Right, it’s a bit gross but let’s talk about it. Those mornings where you wake up feeling like your mouth is as dry as the Sahara desert. You know the feeling. A tongue that’s like sandpaper, your lips are stuck together, you can feel your throat dry and cracking. Pair it with the desperate stumble to the sink for a rinse or a glass of water. Icky.
So… if you’ve been wondering, why does this actually happen?
Here’s the lowdown.
1. you’ve been mouth breathing
The most obvious and common culprit? You’re sleeping with your mouth wide open. Yikes. It’s often unintentional. Whether your nose is a bit bunged up, you’re suffering from allergies, or you just naturally breathe through your mouth, it seriously dries things out in there. Your saliva doesn’t stand a chance of sticking around and doing what it's supposed to when there’s a constant breeze passing through all night long.
2. snoring or sleep apnoea
If you’re a bit of a snorer (whether you want to admit it or not), this could also be a potential sign of sleep apnoea – this affects your breathing while you’re asleep, meaning it stops and starts throughout the night. This can seriously affect your energy levels, and it’s also a major cause of dry mouth. Worth getting a doctor to check things out if it’s a regular occurrence.
3. dehydration – classic
Guilty of not drinking enough water during the day? Your body doesn’t then magically produce it while you’re asleep. Alcohol and caffeine before bed really don’t help either – they’re both super dehydrating for your body. So if you’ve been on the wine or caved and had a late-night cuppa, that could be the reason why you wake up feeling like you’ve swallowed a piece of sandpaper.
4. medication side effects
Loads of common medications list dry mouth as a side effect – antihistamines, antidepressants, blood pressure tablets... the lot. If your dry mouth is happening often and you're on something, it might be worth chatting with your GP to rule out whether this may be the cause, particularly if you’re struggling with it.
5. health conditions
Sometimes, dry mouth can be linked to conditions like diabetes or autoimmune issues. We’re not saying this is the case but once again, if it’s constant or comes with other symptoms that you’ve been worrying about, it’s best to get it looked at by your doctor.
so what can you actually do about it?
- Stay hydrated – boring advice, it’s obvious and something we all often overlook, but it really does work. Keep a glass by the bed if needed and have a good drink as soon as you get up in the morning
- Nasal strips or sprays – if your nose is blocked, help it out! You need to breathe of course.
- Avoid booze and caffeine late – sorry, but yeah, that’s all we can say really.
- Humidifier – adds some extra moisture to the air so your mouth doesn’t get zapped.
- See your GP – if it’s persistent and worrying you, it might be worth getting a medical once-over just to be safe.
final thoughts
As uncomfortable as it is, waking up with a dry mouth now and again isn’t usually a big deal – just your body’s way of asking you to take a bit more care of it, or at the very least let it be hydrated. If it’s happening loads, affecting your sleep, or comes with other weird symptoms you’re unsure about then don’t just brush it off. Get in touch with your doctors and make sure it’s nothing serious, better safe than sorry.
Now go on, grab a glass of water – you’ve probably made yourself thirsty just reading this. Even if you don’t realise it. Until next time, eve Sleep.
