for that purpose. Therefore, sleeping with your mouth open increases the risk of these issues. If you experience them frequently, it may be a symptom of this habit.
  5. Dry mouth and/or throat irritation: Although this problem is not always a consequence of sleeping with your mouth open, it is a very common symptom as air enters the throat, causing it to dry out and become irritated.
  6. Hoarse voice or throat clearing: These are the result of throat irritation caused by breathing through the mouth while sleeping.
  7. Sleep disturbances: Waking up tired or irritable can be due to various causes, and sleeping with your mouth open is one of them. 

Reasons You Might Sleep with Your Mouth Open

woman sleeping with mouth open

You now know the consequences and how to detect if you breathe through your mouth while sleeping, but have you wondered why you might have this problem? We'll tell you what the most common reasons are for sleeping with your mouth open:

  1. Respiratory infections: People breathe through their mouths while sleeping because their nasal breathing is insufficient and they need more oxygen. Therefore, issues like asthma, sinusitis, seasonal allergies, or a cold or flu can lead to mouth breathing while sleeping.
  2. Sleeping position: Some positions allow for better airflow than others or promote different postures. For example, although sleeping on your back is healthiest for your back, it can increase the tendency to sleep with your mouth open. However, most posture-related problems can be prevented with a good pillow. If you want to learn more, don't miss the article where we explain how to choose the best pillow based on your sleeping position.
  3. Overweight: People who are overweight sometimes need to exert extra effort to breathe compared to those who weigh less. Therefore, mouth breathing often helps compensate for the extra effort. 
  4. Congenital issues: This refers to the shape of the nose or jaw, or having a deviated septum. In these cases, surgery is often recommended depending on the severity of the problem.
  5. Smoking-related effects: Smoking irritates the lining of the airways and causes swelling and congestion that make nasal breathing difficult. The airflow with regular breathing is reduced, necessitating mouth breathing to compensate.
  6. An inadequate or worn-out mattress: An old mattress with deformations or poor weight distribution can affect your sleeping habits or force you into an improper posture that leads to sleeping with your mouth open.

Methods to Stop Sleeping with Your Mouth Open

Do you sleep with your mouth open and worry about its health implications? We'll tell you the main methods to eliminate this habit. Besides preventing future health consequences, you'll also notice that you'll start resting much better.

The first way to avoid sleeping with your mouth open is to gradually try to change your sleeping position. As explained earlier, sleeping on your back can encourage mouth opening. Therefore, although it's one of the healthiest ways to rest, if you have this problem it's better to try sleeping on your side or stomach. 

A very interesting trick, especially if you can't change your sleeping position, is to change your pillow. High pillows and cushions are perfect for keeping your nasal passages clear and for promoting airflow through your nasal cavities. If you have an adjustable bed, you also have the option to raise the upper third of the bed so that your head is elevated while you sleep.

Another option, especially if your main issue is snoring, is to use nasal sprays or strips. Nasal strips are placed over the septum to help you breathe better naturally, so you won't have to breathe through your mouth. Nasal sprays, on the other hand, help facilitate airflow and are particularly useful in cases of irritation, such as what often happens with smokers.

In cases related to the shape of the nose or jaw or when the septum is deviated, it's best to consult a specialist. Severe cases often require surgery to prevent nasal blockage, which will also improve your quality of life.

Finally, in cases of overweight and when suffering from respiratory system conditions such as asthma or seasonal allergies, consulting a specialist to address the root problem is highly recommended to also solve its consequence, sleeping with your mouth open.

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