Last updated: 04/11/2016
What’s Keeping People Awake? Mouth Breathing!
Many people toss and turn while they sleep, affecting how they feel the next day, but what they might not know is that "mouth breathing" could be the culprit. A new survey of 1,001 American adults by the Breathe Right® brand uncovered the prevalence of sleep time mouth breathing, revealing that 61 percent of the respondents identify themselves as mouth breathers – those who regularly breathe through their mouth instead of their nose when sleeping and/or suffer from chronic nighttime nasal congestion.
According to the survey data, 71 percent of beds across America are host to a mouth breather, which can rob people of much needed sleep. The most common signs of mouth breathing reported were being awoken by nighttime nasal congestion (75 percent) waking up with a dry mouth (61 percent) and snoring (37 percent).
Mouth breathing is even more substantial when considering the impact it has on sleep in relation to other common deterrents. The survey revealed that mouth breathing impacts the quality of sleep (64 percent) nearly as much as stress (69 percent), the most common sleep deterrent. Further, mouth breathing impacts sleep more than a partner's snoring (53 percent), noise (52 percent) and an irregular sleep schedule (51 percent).
Mouth Breathing Doesn't Stay on One Side of the Bed.
Poor sleep can have a dramatic impact on energy, concentration and mood the next day and often can affect the sleep of a bed partner. The majority of respondents believe their (76 percent) or their partner's (63 percent) mouth breathing has had a significant negative impact on how well they slept and according to the survey, more than 6 in 10 had mentioned their mouth breathing to their partner.
"It's surprising to find how mouth breathing is a leading barrier to a better night's sleep and just how big of an impact it can have on sleep quality for both the sufferer and their sleep partner," said Mandy Hennebry, Breathe Right®, senior brand manager at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. "It's important to talk about sleep habits because there are simple, drug-free options that can help nighttime nasal congestion."
Additional survey findings include: Of mouth breathers surveyed, 54 percent reported they did not get a good night's sleep the night before. 56 percent reported they wake up at least two times each night due to mouth breathing. Nearly three-quarters of participants who share a bed with a mouth breather said they are woken up at least once per night by their partner's mouth breathing. 59 percent of respondents sleep next to a mouth breather and 47 percent believe it impacts their ability to get a good night's sleep. Edited for relevance.
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