Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSleep PositionMedicationNasal CongestionDeviated SeptumSleep ApneaInfectionGastroesophageal Reflux DiseaseNeurological ConditionsTeeth GrindingPregnancy
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Sleep Position
Medication
Nasal Congestion
Deviated Septum
Sleep Apnea
Infection
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Neurological Conditions
Teeth Grinding
Pregnancy
Drooling in your sleep can have a number of causes. In general, when you sleep, the muscles in your face and body relax. Your mouth may fall open causing excess saliva to run out. Sleep position can affect whether or not you drool in your sleep.Other reasons for drooling too much, also calledsialorrheaor hypersalivation, may include certain medications, nasal congestion, sleep apnea, neurological conditions, pregnancy, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Luis Alvarez / Getty ImagesSleep PositionThe muscles of the body relax during sleep, especially during REM sleep. It’s possible that your mouth is falling open as you sleep. If you sleep on your side or your stomach, drool may be more likely to escape from the sides of your mouth as you sleep.If you drool because of the position you sleep in, changingsleep positionsand sleeping on your back may help resolve the problem.Is It Normal to Drool in My Sleep?Drooling in your sleep is often totally normal. However, if it happens suddenly and often or is excessive, it may signal a health condition.Keep in mind that saliva production continues while you sleep to help protect the hard and soft tissues within your mouth and throat from acids and germs.MedicationDrooling can be a side effect of certain medications, including sedatives,antipsychotic drugs, someantibiotics, certain medications used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, and somenonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).If you are taking a medication that causes drooling as a side effect, don’t stop taking it, but reach out to your healthcare provider if you are concerned.Nasal CongestionOne of the biggest reasons your mouth could open during sleep is that you can’t breathe well through your nose. If you’re congested because of a cold or allergies, you may begin to breathe through your mouth. If this occurs in your sleep, you may drool on your pillow.Treating allergieswith medication or taking steps to keep allergens out of your home can help you breathe more easily through your nose and prevent drooling. If you have a cold, try taking a decongestant or using a humidifier.Deviated SeptumA deviated nasal septum can also be to blame for overnight drooling. Inside your nose, a thin wall called a septum separates the two sides. If you have an off-center or uneven septum, airflow on the narrower side could be partly blocked. This may cause you to snore though your mouth, which can lead to drooling when you sleep.Managing your deviated septum with medications or surgery called aseptoplastycan help reduce uncomfortable symptoms like drooling while sleeping.Sleep ApneaSleep apnea, a condition in which your breathing pauses during sleep, can cause nighttime mouth breathing and excess saliva.In addition to drooling when you sleep, other sleep apnea symptoms may include:Loud snoringSounds of chokingFeeling tired during the daySleep apnea is a serious condition. If you believe you may have it, it’s important to reach out to your healthcare provider right away.Sleep apnea treatmentscan include lifestyle changes, medical devices that help with breathing, and possibly surgery.InfectionIf you have excess saliva and pain in your mouth or gums, you may have an infection or cavity in your teeth.Creating more saliva is one way the body might try to fight off an infection in the mouth. See your dentist for a cleaning and thorough check-up.An infection of the epiglottis—the cartilage that covers your windpipe—can also cause drooling.Epiglottitisbegins with a fever and sore throat and can progress to difficulty breathing and swallowing. This condition can be life-threatening; see a healthcare provider right away if you have any condition that causes breathing problems.Gastroesophageal Reflux DiseaseDrooling in your sleep can also be related togastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD), a condition that causes frequent acid reflux.Aside from heartburn, another symptom of GERD isdysphagia, or difficulty swallowing. This can cause a choking sensation or a feeling as if there’s food stuck in your throat, which can lead to excess salivation and drooling.Neurological ConditionsSome people produce excess saliva, a condition called sialorrhea. Sialorrhea can be a result of:Brain injuryStroke, which blocks blood supply to the brainParkinson’s disease, a progressive condition that impacts movementCerebral palsy, a group of conditions that affect movement and balanceHuntington’s disease, a progressive condition that causes the destruction of neurons in the brainBell’s palsy, a nerve condition that causes weakness on one side of the faceAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive nerve diseaseVitamin B12 deficiency, which can sometimes cause neurological problems that lead to droolingThese conditions can make it harder to swallow. If you have a hard time swallowing, you may drool while you sleep and during the day as well.Medications like Botox injections, prescription oral medications, and prescription patches can help manage droolingif you have an underlying neurological condition.Speech therapy can strengthen your tongue and jaw muscles. This can improve the stability of your jaw, increase tongue mobility, and improve swallowing. All of these things can help reduce drooling.Teeth GrindingNocturnalbruxism(teeth grinding at night) can be associated with drooling.Excessive salivation can also be a side effect of wearing a mandibular device (like a night guard) to manage nocturnal bruxism.PregnancySalivating more during pregnancy, also known asptyalism gravidarum, is a common occurrence in early pregnancy and can lead to drooling while you sleep.Other associated symptoms include:Swollen salivary glandsDifficulty sleepingSocial and emotional distressSummaryDrooling in your sleep isn’t uncommon and may not be a sign of a health problem. It can happen because you’re breathing through your mouth instead of your nose. Congestion, your nasal anatomy, and sleep apnea can cause you to breathe through your mouth.Sometimes people produce more saliva than they can swallow. Medications and early pregnancy can cause this kind of overproduction. Some health conditions make it harder to swallow, too, leading to drooling throughout the day.
