Videos on social media tout the benefits of taping your mouth shut while you sleep, but some doctors aren’t convinced.
Hostage Tape, a brand that sells mouth tape, went viral on TikTok after touting the sleep benefits associated with its products. In a tongue-in-cheek ad that has been viewed nearly 3 million times, the company sarcastically tells viewers not to use its products.
“Don’t do it. Don’t put tape over your mouth while you sleep,” the man in the TikTok video says, before listing its benefits. “It can lead to improved sleep, faster muscle recovery, and many other benefits.”
“Just don’t do it. But if you don’t know what to do, get the hostage tape.”
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Hostage Tape, a brand that sells mouth tape, is trending on TikTok for promising a better sleep experience for users. (Image | Hostage Tape)
The comment section of the video was flooded with comments from critics and fans.
“This is so real,” one person wrote. “I’ve been taping for about a year now and it’s the most comfortable and most secure. My life has changed ‘overnight’ lol.”
“[A]I’ll have fun and games until I get both a stuffy nose and sleep paralysis at the same time,” one skeptic wrote.
Despite its ominous name, Hostage Tape mouth tape is breathable, hypoallergenic, and easy to remove, according to the company’s website. The tape is said to train sleepers to doze off with their mouths closed, and can also be used in conjunction with a CPAP machine.
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“It may seem strange, but our bodies are designed to breathe through our noses,” says the Hostage Tape website. “Research shows that most people breathe through their mouths while they sleep.”
“Mouth breathing has also been shown to increase the risk of developing sleep apnea and other medical conditions,” the explanation adds.
“Applying flexible, breathable tape may prevent mouth breathing and reduce associated complications.”
Hostage Tape says its mouth tape is safe and comfortable to use. (hostage tape)
Hostage-Tape said in an email to Fox News Digital that he has the support of a large ear, nose and throat clinic in Southern California. The company also sent a doctor’s positive letter about the mouth tape.
“It is important to highlight the positive aspects of using Mouth Tape: for those who can comfortably close their mouth without resistance and breathe quietly through their nose, this product can be a game changer,” the letter states. “In most cases, even patients with conditions such as a deviated septum are able to breathe through their nose for extended periods of time, especially while sleeping when not engaged in strenuous activity.”
Despite the brand’s reported benefits, FOX News medical contributor Dr. Mark Siegel warned that the trend is “dangerous.”
“If your nose or sinuses are congested, or you have an anatomical blockage such as polyps, blocked sinuses or a deviated septum, this can prevent you from breathing fully. Mouth breathing is essential as a backup,” Siegel told Fox News Digital.
Siegel, a clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, said there are health benefits to nighttime nasal breathing, however. Fox News medical contributor Dr. Janet Nesheiwat shared Siegel’s concerns and advised that it should never be used on children.
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“My concern with putting tape over your mouth is that it can block your airway, make it difficult to breathe if you have nasal congestion or allergies, or if you have some problem with your nose that blocks airflow and can be dangerous at night. such as when there is a possibility,” Neshewat said. “If you have undiagnosed sleep apnea, putting tape over your mouth can make your sleep apnea worse by restricting airflow, which can make your sleep apnea worse. ”
But she added that nasal breathing may be beneficial for overall respiratory health.
While nasal breathing has its benefits, using mouth tape can be dangerous, warns Dr. Mark Siegel. (Image | Hostage Tape)
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“I, [doctors] “First, get a sleep study to determine what’s causing the symptoms that prompted you to try mouth taping,” she says. “I wouldn’t recommend mouth taping, as you need to first identify the underlying cause of your symptoms.”
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