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Have you noticed that your ribs protrude more than they used to? A flared rib cage (AKA a rib flare) is easier to develop than you may think – and it’s nothing to ignore. If left unaddressed, rib flares lead to neck and back pain and may even cause further injury. Rib flares develop due to an underdeveloped Zone of Apposition, or ZOA, where the diaphragm and abdominal muscles meet. This happens for a variety of reasons, but shallow, poor breathing patterns are a huge contributor. Just like any muscle, the diaphragm weakens if you don’t use it. Nasal breathing not only properly engages the diaphragm, but it also activates our rest and digest response to help the body and mind de-stress. Moreover, the nose warms and filters the air we breathe. Our mouths, on the other hand, provide no filtration or humidification features for breathing. Moreover, mouth breathing places us in a stressed fight or flight state. The development of proper tongue posture is key when it comes to making the switch from mouth breathing to nasal breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing exercises further assist with strong breathing patterns and a stable core. Mouth tape ensures nasal breathing while you sleep, which prevents open-mouth snoring and promotes quality rest.

Believe it or not, snoring isn’t normal. It’s usually a sign of sleep-disordered breathing that may lead to sleep apnea, which increases the risk of many harmful health conditions. Moreover, it interrupts our sleep (and the sleep of anyone we may share a bed or room with). So why has snoring become so popular? It’s the same root cause as the reason dental problems have become so commonplace: our jaws are shrinking. Over time, our skulls and airway have decreased in size due to our soft, processed modern diet. As a result, narrow palates, underdeveloped airway muscles, and improper tongue posture have become a modern epidemic. Without enough space for our tongues to rest, our mouths have fallen open more often than not, leading to mouth breathing. Mouth breathing causes over-breathing and leaves our air unfiltered, full of harmful pathogens and bacteria that wreak havoc on the immune system. Nasal breathing, on the other hand, leads to efficient breathing and nitric oxide production for better oxygenation. But as chronic mouth breathers, does mouth breathing treatment exist to help us make the switch?

Imagine the feeling of TV static in your legs, similar to when a limb falls asleep after you’ve been sitting too long, but it won’t go away no matter what you do. No one wants to feel pins and needles, pain, itching, aching, throbbing, and creepy-crawly sensations up and down their legs. Those with restless leg syndrome suffer from these sensations each night. But what is restless leg syndrome? What causes these pesky, irritating, uncomfortable feelings in the legs? Why does it only happen at night or while at rest and what can you do to put an end to it for good? We’ve rounded up the top three causes of restless legs at night to help you better understand the condition and take action to improve your restless leg syndrome symptoms and get the quality night’s sleep you deserve.

Just because you can breathe in and out from your mouth doesn’t mean that you should. Believe it or not, our mouths weren’t designed to adequately help us exchange oxygen. Our noses, however, are. Your nose features filtration, temperature control, and humidification that your mouth lacks. Moreover, our noses produce nitric oxide, an amazing molecule that boosts immunity, helps us relax, and places the body in a relaxed state. If our noses are the best method of breathing, why are so many of us chronic mouth breathers? Our soft diets have caused narrowed airways and poor tongue posture that makes nasal breathing harder to achieve than it should be. Furthermore, the more you mouth breathe, the harder it is to stop. Luckily, we’ve got a trick up our sleeve to help you switch from mouth breathing to nasal breathing: sleep with your mouth taped shut.

Chronic dry mouth and throat are irritating, inconvenient, and extremely uncomfortable. No one likes waking up feeling unquenchably thirsty with a desert in their mouth. Moreover, if your dry mouth is severe, drinking all of the water in the world upon waking up won’t solve it. But did you know that chronic dry mouth and throat are much more than just pesky discomforts? If left untreated, dry mouth and throat can wreak havoc on your oral health, sleep quality, and overall wellbeing. That’s why you have to put a stop to it for good. Resolving your chronic dry mouth depends on first identifying what is contributing to it. That’s why we’ve rounded up five common causes of chronic dry mouth, from the weather to the allergy medication you take.

