When we go to sleep at night, we’re unconscious and unaware of what’s going on around us. One thing we can’t control when we’re sleeping is how we’re breathing. If you share a bed or a room with someone, they might let you know if you snore or breath loudly, but otherwise, all you know is that you’re obviously breathing while you’re sleeping.

Breathing is important, but it turns out that how we breathe is also important. Perhaps you’ve never thought about the way you breathe, but here’s a simple question to pay attention to today: Do you breathe out of your nose or out of your mouth?

Approximately 30-50% of adults breathe out of their mouths instead of out of their noses. This is a problem. According to Healthline, breathing out of your nose has many benefits. Your nose acts as a filter to prevent dust and allergens from getting in your lungs. Your nose also acts as a humidifier and warms up the air you breathe which makes it easier for your lungs. In addition, breathing through your nose helps with oxygen circulation throughout your body.

During the day, it can be easy to consciously breathe through your nose instead of your mouth, but chances are, if you find yourself naturally wanting to breathe through your mouth during the day, you’re also probably breathing through your mouth at night.

Some experts are recommending a solution to ensure that you breathe through your nose at night instead of breathing through your mouth. The solution is fairly simple although it sounds pretty odd. You simply tape your mouth shut before you go to sleep.

According to James Nestor, the author of “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art,” it’s best to get used to the idea of taping your mouth before trying to sleep with your mouth taped shut all night. He recommends starting by taping your mouth shut for 10 minutes during the day so you can get used to how it feels. In addition, he warns that you shouldn’t try taping your mouth shut if you have difficulty breathing through your nose.

One thing that can be painful about taping your mouth shut is removing the tape. In order to minimize discomfort, Lauri Leadley, CCSH, president and clinical sleep educator of Valley Sleep Center, recommends putting a little bit of Vaseline on your lips before taping your mouth shut.

As far as what type of tape to use, you don’t want to use anything too strong or too weak. Nestor and Leadly both recommend the following types of tape: 3M micropore tape, Myotape, and SomniFix.

While mouth taping may not be right for everyone, an Australian personal trainer named Brandon Hasick says it works for him. He shared on Instagram that he used to be “a mouth breather.” He started taping his mouth shut at night, and now, he says he sleeps better and wakes up with moisturized skin.

Do you breathe through your nose or your mouth? Are you considering trying mouth taping?