Drooling in your sleep can have a number of causes. In general, when you sleep, the muscles in your face and body relax. Your mouth may fall open causing excess saliva to run out. Sleep position can affect whether or not you drool in your sleep.
Other reasons for drooling too much, also calledsialorrheaor hypersalivation, may include certain medications, nasal congestion, sleep apnea, neurological conditions, pregnancy, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Luis Alvarez / Getty Images
The muscles of the body relax during sleep, especially during REM sleep. It’s possible that your mouth is falling open as you sleep. If you sleep on your side or your stomach, drool may be more likely to escape from the sides of your mouth as you sleep.
If you drool because of the position you sleep in, changingsleep positionsand sleeping on your back may help resolve the problem.
Is It Normal to Drool in My Sleep?Drooling in your sleep is often totally normal. However, if it happens suddenly and often or is excessive, it may signal a health condition.Keep in mind that saliva production continues while you sleep to help protect the hard and soft tissues within your mouth and throat from acids and germs.
Is It Normal to Drool in My Sleep?
Drooling in your sleep is often totally normal. However, if it happens suddenly and often or is excessive, it may signal a health condition.Keep in mind that saliva production continues while you sleep to help protect the hard and soft tissues within your mouth and throat from acids and germs.
Drooling in your sleep is often totally normal. However, if it happens suddenly and often or is excessive, it may signal a health condition.
Keep in mind that saliva production continues while you sleep to help protect the hard and soft tissues within your mouth and throat from acids and germs.
Drooling can be a side effect of certain medications, including sedatives,antipsychotic drugs, someantibiotics, certain medications used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, and somenonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
If you are taking a medication that causes drooling as a side effect, don’t stop taking it, but reach out to your healthcare provider if you are concerned.
One of the biggest reasons your mouth could open during sleep is that you can’t breathe well through your nose. If you’re congested because of a cold or allergies, you may begin to breathe through your mouth. If this occurs in your sleep, you may drool on your pillow.
Treating allergieswith medication or taking steps to keep allergens out of your home can help you breathe more easily through your nose and prevent drooling. If you have a cold, try taking a decongestant or using a humidifier.
A deviated nasal septum can also be to blame for overnight drooling. Inside your nose, a thin wall called a septum separates the two sides. If you have an off-center or uneven septum, airflow on the narrower side could be partly blocked. This may cause you to snore though your mouth, which can lead to drooling when you sleep.
Managing your deviated septum with medications or surgery called aseptoplastycan help reduce uncomfortable symptoms like drooling while sleeping.
Sleep apnea, a condition in which your breathing pauses during sleep, can cause nighttime mouth breathing and excess saliva.In addition to drooling when you sleep, other sleep apnea symptoms may include:
Sleep apnea is a serious condition. If you believe you may have it, it’s important to reach out to your healthcare provider right away.Sleep apnea treatmentscan include lifestyle changes, medical devices that help with breathing, and possibly surgery.
If you have excess saliva and pain in your mouth or gums, you may have an infection or cavity in your teeth.Creating more saliva is one way the body might try to fight off an infection in the mouth. See your dentist for a cleaning and thorough check-up.
An infection of the epiglottis—the cartilage that covers your windpipe—can also cause drooling.Epiglottitisbegins with a fever and sore throat and can progress to difficulty breathing and swallowing. This condition can be life-threatening; see a healthcare provider right away if you have any condition that causes breathing problems.
