Why does anxiety give me a dry mouth?
Anxiety switches your body into alert mode, which makes your glands produce less saliva and turns what is there thick and sticky. Fast breathing through your mouth dries it out even more.
Try the practice nowWhat happens in your mouth
Saliva is controlled by the same nervous system that switches between rest mode and alert mode. In rest mode, your glands make plenty of thin, watery saliva.
Alert mode is built for running from a threat, so it drops what does not help you run, like calm digestion. In alert mode, your glands make less saliva, and what there is turns thick and sticky.
Anxious breathing is often faster and through the mouth, which dries your mouth further.
Why it feels so uncomfortable
With less thin saliva, your mouth can go dry before a talk, an exam, or a hard conversation. Your tongue can feel like it sticks to the roof of your mouth.
A dry mouth from anxiety comes and goes and returns to normal as your body settles. It is not dangerous in itself.
Why it keeps coming back
After weeks of anxiety, your body can stop switching between rest mode and alert mode and stay in alert mode. Because your body holds that state, symptoms can show up on days you do not feel anxious. This state is trainable with daily practice.
Caffeine, alcohol, and not drinking enough water add to the dryness. A dry mouth that lasts for weeks raises the risk of tooth decay and gum problems.
Try Single Breath Hum now
- Sit comfortably with a straight back and take a full breath in through your nose.
- For the first half of the exhale, make a low 'voo' sound from your belly.
- Switch to a 'hum' with your lips closed and keep humming until your lungs are empty.
- Do five rounds, and if you like, rest your thumbs gently in your ears and fingers over your eyes to feel the vibration more.
When to check with a doctor
- It has lasted more than a few weeks.
- It comes with feeling very thirsty, peeing a lot, and feeling tired (signs of diabetes).
- Your eyes are dry too, your joints ache, or the glands between your jaw and ears are swollen.
- You have trouble swallowing or speaking, or white patches, sores, or a burning feeling in your mouth.
- It started with a new medicine.
- You have not peed all day, feel confused, or feel dizzy when you stand and it doesn't pass after drinking (signs of serious dehydration: call emergency services).
Practice with the Stateshift app
Common questions
What helps dry mouth from anxiety right now?
Sipping water, chewing sugar-free gum, or sucking a sugar-free sweet helps the glands make more saliva. You can also breathe in through your nose and hum with your mouth closed.
Can anxiety medicines cause a dry mouth?
Many medicines, including some used for anxiety and depression, list dry mouth as a side effect.