02. Neuromuscular Training
Effective breathing is key during sleep and it's possible you may have structural issues in your head, nose and/or throat or even below which are negatively impacting your ability to breathe. These include:
Your nasal passages are too narrow making it challenging to get adequate air in and out
- Reasons for this include the following below. You may use your testing technique to determine if any of these apply to you.
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- Your palate is too narrow. Chronic mouth breathing feeds into this developmental pattern. To learn more about why we develop narrow faces read here.
- You have enlarged turbinates or polyps in your nasal cavity reducing the flow of air here.
- You have increased neuromuscular tension in your head, neck and/or below which closes down your airway.
- You have sinus congestion due to underlying toxins and/or pathogens.
- Or some or all of the above as they tend to contribute to each other.
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Your oropharangeal airway is being occluded
- If you are mouth breathing during sleep, there is a tendency for your jaw and thus tongue to slide back into your throat which can potentially occlude your airway. This may happen more if you sleep on your back. Furthermore, if your palate is too narrow, your tongue can have a difficult time posturing on the roof of your mouth (preferred place where your tongue should naturally rest) making it more likely to mouth breathe. This fosters a pattern of the tongue sliding back into the throat occluding the airway.
Your airway is collapsing
- If you are mouth breathing during sleep it disrupts the pressure relationship within your airway making it more likely for your airway to collapse.
- If you are not appropriately using your diaphragm and abdominals to breathe this can also affect the air pressure in your airway making it more prone to collapse.
- Malocclusion creates increased neuromuscular tension in your head, neck and jaw and even below to your rib cage, pelvis and feet. This can also make your airway prone to collapse.
When there are structural issues at play that are negatively impacting your breathing and thus sleep, the dental profession has many solutions (besides the traditional C-PAP option that the medical professional will routinely prescribe). ENTs can also help in this department if enlarged polyps and turbinates are at play. Performing specific postural restoration and orofacial myofunctional therapy techniques can address neuromuscular tension issues as well as poor patterns related to chewing, swallowing, tongue posture and breathing.
If you have increased neuromuscular tension in your body, particularly your head, neck and jaw, this can negatively impact your breathing and thus sleep on many levels such as:
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- Narrowing your airway.
- Disrupt breathing pressure relationships making the airway susceptible to collapsing.
- Inhibit your ability to appropriately use your diaphragm with over-reliance on your neck muscles for breathing.
Neuromuscular Training Approaches to Improve Breathing
Browse the following 3 options or use your testing technique to determine if any would benefit you.
1. Postural Restoration
- The Postural Restoration section of the Master Guide is an essential resource for creating neutrality and balance throughout your entire postural system. The diaphragm, your primary breathing muscle, is the star of this approach.
- Use your testing technique to navigate which Postural Restoration technique(s) are optimal for you right now.
2. Face and Mouth Integration
- The Face and Mouth Integration section of the Master Guide houses any and all techniques to train this part of your body to posture, breathe, swallow, and chew. This has profound effects on the rest of your body and critical for resonating health.
- Use your testing technique to navigate which Face and Mouth Integration technique(s) are optimal for you right now.
3. Breathing
- The Breathing Section of the Master Guide is a critical foundational place to start when addressing not only breathing issues but essentially any other problem you may be experiencing.
- Use your testing technique to navigate which breathing technique(s) are optimal for you right now.
- Breathing not only moves air but energy and charge throughout your being defining your resonance.
There are many other structural solutions to breathing and sleep problems.
Browse the following 1-8 options or you may use your testing technique to determine if any pertain to you.
Sleep issues can be rooted in physiological and emotional problems.
Browse the following 2 options or you may use your testing technique to determine if any pertain to you.
Enjoy these other related Master Guide items to Resonate Health:
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This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your medical doctor or professional if you have medical concerns.
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