Catch a Breath
Trouble breathing
Trouble breathing at night is common, especially as we get older and things get soft and saggy. Our throat and tongue sag and narrow our breathing tube. Luckily, we can do a few things to improve our nighttime breathing.
Nose breathing
Ideally, at night, you want to breathe through your nose. Breathing through your nose changes the type of air you get. Nose breathing increases your oxygen level by 1/5th. Nose breathing even tends to lower blood pressure. Nose breathing has many benefits, like filtering and humidifying the air, reducing dental problems, and more. Mouth breathing is harmful. Use your nose.
Tape it shut
Mouth taping, or lip taping, can help with nose breathing. Mouth taping is taping your lips together before sleeping, so you breathe mainly through your nose. This may help with sleep apnea, which is when your breathing is briefly interrupted during sleep.
Taping technique
The ideal tape to use is 2”-wide kinesiology tape, which is available online, but some other tape may also work. Kinesiology tape is sticky enough to last all night but does not leave a residue. The glue on the back is also designed to be safe for skin. Kinesiology tape has a backer that must be removed to expose the sticky side. If the tape is 2” wide, cut off about an inch or so. You only need a piece of tape 2” tall and 1” wide.
With the backer still on, fold the peice of tape one-third of the way up and crease. In that folded crease, cut 3 short slits with scissors, being careful not to cut to the end of the tape. These slits will help you relax at night as you can breathe through the slits. It also allows you to cough. And because the tape is only 1” wide, you can breathe out of the corner of your mouth. You can also use a straw to get a drink without removing the tape. Before bed, apply the tape with the slits you cut over your mouth.
Nasal strip
Another option that can help with nighttime breathing is wearing a nasal strip. The strip crosses the bridge of the nose and attaches on each side of the nose, right below the cartilage and above the nostril flares. These strips apply gentle lifting pressure to lift open the nostrils to make nose breathing easier.
Breathing muscles
Breathing uses muscles, and those muscles can be trained in different ways, including singing. Here are some exercises to strengthen the muscles involved in breathing:
Tongue pushups
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Use your toothbrush to brush the top and then the sides of your tongue while your tongue is flat on the bottom of your mouth.
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Press your tongue up to the roof of your mouth and hold.
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Press your tongue to the floor of your mouth while keeping the tip against the front lower teeth.
Face exercises
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Tighten your lips like you’re making an exaggerated kissing motion. Put your (clean) finger in your mouth and press out slightly against your cheek muscle.
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Shift your jaw right and left and hold each side for 5 seconds.
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Suck yogurt through a straw.
Singing therapy
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Breathe in through the nose and sing ‘Do-Re-Me’ as you breathe out.
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Sing through the vowels in an on-off burst for every single sound. ‘Ah, ah, ah, eh, eh, eh, ee, ee, ee, eye, eye, eye,’ and so on. Do it in a slow machine-gun style.
Breathing exercises
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Breathe in through the nose and then out through the mouth while saying ‘ah.’
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Breathe in through the nose and inflate a balloon 5 times when you breathe out.
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You can also get an inexpensive lung exerciser device that you breathe through for breathing exercises.
Some of these exercises can be difficult to get right without help. If you want professional help, check with a speech-language pathologist about ‘Myofunctional therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea or oropharyngeal exercises.’ For more breathing exercises, see Summer 2019 and Spring 2020 Panacea or google ‘4-7-8 breathing’ or ‘tactical breathing technique.‘
Exercise
Any exercise you do during the day that increases your breathing rate will also help your nighttime breathing. A regular brisk walk or bike ride improves your lung capacity and your ability to take in oxygen.
Breathe right
If we get our breathing right, many other health benefits fall into place. Take the time to do the breathing exercises, and if you think it may help, use a nasal strip at night. If your health provider thinks it’s OK, try mouth taping.