Drooling in your sleep can also be related togastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD), a condition that causes frequent acid reflux.Aside from heartburn, another symptom of GERD isdysphagia, or difficulty swallowing. This can cause a choking sensation or a feeling as if there’s food stuck in your throat, which can lead to excess salivation and drooling.
Some people produce excess saliva, a condition called sialorrhea. Sialorrhea can be a result of:
These conditions can make it harder to swallow. If you have a hard time swallowing, you may drool while you sleep and during the day as well.
Medications like Botox injections, prescription oral medications, and prescription patches can help manage droolingif you have an underlying neurological condition.
Speech therapy can strengthen your tongue and jaw muscles. This can improve the stability of your jaw, increase tongue mobility, and improve swallowing. All of these things can help reduce drooling.
Nocturnalbruxism(teeth grinding at night) can be associated with drooling.
Excessive salivation can also be a side effect of wearing a mandibular device (like a night guard) to manage nocturnal bruxism.
Salivating more during pregnancy, also known asptyalism gravidarum, is a common occurrence in early pregnancy and can lead to drooling while you sleep.Other associated symptoms include:
Summary
Drooling in your sleep isn’t uncommon and may not be a sign of a health problem. It can happen because you’re breathing through your mouth instead of your nose. Congestion, your nasal anatomy, and sleep apnea can cause you to breathe through your mouth.
Sometimes people produce more saliva than they can swallow. Medications and early pregnancy can cause this kind of overproduction. Some health conditions make it harder to swallow, too, leading to drooling throughout the day.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dodds M, Roland S, Edgar M, Thornhill M.Saliva: A review of its role in maintaining oral health and preventing dental disease.BDJ Team. 2015;2:15123.Miranda-Rius J, Brunet-Llobet L, Lahor-Soler E, Farré M.Salivary secretory disorders, inducing drugs, and clinical management.Int J Med Sci. 2015;12(10):811-824. doi:10.7150/ijms.12912Shah JA, George A, Chauhan N, Francis S.Obstructive sleep apnea: Role of an otorhinolaryngologist.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;68(1):71-74. doi:10.1007/s12070-015-0922-8MedlinePlus.Sleep apnea.Adadan Güvenç I.Sialorrhea: a guide to etiology, assessment, and management. In: Adadan Güvenç I, ed.Salivary Glands - New Approaches in Diagnostics and Treatment.IntechOpen; 2019. doi:10.5772/intechopen.82619Chhabra P, Ingole N.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): Highlighting diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle changes.Cureus. 2022;14(8):e28563. doi:10.7759/cureus.2856MedlinePlus.Swallowing disorders.Busaleh F, Alasmakh OA,Almohammedsaleh F, Almutairi MF, Al Najjar JS, Alabdulatif A. Microcytic anemia hiding vitamin B12 deficiency anemia.Cureus. 2021;13(12):e20741. doi:10.7759/cureus.20741Parkinson’s Foundation.Drooling.Guo H, Wang T, Li X, Ma Q, Niu X, Qiu J.What sleep behaviors are associated with bruxism in children? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Sleep Breath. 2017;21(4):1013-1023. doi:10.1007/s11325-017-1496-3Bronshtein M, Gover A, Beloosesky R, et al.Characteristics and outcomes of ptyalism gravidarum.Isr Med Assoc J. 2018;20(9):573-575.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dodds M, Roland S, Edgar M, Thornhill M.Saliva: A review of its role in maintaining oral health and preventing dental disease.BDJ Team. 2015;2:15123.Miranda-Rius J, Brunet-Llobet L, Lahor-Soler E, Farré M.Salivary secretory disorders, inducing drugs, and clinical management.Int J Med Sci. 2015;12(10):811-824. doi:10.7150/ijms.12912Shah JA, George A, Chauhan N, Francis S.Obstructive sleep apnea: Role of an otorhinolaryngologist.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;68(1):71-74. doi:10.1007/s12070-015-0922-8MedlinePlus.Sleep apnea.Adadan Güvenç I.Sialorrhea: a guide to etiology, assessment, and management. In: Adadan Güvenç I, ed.Salivary Glands - New Approaches in Diagnostics and Treatment.IntechOpen; 2019. doi:10.5772/intechopen.82619Chhabra P, Ingole N.