If you often wake up with dry lips, bad breath, sore throat, or feel tired even after a full night’s sleep... you might be breathing through your mouth at night.

Other telltale signs include snoring, dark under-eye circles, and drooling on your pillow.

Yes, especially if it's chronic. Mouth breathing bypasses your nose’s natural filtration system, leading to:

1. Poor sleep quality
2. Increased risk of dental problems
3. Higher chances of respiratory infections

Surprisingly, yes. It dries out the delicate skin around your lips and chin, leading to irritation, chapping, and flaking.

It’s also linked to poor sleep, which raises cortisol levels (a known acne trigger).

It often happens unconsciously due to:

• Nasal congestion or allergies
  
• Habitual breathing patterns
  
• Poor tongue posture or weak airway muscles

Your body chooses the path of least resistance and sometimes that means the mouth, even if it’s the wrong choice.

Step one: address nasal congestion — saline rinses or decongestants (talk to your doctor).

Step two: retrain your breathing habits. This includes:

• Practical nasal breathing during the day
  
• Using a gentle mouth tape to encourage overnight nose breathing