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At one stage or another, we’ve all woken up to the sensation of a cold, wet pillow clinging to the side of our faces. Why does this happen? Why do we sometimes sleep with our mouths open? And more importantly, can it be prevented?
7 Min Read | By Chris Clark
Last Modified 14 November 2024 First Added 10 January 2017
Let’s face it – waking up to a wet pillow from drooling is something most of us have experienced. During the day, we swallow saliva without thinking, but at night, this process slows down. For those who struggle to breathe through their nose, the relaxation of facial muscles can lead to drooling.
While small amounts are normal, excessive saliva production (known as hypersalivation or sialorrhoea) may indicate an underlying issue. We’ve investigated the top causes of sleep drooling to help you enjoy a better night’s rest and keep your pillow dry!
Simply put, drooling occurs when we produce more saliva than our mouths can manage. While we sleep, our muscles aren’t active enough to swallow or contain it. But there are a few reasons you might be drooling more often:
Your sleeping position can greatly impact how much you drool. If you sleep on your front or side, your mouth is likely to hang open, letting saliva drip freely. However, if you sleep on your back, the saliva will pool at the back of your throat and activate your swallowing reflex. As Christopher Y. Chang, an ear, nose and throat surgeon, says: “The mouth is the path of least resistance. The lips are right there.”
Unfortunately, since you’re unconscious when this happens, it’s tricky to know for sure if you tend to open your mouth during the night. However, if you are a mouth breather, you’re more likely to drool and may often find your pillow wet. Generally, you breathe through your mouth when your nose isn’t providing enough oxygen to your body. As a result, your lungs switch to plan B and use your mouth for air, which gives saliva the opportunity to make a quick escape.
Our noses can become blocked for various reasons, including illness, allergies, or even pregnancy. This can make breathing difficult during the day, let alone when lying down in bed. When we’re flat, mucus struggles to drain from the sinuses, causing it to build up and leaving us no choice but to breathe through our mouths, which makes us more likely to drool.
If you’re suffering from a stuffy nose and struggling to sleep, check out our helpful guide: How to Sleep With a Cold.
Sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder that causes short pauses in breathing while you sleep. This occurs when the muscles in your throat relax too much or your brain doesn’t send the signals needed to keep you breathing properly.
People with sleep apnoea often breathe through their mouths to get enough oxygen, resulting in drooling. Unfortunately, using mouthpieces to treat the condition may cause a build-up of saliva, making drooling even more likely.
Acid reflux, a common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), occurs when stomach acid rises into the mouth. This acid can irritate the mouth and throat, often triggering excess saliva. As acid reflux tends to worsen when lying down, the discomfort can intensify during sleep, leading to drooling.
People with GERD also often struggle with swallowing and may feel as though something is stuck in their throat, which can lead to even more drooling.
To help keep your stomach calm, read our article on the best foods to eat before bed that won’t cause indigestion.
Teeth grinding (or bruxism) is often linked to drooling. People who grind their teeth are more likely to breathe through their mouths, and the constant motion can trigger extra saliva production to protect the mouth from damage.
Bruxism is often related to stress and anxiety. To help, read our guide on how to stop grinding your teeth at night.
Much like with teeth grinding, your body produces extra saliva when there’s an infection in the mouth to help protect against bacteria. The saliva helps to flush out toxins and speed up recovery. This can happen with tooth decay, dental cavities, or conditions like tonsillitis.
More serious conditions, such as neurological disorders, can also lead to drooling during sleep. Issues such as a stroke or Bell’s palsy affect brain signals that control saliva production, sometimes causing an excess or even a shortage. These conditions can also impact the facial muscles, making it harder to control drooling.
Certain prescription medications can cause sialorrhoea, leading to increased drooling. While this may be annoying, it’s important to continue taking your medicine as instructed. If you’re experiencing drooling as a side effect of medication, it’s a good idea to consult your doctor about how to manage it.
If your baby is teething or your child’s adult teeth are coming through, you might notice a bit more drooling, especially when they’re sleeping. This is because teething stimulates saliva production to help soothe sore gums. Since babies haven’t quite mastered control over their facial muscles, they can’t always swallow the extra saliva, leading to drooling.
Similarly, this same process can occur in adults as wisdom teeth come in. While we’re better at controlling the excess saliva during the day, it can still cause drooling during sleep.
The best way to prevent dribbling when asleep will depend on the cause of your drooling. However, there are some ways you can help to prevent it:
Try to sleep on your back at night to prevent saliva from leaving the mouth. Wedge pillows to your side to prevent rolling over. You can even get pillows and mattresses designed to support back sleeping.
Identify the cause of your mouth breathing. If you have a cold or nasal congestion, invest in a decongestant to relieve the blockage. If allergies or a chronic sinus infection are the issue, it’s best to see your doctor for medication.
If there’s no sign of illness or infection, try mouth taping to ensure that your mouth stays completely closed while you sleep. This encourages breathing through the nose and can help stop snoring and drooling. Find out more with our guide to mouth taping for better sleep.
Propping your head up a little can help ease both nasal congestion and GERD symptoms, leading to better sleep and less drooling. Just be sure not to raise your pillows too high, as that could strain your neck.
To reduce drooling, make sure to drink the recommended 1.2 litres of water a day. Staying hydrated can help prevent drooling and reduce dehydration.
Humidifiers help increase moisture in the air, which can thin mucus and soothe irritated airways, making it easier to breathe through your nose.
Helping to stop mouth breathing, nasal strips widen the nostrils, encouraging airflow through the nose.
If you suspect that your drooling might be caused by something more serious like sleep apnoea, GERD, or medication, speak to your doctor about the best treatment for you. They can also advise on other ways to manage drooling, including medicines or even surgery.
Nose breathing allows your body to receive the oxygen it needs. It produces nitric oxide, which enhances the lungs’ capacity to take in oxygen and their capacity to carry oxygen throughout the body. Other advantages of breathing through your nose include:
Mouth breathing does not have as many benefits. In fact, it can cause a host of health issues, including gum disease and tooth decay. Your body only resorts to mouth breathing when nose breathing isn’t possible. Here are some more home remedies to help you stop breathing through your mouth:
If you keep waking up with a wet pillow from drooling, it’s important to speak to your doctor to determine the root of your problem. Fixing your drooling can improve your sleep and contribute to your overall health—and let’s not forget your pillow.
See all articles by Chris Clark
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