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): Highlighting diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle changes.Cureus. 2022;14(8):e28563. doi:10.7759/cureus.2856MedlinePlus.Swallowing disorders.Busaleh F, Alasmakh OA,Almohammedsaleh F, Almutairi MF, Al Najjar JS, Alabdulatif A. Microcytic anemia hiding vitamin B12 deficiency anemia.Cureus. 2021;13(12):e20741. doi:10.7759/cureus.20741Parkinson’s Foundation.Drooling.Guo H, Wang T, Li X, Ma Q, Niu X, Qiu J.What sleep behaviors are associated with bruxism in children? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Sleep Breath. 2017;21(4):1013-1023. doi:10.1007/s11325-017-1496-3Bronshtein M, Gover A, Beloosesky R, et al.Characteristics and outcomes of ptyalism gravidarum.Isr Med Assoc J. 2018;20(9):573-575.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Dodds M, Roland S, Edgar M, Thornhill M.Saliva: A review of its role in maintaining oral health and preventing dental disease.BDJ Team. 2015;2:15123.Miranda-Rius J, Brunet-Llobet L, Lahor-Soler E, Farré M.Salivary secretory disorders, inducing drugs, and clinical management.Int J Med Sci. 2015;12(10):811-824. doi:10.7150/ijms.12912Shah JA, George A, Chauhan N, Francis S.Obstructive sleep apnea: Role of an otorhinolaryngologist.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;68(1):71-74. doi:10.1007/s12070-015-0922-8MedlinePlus.Sleep apnea.Adadan Güvenç I.Sialorrhea: a guide to etiology, assessment, and management. In: Adadan Güvenç I, ed.Salivary Glands - New Approaches in Diagnostics and Treatment.IntechOpen; 2019. doi:10.5772/intechopen.82619Chhabra P, Ingole N.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): Highlighting diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle changes.Cureus. 2022;14(8):e28563. doi:10.7759/cureus.2856MedlinePlus.Swallowing disorders.Busaleh F, Alasmakh OA,Almohammedsaleh F, Almutairi MF, Al Najjar JS, Alabdulatif A. Microcytic anemia hiding vitamin B12 deficiency anemia.Cureus. 2021;13(12):e20741. doi:10.7759/cureus.20741Parkinson’s Foundation.Drooling.Guo H, Wang T, Li X, Ma Q, Niu X, Qiu J.What sleep behaviors are associated with bruxism in children? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Sleep Breath. 2017;21(4):1013-1023. doi:10.1007/s11325-017-1496-3Bronshtein M, Gover A, Beloosesky R, et al.Characteristics and outcomes of ptyalism gravidarum.Isr Med Assoc J. 2018;20(9):573-575.
Dodds M, Roland S, Edgar M, Thornhill M.Saliva: A review of its role in maintaining oral health and preventing dental disease.BDJ Team. 2015;2:15123.
Miranda-Rius J, Brunet-Llobet L, Lahor-Soler E, Farré M.Salivary secretory disorders, inducing drugs, and clinical management.Int J Med Sci. 2015;12(10):811-824. doi:10.7150/ijms.12912
Shah JA, George A, Chauhan N, Francis S.Obstructive sleep apnea: Role of an otorhinolaryngologist.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;68(1):71-74. doi:10.1007/s12070-015-0922-8
MedlinePlus.Sleep apnea.
Adadan Güvenç I.Sialorrhea: a guide to etiology, assessment, and management. In: Adadan Güvenç I, ed.Salivary Glands - New Approaches in Diagnostics and Treatment.IntechOpen; 2019. doi:10.5772/intechopen.82619
Chhabra P, Ingole N.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): Highlighting diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle changes.Cureus. 2022;14(8):e28563. doi:10.7759/cureus.2856
MedlinePlus.Swallowing disorders.
Busaleh F, Alasmakh OA,Almohammedsaleh F, Almutairi MF, Al Najjar JS, Alabdulatif A. Microcytic anemia hiding vitamin B12 deficiency anemia.Cureus. 2021;13(12):e20741. doi:10.7759/cureus.20741
Parkinson’s Foundation.Drooling.
Guo H, Wang T, Li X, Ma Q, Niu X, Qiu J.What sleep behaviors are associated with bruxism in children? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Sleep Breath. 2017;21(4):1013-1023. doi:10.1007/s11325-017-1496-3
Bronshtein M, Gover A, Beloosesky R, et al.Characteristics and outcomes of ptyalism gravidarum.Isr Med Assoc J. 2018;20(9):573-575.
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