Morning body mysteries
The human body is quite amazing, and even though it’s powerful and strong it can also be, well, kind of gross. Here are some somewhat unsavoury but totally normal things the human body does in the morning – and why.
Morning breath
Bad breath can happen anytime thanks to the hundreds of types of bad breath-causing bacteria that naturally live in your mouth. “What’s known as ‘morning breath’ is caused by microbes that interact with the proteins in saliva which result in the production of volatile sulphur compounds that smell bad,” says Dr Albert Wu, a public health expert. Blame the “decreased production of saliva, which occurs when we are sleeping.” Among the factors that can exacerbate the problem: “Breathing through your mouth, which causes dryness, cavities, gum disease and tobacco,” adds Dr Wu. Good oral hygiene is key, especially before bed.
Dry mouth
Do you often wake up feeling parched even though you drank more than enough water the day before? When we sleep, we don’t produce as much saliva in our mouths, so we naturally wake up with a drier mouth than we went to sleep with, explains Dr Gina Sam, a gastroenterologist.
Although this sleep side effect is perfectly normal, you can try to avoid it by not using mouthwash containing alcohol, which can dry out your mouth. Also, keeping a glass of water nearby for when you wake up with dry mouth can provide some relief.