Myofunctional Therapy Exercises Northern Arizona

How to Reeducate Your Oral & Facial Muscles

Myofunctional therapy is the neuromuscular re-education of oral and facial muscles. These exercises target muscles used to chew and swallow and are designed to teach you to breathe through your nose and reinforce the proper position of your tongue against the roof of your mouth.

Myofunctional therapy corrects weakness in the tongue, mouth, or upper throat. These areas may be partially responsible for your OSA or snoring. The strengthening and repetition of oropharyngeal muscles and their use can improve sleeping, eating, snoring, chewing, swallowing, and talking! Furthermore, myofunctional therapy is beneficial for treating discomforts beyond sleep apnea and chronic snoring, substantially helping those who suffer from headaches, neck pain, and/or poor digestion.

Though myofunctional therapy in Northern Arizona does not treat sleep apnea all on its own, it will improve the outcome of treatment with an oral appliance!

Man sleeping peacefully on his side after myofunctional therapy exercises in Northern Arizona

14 Exercises That Can Help You Sleep Better

For effective results, you should make these a part of your everyday routine. You can easily perform any of these exercises while you clean the house, watch television, or even take a walk.

Illustrated person with speech bubble saying A E I O U

Exercise 1

Repeat each vowel [A, E, I, O, U] out loud for 3 minutes a few times a day.

Illustration of person sliding their tongue behind their front teeth and sliding it backward

Exercise 2

Place the tip of your tongue behind your top front teeth, then slide your tongue backward for 3 minutes.

Illustration of person with the words click click near their mouth

Exercise 3

Make a loud clicking sound with the tongue against the roof of the mouth. Click the tongue for 15 seconds and then repeat 10 times in a row.

Illustration of open mouth with arrow pointing to soft palate

Exercise 4

With your mouth open, contract the muscle at the back of your throat repeatedly for 30 seconds. Here’s an extra tip: look in a mirror to see the uvula move up and down!

Two illustrated heads moving the jaw from side to side

Exercise 5

With your mouth open, move your jaw to the right and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat this on the left side.

Illustrated person wearing headphones and singing into hairbrush

Exercise 6

For a more exciting exercise, spend time singing. Singing can increase muscle control in the throat and soft palate, reducing snoring caused by lax muscles.

Illustrated person pressing their tongue to the roof of their mouth

Exercise 7

Place the tip of the tongue against the hard palate on the roof of the mouth, just behind the top teeth, and push upwards, holding for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

Close up of person making their tongue into a taco shape

Exercise 8

Roll your tongue by folding the edges toward the middle lengthwise so it looks like the end of a taco shell. Stick it out as far as you can while keeping it folded. Hold for 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times.

Close up of person touching their nose with their tongue

Exercise 9

Stick your tongue out and try to touch the tip of your nose. Hold for 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times.

Illustration of person trying to lick the bottom of their own chin

Exercise 10

Stick out your tongue and try to lick the bottom of your chin. Hold for 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times.

Illustration of person sticking out their tongue to the far left

Exercise 11

Stick out your tongue and move it as far as you can to the left. Hold for 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times.

Illustration of person sticking out their tongue to the far right

Exercise 12

Stick out your tongue and move it as far as you can to the right. Hold for 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times.

Exercise 13

Close your mouth and purse your lips. Hold for 30 seconds.

Illustrated person pressing their tongue against a spoon

Exercise 14

Push the tip of your tongue firmly against a spoon held in front of your lips for 10 seconds. Keep the tongue straight and don’t let it point downwards. Repeat this 10 times.

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