“During the day, you’re vertical and saliva gets swallowed with the help of your mouth, tongue, and throat muscles and gravity,” says Dr. Marri Horvat, MD, MS, neurologist and sleep specialist with Cleveland Clinic’s Sleep Disorders Center. “When you sleep, you’re typically horizontal and this takes away the benefit of gravity. Additionally, sometimes your mouth position limits how well your muscles can work at managing your saliva.” Drooling is common and usually won’t affect your sleep too much, she explains. But, if you seem to start drooling more often or the amount of drool is increasing, you should talk to your doctor about it. “If the drooling is excessive or the patient has muscle weakness, this could lead to a choking event,” Horvat says. So, why do you actually drool? Sleep experts outline some of the top reasons and what you can do if you drool in your sleep.
Five Reasons You Drool in Your Sleep
Drooling occurs when you have excess saliva that involuntarily flows out of your mouth. Babies drool because they haven’t fully developed the muscles around their mouths. Drooling is also common for adults when they sleep—here’s why.
1. You sleep on your side or your stomach
Sleeping on your stomach or your side may be your most comfortable position, but Horvat says it increases the likelihood that you’ll drool. “You continue to produce saliva while you sleep, and gravity pulls saliva down,” she says. That saliva then flows out of your mouth, especially if you sleep with your mouth open. Try changing up your sleep position to reduce instances of drooling. Horvat suggests sleeping on your back with your head elevated.
2. You’re sleeping with your mouth open
Breathing through your nose brings more benefits than breathing through your mouth, according to Cleveland Clinic. These benefits include reduced blood pressure, regulated breath temperature and lower anxiety. Mouth breathing can lead to a dry mouth, sore throat and snoring. It also probably means you’ll drool more. If you notice that you’re sleeping with your mouth open or have symptoms like snoring, waking up with a dry mouth and experiencing daytime sleepiness, you should get checked for sleep apnea, says Lauri Leadley, CCSH, RPSGT, founder, president and clinical sleep educator at Valley Sleep Center. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that occurs when your breathing is interrupted when you sleep, and it can lead to a host of health problems like diabetes, heart conditions and stroke.
3. You ate something that increases saliva production
What did you eat before bedtime? If it was high-sugar snacks or acidic foods like grapefruit or tomatoes, it could affect your saliva production and increase your drooling, Horvat says. Changing your diet and avoiding sugary and acidic foods right before you hit the sack could help you drool less. It’s also best to not eat anything at least three hours before bed for optimal sleep.
4. You’re dealing with nasal congestion
Whether you have seasonal allergies, a cold or the flu, nasal congestion can cause sinus inflammation and block your airways, according to the Sleep Foundation. This will likely cause you to breathe through your mouth and drool more. Infections like sinus infections, mononucleosis, and tonsillitis can have the same effect. So, don’t skip your allergy medicine and visit your doctor if you have nasal congestion that doesn’t seem to be getting better.
5. You could have a medical condition
Certain medical conditions, like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can cause drooling or difficulty swallowing. If you’re drooling at night and have heartburn or feel like something is caught in your throat, visit your doctor to get checked out for GERD. Drooling may be common but if you notice your drooling has increased significantly, you’re choking on your drool, or it’s happening during the daytime, talk to your doctor, Horvat emphasizes. “This could be as simple as untreated allergies or acid reflux, but other issues like difficulty swallowing or muscle weakness could be a play and should be evaluated.” Next, read about how many hours of sleep you actually need every night.
Sources:
Dr. Marri Horvat, MD, MS, neurologist and sleep specialist with Cleveland Clinic’s Sleep Disorders Center Lauri Leadley, CCSH, RPSGT, founder, president, and clinical sleep educator at Valley Sleep CenterCleveland Clinic: “Drooling”Cleveland Clinic: “Should I Breathe Through My Mouth or Through My Nose?”Cleveland Clinic: “Sleep Apnea”Cleveland Clinic: “Is Eating Before Bed Bad for You?”Sleep Foundation: “Drooling in Your Sleep: What Causes It and How to Stop”Cleveland Clinic: “GERD (Chronic Acid Reflux)”
