Winning an Olympic medal is a true feat, and many athletes who have brought home gold, silver, and bronze medals have credited many different things with their success. Whether it’s the support of family, great coaching, or even their recovery process. However, an Olympian competing in the 2024 Paris games credited mouth taping, the popular (and somewhat controversial) sleep trend, with his performance in the games.
After winning Great Britain’s first silver medal since the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing in Canoe Slalom, Adam Burgess thanked mouth taping for his Olympic success. In an interview with Sky Sports after winning his silver medal, the olympian revealed that he credits mouth taping with not only his Olympic silver, but the longevity of his career in the sport. (1)
You might be wondering — how does mouth taping improve your athletic performance? Never fear, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about mouth taping and how it could impact your athletic performance.
Why Does Adam Burgess Practice Mouth Taping?
In his free time, Adam studies breath work and breathing science, and works as a breath coach. Adam told Sky Sports that mouth taping can help ensure that you breathe consistently through your nose throughout the night.
According to Adam, he’s been practicing mouth taping for about “seven or eight years”, and without it, he’s “not even sure if he’d still be in a boat.” Adam goes on to praise the effects of mouth taping, specifically noting that it helped him out with injury prevention. Now 32, Adam says that “correcting [his] breathing when [he] was 25 was a huge turning point.” (1)
Adam recommends only using a “postage stamp size[d]” piece of tape across the middle of your lips, and placing the tape over your mouth about thirty minutes before going to sleep to help your body get used to the sensation of having tape over your mouth. Adam remarks, “If you can use your nose for like one minute, it will stay open. And the more you use it, the more open it will become, the easier it will be to use it during the day as well.” (1) Adam also notes that if you have symptoms or risk of obstructive sleep apnea, you should consult your doctor before using mouth tape.
Can Mouth Taping Help With Athletic Performance?
The answer is probably not. While there hasn’t been any conclusive research done on the impact of mouth taping on athletic performance most doctors still avoid recommending patients tape their mouths for any reason.
Sleepopolis’s director of sleep health, Dr. Shelby Harris, has this to say on mouth taping: “There’s not enough evidence to suggest that mouth taping has any real benefits when it comes to sleep, and it’s not something I recommend to anyone who is using it as a way to reduce snoring or mouth breathing.” So, it’s safe to say that your athletic performance probably won’t be impacted by whether or not you use mouth tape while you sleep.
In fact, getting a good night of uninterrupted sleep is probably the best thing you can do to keep yourself in tip-top athletic condition. Dr. Harris notes that, “a good night’s rest can improve mood, cognitive function, lower the risk of serious health problems, and lead to an overall happier and healthier life… Want to get stronger from your workouts? Get better sleep as that can help improve your workouts.”
Like Adam mentioned, mouth taping is particularly risky for those who have symptoms of sleep apnea or who have sleep apnea. Dr. Harris says, “mouth taping can potentially be dangerous for those with sleep apnea and can make it more difficult to breathe properly throughout the night.”
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Sources
- Sky Sports News. Team GB’s Adam Burgess reflects on winning silver in the Men’s Canoe Slalom at Paris 2024. Youtube. July 30, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A1qVhHCmCs
