Nose Breathing: How to?

[lisacaice]

Hi all,
I came across the topic once before but now can't find it. Can those of you who have been successful tell us again how you trained yourself to breath through your nose? Or link to the topic? How long did it take you to retrain?


Thank you,
Lisa

[Hawthorne]

I worked hard to train myself to only breathe through my nose while sleeping and was successful! I placed the front of my tongue right behind my top teeth at the gum line. I did it all day as well. I would just remind myself to get the tongue up there. When I am ready to go to sleep (all masked up and in bed), I put my tongue there and it seems to stay all night. My leak line is almost totally flat.

I don't recall how long it took me to get this right but I still find myself placing my tongue there all day long, when I am not talking or eating, and again when I am ready to sleep. So far so good. It might work for you too.

[bosstow]

I keep my tongue at the gum line right behind my top front teeth when going to sleep. Even if your mouth opens, it will largely prevent you from leaking. Try it sometime while wearing nasal pillows or a nasal mask - it really does work.

At the same time, I also used a Ruby adjustable chinstrap to help "remind" my unconscious brain to keep my mouth closed. A chinstrap doesn't need to be tight or uncomfortable, just snug - it should only be slightly easier to keep your mouth closed than to keep it open. It's a reminder not a tie-down

The combination of these two techniques enabled me to get "conditioned" over time. This is after many years of mouth breathing while asleep. It took 3 months before the tongue position became automatic *and* I got used to keeping my mouth closed. After that 3 months time, I no longer needed to wear a chinstrap, and leaks are now minor to non-existent.

It was incredibly worth the effort and persistence. I thought for sure I'd have to wear a FFM for life, and now I don't.

[jzap]

Hi Lisa,

The tech at my second sleep study showed me a little trick.

The problem with keeping your tongue right behind the teeth is that the seal is weak at the sides.

If you start out with the tongue behind the upper teeth, and just start pulling it back keeping it against the roof of your mouth, the tip of your tongue will slip into a little hollow, and your tongue will kinda "suction cup" to the top of your mouth. It will take very little effort to keep it there. With your tongue in this position, it doesn't matter whether or not you keep your mouth closed. Your tongue separates your mouth from your airway, and you can't breathe through your mouth without pulling your tongue away from the roof of your mouth.

It worked for me from the very first night at my sleep study, and I only seem to loose the separation while sleeping once or twice in a month.

Good luck.

[JChester]

My nose mask shoves so much air through my nose, that I can't even TRY mouth-breathing anymore. It just doesn't work that way!!!
It's fixed MY problem... so far. YEE-HAH!!!

[lisacaice]

Hey thanks everyone! I think it's working?

I haven't had dry mouth since for a few nights now?

I'm guessing it's because my mouth is staying closed?

Keeping fingers and toes crossed.

[mcpascaln]

marked for later reading

[hadriya9091]

Meanwhile...add a chinstrap and see if that helps. Otherwise you may need a Full Face Mask.