How to Keep Your Mouth Closed While Sleeping | My 30-Day Results

I had no idea I was sleeping with my mouth open every night until I started waking up with a dry mouth that felt like it had been scrubbed with sandpaper. It was gross. I was tired. And apparently, I snored like a freight train.

So, I decided to actually do something about it. I gave myself a 30-day challenge: figure out how to keep my mouth closed while sleeping—without waking up uncomfortable, irritated, or panicked because I’d taped my lips shut (yeah… we’ll get to that).

This post is a recap of everything I tried, what failed, what actually worked, and how it changed the way I sleep.

Why I Was Sleeping With My Mouth Open (And Didn’t Even Realize)

The thing about mouth breathing is that you might not even know you’re doing it.

I definitely didn’t. During the day, I breathe through my nose just fine. But at night? Different story. Somewhere between falling asleep and dreaming about my inbox catching fire, my jaw would drop open—and stay open.

It wasn’t until I started waking up with a sore throat, dry mouth, and more fatigue than seemed normal that I figured something was up.

The Surprising Side Effects of Sleeping with Your Mouth Open

If this is something you’re dealing with, you already know it’s not just about being a little thirsty in the morning.

Mouth breathing at night can lead to:

• Dry mouth and lips

• Bad breath

• Poor sleep quality

• Snoring (and if you’ve got a partner, complaints about snoring)

• Even dental issues, like cavities and gum irritation

I had a few of these, and I was sick of it.

What Didn’t Work: Everything I Tried to Keep My Mouth Closed

First: mouth taping.

This one sounds kind of intense because… well, it is. I tried the medical-grade stuff, not duct tape (don’t worry). It technically kept my mouth shut, but it felt restrictive and uncomfortable, and honestly? I didn’t love the idea of taping my mouth closed every night like some kind of hostage in my own bedtime routine.

Then: chin straps.

If you’ve ever worn one, you know—it’s like putting on a head sling. Some people swear by them, but they didn’t work for me. I woke up with jaw tension and red marks, and my mouth still found a way to fall open sometimes.

I also tried just “training myself” to nose breathe—through meditation, nasal strips, humidifiers. All helpful in theory, but nothing stuck.

I was running out of ways to keep your mouth closed that weren’t weird, uncomfortable, or just plain ineffective.

How I Found MouthShield (and Why It Changed Everything)

A few weeks in, I came across MouthShield while searching for devices to keep your mouth closed that didn’t involve adhesives or headgear. At this point, I wasn’t expecting much—I’d already tried most of what was out there. But the idea behind it was different.

Here’s how it works:

MouthShield is a soft, trimmable silicone guard that gently sits between your lips and teeth—not over your mouth or around your head. It doesn’t pull your jaw forward like a mouthguard or lock your lips shut with tape. Instead, it acts like a barrier that keeps your lips sealed just enough to encourage nasal breathing.

It’s simple. It’s not bulky. And most importantly for me, it didn’t feel like I was strapping a device to my face.

I trimmed mine to fit more comfortably and gave it a shot.

What Happened the First Night I Tried Mouth Shield

Night one was surprisingly… uneventful. And I mean that in the best way.

Mouth Shield felt weird for the first five minutes, but once I settled into bed, I basically forgot it was there. I didn’t wake up in the middle of the night ripping it out (which is what happened with the chin strap), and I didn’t feel claustrophobic like I did with mouth tape.

And the next morning? No dry mouth. No sore throat. It was the first time in weeks that I didn’t feel like my mouth had been left open in front of a fan all night.

That was enough to keep me going.

My 30-Day Progress: Small Changes That Made a Big Impact

By the end of the first week, I was waking up more refreshed. Not bouncing-off-the-walls energized, but noticeably better. I didn’t dread mornings the same way.

By week two, my partner pointed out something I didn’t even notice—I wasn’t snoring anymore. At least not the chainsaw-level stuff I used to do.

Week three was when I really started to feel like a nose breather. I wasn’t waking up gasping or with a dry mouth. It was just… sleep. The normal kind. The kind I hadn’t realized I was missing.

The Small Tweaks That Helped Me Breathe Through My Nose

Mouth Shield did most of the heavy lifting, but I made a few other small changes that made a difference:

• Nasal saline spray before bed kept my nose clear. If you’re going to commit to nasal breathing, you need your nose in working order.

• I elevated my head slightly with an extra pillow, which helped reduce post-nasal drip.

• I also ran a humidifier in my room to avoid drying out my airways.

Nothing exactly revolutionary, clearly—but when combined with Mouth Shield, these were low-effort habits that helped a lot.

Should You Talk to a Doctor About Mouth Breathing?

Probably—especially if you suspect you have sleep apnea or you’re waking up frequently at night, gasping, or feeling exhausted no matter how long you slept.

I don’t have sleep apnea (at least not diagnosed), but I know how tricky it can be to self-treat sleep issues without guidance. If you’re dealing with more serious symptoms or health conditions, get a professional’s input. Mouth breathing can be a symptom of a bigger issue.

That said, for me, this wasn’t about replacing medical treatment. It was about addressing a bad sleep habit that had real consequences—and finding a fix that finally worked.

My Final Thoughts After 30 Days of Using MouthShield

Here’s the honest rundown:

I didn’t expect much when I started this. I thought I’d try a few things, give up, and resign myself to desert-mouth mornings forever.

But MouthShield was different. It didn’t try to force my face into some uncomfortable position. It just encouraged what my body was already supposed to do—breathe through my nose. It’s low-tech, easy to use, and way more comfortable than anything else I tried.

If you’re wondering how to keep your mouth closed while sleeping and you’ve been down the chin strap/mouth tape road (or even if you haven’t), I can’t recommend MouthShield enough.

It changed my sleep, and honestly, it changed how I feel throughout the day. More energy, less brain fog, better mornings. That’s a win in my book.

👉 You can check out MouthShield here if you want to try it yourself. I’m glad I did.

Bibliography

• Dr. Elizabeth Rausch-Phung, “Is Sleeping With Your Mouth Open Bad?”, sleepfoundation.org, December 7, 2023, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/snoring/sleeping-with-mouth-open 

• “Mouth Breathing”, my.clevelandclinic.org, April 11, 2022, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22734-mouth-breathing 

• Alexandra Benisek, “What to Know About Mouth Breathing”, webmd.com, June 30, 2023, https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/mouth-breathing