Are you a snorer? (If you are, you’ve likely been told as much by anyone you’ve ever shared a sleep space with.) You aren’t alone in your snoring. Snoring is a common sleep disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It’s characterized by loud, raspy noises during sleep, often caused by vibrations in the soft tissues of the throat.
While snoring might seem like a harmless nuisance, it can disrupt sleep for both the snorer and their bed partner. Additionally, in some cases, snoring can be a symptom of a more serious sleep disorder like sleep apnea. In this blog post, we’ll discuss one of the treatment options to help reduce snoring: myofunctional therapy.
What Is Myofunctional Therapy?
Myofunctional therapy is a non-invasive treatment approach that focuses on strengthening and coordinating the muscles of the face, mouth, and jaw. It’s often used to correct oral habits like tongue thrusting, mouth breathing, and lip incompetence.
How Can Myofunctional Therapy Help Reduce Snoring?
The connection between myofunctional therapy and snoring lies in the anatomy of the upper airway. The muscles of the tongue, jaw, and soft palate play a crucial role in keeping the airway open during sleep. When these muscles are weak or misaligned, they can collapse during sleep, leading to snoring and even more serious sleep disorders.
Myofunctional therapy can help to improve airway function by:
- Strengthening the tongue: The tongue is a powerful muscle that plays a vital role in maintaining an open airway. Myofunctional exercises can help to strengthen the tongue and improve its ability to maintain proper positioning during sleep.
- Improving muscle coordination: Myofunctional therapy can help to improve the coordination of the muscles involved in breathing and swallowing. This can help to ensure that the airway remains open during sleep.
- Correcting oral habits: Habits like tongue thrusting and mouth breathing can contribute to snoring by altering the position of the tongue and jaw during sleep. Myofunctional therapy can help to correct these habits and improve airway function.
What Does Myofunctional Therapy Involve?
Myofunctional therapy typically involves a series of exercises and activities designed to strengthen and coordinate the muscles of the face, mouth, and jaw. These exercises may include:
- Tongue exercises: These exercises can help to strengthen the tongue and improve its ability to maintain proper positioning during sleep.
- Facial exercises: These exercises can help to strengthen the muscles of the cheeks, lips, and jaw.
- Posture exercises: Good posture can help to improve airway function by keeping the head and neck in proper alignment.
- Breathing exercises: These exercises can help to improve breathing patterns and strengthen the muscles involved in respiration.
Is Myofunctional Therapy Effective for Snoring?
There is some evidence to suggest that myofunctional therapy can be effective for reducing snoring. However, it’s important to note that myofunctional therapy is not a quick fix for snoring. It typically requires several weeks or months of consistent effort to see results.
Who Can Benefit from Myofunctional Therapy for Snoring?
Myofunctional therapy may be a good option for people who snore and have:
- Weak or underdeveloped oral muscles
- Poor muscle coordination
- Oral habits that contribute to snoring
Your doctor will be able to help you determine whether myofunctional therapy is a good choice for you.
Additional Tips for Reducing Snoring
In addition to myofunctional therapy, there are several other things you can do to reduce snoring. These include:
- Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of snoring.
- Avoid alcohol and smoking: Alcohol and smoking can relax the muscles in your throat, making it more likely that you will snore.
- Sleep on your side: Sleeping on your back can worsen snoring.
- Use a nasal strip or nasal dilator: These devices can help to keep your airways open during sleep.
Final Thoughts
Myofunctional therapy is a non-invasive treatment approach that can help to reduce snoring by improving airway function. We welcome you to contact us today at Aligned Healing to learn more about myofunctional therapy and its benefits.