Breathing gives us life. It helps us take in oxygen that our cells need and get rid of toxins they don’t, like carbon dioxide. Mouth breathing doesn’t allow our body to deliver oxygen the way it was designed. In fact, it’s dangerous. You’re probably saying to yourself, “Why is mouth breathing bad? It’s no big deal.” Surprisingly, mouth breathing has been shown to worsen congestion, lower our immune function, and deteriorate our oral health. It even keeps you up at night by causing snoring and, in some cases, sleep apnea. Nasal breathing, on the other hand, helps to decrease congestion, give a boost to the immune system, and protect the teeth from decay. That’s why we’ve gathered all the details breaking down each danger associated with mouth breathing, as well as all the positives linked to nasal breathing.

Your nose is more than a facial feature. It’s a tool designed to help you exchange oxygen in the most efficient manner, helping your body and mind operate at top capacity. However, many of us are habitual mouth breathers, which leads to a myriad of health risks. Learning how to keep your mouth shut when sleeping is just as important as learning how to keep it shut during waking hours. If you’re mouth breathing instead of nasal breathing, you’re not only missing out on the benefits that the nose has to offer; you’re hindering your ability to focus, achieve quality sleep, and concentrate. We’ve gathered all the details that can help you make the switch. Examine your breathing patterns, decongest, and keep allergies in check. From there, focus on your sleeping position. Furthermore, be mindful that myofunctional therapy or professional help may be required. Finally, tape your nose and mouth as you sleep for optimal breathing and health.

Most of us have issues sleeping, spending countless hours and money trying to find the perfect solutions. When it comes to snoring, many of us have tried device after device and countless “quick fixes.” Most of the effort provides little to no results. However, the answer to achieving better sleep lies directly on your face! The quality of your sleep is directly connected to the quality of your breath. If you can’t control mouth breathing when sleeping, restful sleep will continue to escape you. However, if you can make the switch to nasal breathing, quality, unfragmented sleep is yours. That’s why we’ve gathered three quick tips that actually work to help you control mouth breathing as you sleep.

Everyone has a daily routine to keep their health in check. We shower, brush our teeth, take our medications and vitamins, and more. But what if your routine was missing something and you didn’t even know it? If you’re not giving your breath the attention it deserves, you may be unknowingly harming your body and mind. Mouth breathing causes numerous health risks, such as high blood pressure, poor oxygenation, and cavities. Nasal breathing not only prevents these risks, but offers multiple health benefits that can improve your quality of life and sleep patterns. Learning how to prevent mouth breathing is key to getting the best sleep of your life. It’s also one of the easiest ways to revamp your health. That’s why we’ve gathered all the reasons why mouth breathing prevention is important.

Snoring at night is a reality you may think you have to accept. However, the top cause is more simple to fix than you may think. Mouth breathing at night leads to snoring and can be corrected by switching to nasal breathing. Moreover, correcting your breathing can do more than just stop the snoring – it can improve your health, quality of life, and state of mind. Mouth breathing harms oxygen levels, damages immunity, and more while nasal breathing filters and humidifies our breath, adding nitric oxide to the mix to take our stress levels down. Once you understand the mechanics of why breathing through your mouth while sleeping leads to snoring and various health concerns, you can shift your focus to stopping mouth breathing in its tracks.

I really enjoy the sound of my snoring partner,” said no one ever. Whether you’re the snorer or the snoree, you’re probably desperate to find a way to stop snoring at night and gain back unfragmented and uninterrupted sleep. Thankfully, there are many devices on the market that help keep the mouth closed while sleeping, which is essential for snoring prevention. Some are worn inside of the mouth or nose, while others are much less invasive and uncomfortable. No matter your needs, there is an anti-snoring device on the market for you -- you just have to find it first. We’ve done some of the work for you by rounding up the best 5 devices to keep your mouth closed while sleeping.

Picture this: you jolt awake, ready to take on the day. But your mouth is drier than the desert, so you desperately need water before you can do anything else. Bad breath, chapped lips, and a sore mouth are the norm for you. Is there any way to stop waking up with a dry mouth and stuffy nose? Aside from drinking more water and getting tested for sleep apnea, switching from mouth breathing to nasal breathing is your best bet. We weren’t designed to breathe through the mouth. The nose, however, was made especially for breathing. It warms, filters, and humidifies the air we breathe, keeping us healthy and preventing dry mouth and congestion. Thankfully, mouth tape helps us nasal breathe into the night, preventing that pesky dry mouth feeling we all hate.