Breathing Exercises for Sleep Apnea: Strengthening Oral Muscles for a Better Night’s Sleep

Sleep apnea is a bad sleep disorder that may cause a person to stop breathing for short periods of time during sleep. It may lead to a variety of health problems, including fatigue, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Fortunately, there are a number of breathing exercises that can help strengthen the oral muscles and reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea.

Fake Yell

The first exercise is called the “fake yell.” To do this exercise, open your mouth as wide as possible and stick your tongue out in a downward position. Make sure your tongue is as far out as possible and that your uvula (the small fleshy piece in the back of your throat) is lifted upwards. You can use a mirror to make sure you’re doing it correctly, but after some practice, you should be able to sense the uvula lifting without the help of a mirror. Hold the elevated uvula for five seconds and repeat 10 times.

Jaw Release

A tight jaw can put extra pressure on your breathing passages, so it’s important to keep it relaxed. To do this exercise, keep your tongue in the resting position and your mouth closed. After that, lift your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Then, slide the tip of your tongue back as far as it will go along the roof of your mouth. Do this exercise two times a day for five minutes to help reduce sleep apnea symptomsัŽ

Mouth Exercises to Stop Snoring

Mouth exercises can help strengthen both the tongue and throat, which can help reduce snoring. One exercise is called the “palate stretch.” To do this exercise, open your mouth as wide as possible and say “ah” in the back of your throat. Hold this stretch for 20 seconds, then close your mouth and wait five seconds before repeating the exercise five to 10 times.

Hold a Spoon

Another exercise is to place the handle of a metal spoon between your lips and hold it in place with only your lips for 10 seconds. Make sure the handle is parallel to the floor and not between your teeth. As your strength improves, you can place other small objects on the spoon for added weight (like a sugar cube). Repeat this exercise 10 times.

Throat Exercises for Sleep Apnea

If snoring is a problem, whether you have sleep apnea or not, you can try these exercises for a more peaceful sleep for your bed partner. First, practice breathing through your nose. Nasal breathing can reduce snoring. Secondly, pronounce vowel sounds. Repeating vowel sounds helps tone throat muscles so they are not as relaxed when you sleep, which can mean reduced or quieter snoring. Thirdly, sing! Singing is actually a form of exercise that keeps your throat muscles tight and toned. Finally, try tongue exercises. Tongue exercises can help tone the throat muscles, which can reduce episodes of snoring. Try doing tongue exercises for about 10 minutes a day for 3 months.

Breathing exercises can help strengthen the oral muscles and reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea. Try the fake yell, jaw release, palate stretch, hold a spoon, and throat exercises to help reduce snoring and improve your sleep. With regular practice, you should be able to notice a difference in your sleep qualityัŽ