As exercise intensity increases, the body’s oxygen demand rises sharply. That’s when most people, including elite athletes, naturally begin breathing through both their nose and mouth. Dr. Goyal says this is a completely normal physiological response and should not necessarily be prevented. “If someone is sleeping well, recovering adequately, and has no breathing dysfunction, I wouldn’t recommend mouth taping as a routine performance strategy,” she says. “Quality training, nutrition, hydration, sleep, and recovery have much stronger scientific evidence behind them.”
