How to Stop Drooling While Sleeping

If you often wake up to find your pillow soaked with drool, it might be time to make some changes to your sleep habits. Some people simply need to sleep on their back to stop drooling, while others may require more drastic measures. Try out these tips and consult a doctor if drooling continues to be a problem during the night.

Sleep on your back. People who tend to sleep on their side are more prone to drooling because gravity causes the mouth to open, leading to drool pooling on the pillow. Try sleeping on your back and make adjustments so you maintain this position throughout the night.

Elevate your head. If you can only sleep on your side, try propping up your head a bit to help keep your mouth closed and allow for better airflow.

Breathe through your nose, not your mouth. The main reason people drool is because their nasal passages are blocked, forcing them to breathe through their mouths and drool in the process.

• Try applying decongestants like Vick's Vaporub or Tiger Balm directly under your nose to clear your sinuses.
• Inhale essential oils such as eucalyptus and rose before bed to open up your sinuses and calm yourself before sleep.
• Take a hot shower before bed to allow the steam to clear your sinuses.

Address sinus infections and allergies as soon as they appear. Untreated conditions can lead to post-nasal drip and excessive saliva production during sleep.

Find out if your medications are causing increased saliva production. Excessive drooling might be a side effect of various medications. Always read the warnings on labels and check with your doctor about the possible side effects of the medications you are using.

Find out if you have sleep apnea. If you experience difficulty sleeping, heavy breathing, loud snoring, or excessive drooling, you might have sleep apnea. This condition causes shallow and intermittent breathing during sleep.

• Several behaviors and health issues can increase the risk of sleep apnea, such as smoking, high blood pressure, and being at high risk for heart failure or stroke.
• Your doctor can determine if you have sleep apnea by monitoring your sleep patterns and reviewing your sleep history.

Check if your airway is obstructed. Drooling can also be a sign of airway blockage. See an ENT doctor to determine if a blocked airway is affecting your ability to breathe through your nose while you sleep.

Lose weight. Being overweight significantly increases your chances of having sleep apnea. More than half of the 12 million Americans suffering from sleep apnea are overweight. You should consider adjusting your diet and exercising regularly to reach a healthy weight and reduce neck circumference for easier breathing.

Use conservative treatments for sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can be treated in many ways besides weight loss. People diagnosed with sleep apnea should avoid alcohol, sleeping pills, and try to prevent insomnia. Simple nasal sprays and saline solutions can also help clear nasal passages.

Try mechanical therapy for sleep apnea. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first choice often used by patients with sleep apnea. With CPAP therapy, patients wear a mask that allows air to pass through their nose and mouth while they sleep. This method ensures enough pressure for the air to flow through the nasal passages, preventing the airway tissues from collapsing while the patient sleeps.

Use a mandibular advancement device. This device prevents the tongue from falling back onto the airway in the throat and helps push the lower jaw forward, expanding the airway.

Surgery. Individuals with obstructive tissue such as a deviated septum, enlarged tonsils, or an oversized tongue may need various surgeries.

• Somnoplasty uses radio frequency to shrink the soft palate at the back of the throat and open up the airway.
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP/UP3) may involve removing soft tissue from the throat to widen the airway.
• Nasal surgery involves several procedures to correct obstructions or abnormalities like a deviated septum.
• Tonsillectomy removes enlarged tonsils that block the airway.
• Mandibular/maxillary advancement surgery is a major procedure that moves the jawbone forward to create space in the throat, used only for the most severe cases of sleep apnea.