Apr 19, 2013

Learn how Tongue Exercises for Sleep Apnea Work

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By Michael Larkin


Can simple tongue exercises really help treat obstructive sleep apnea? Yes, studies have shown that they do help treat it if done correctly. OSA is the blockage of the airway by the tongue and tissues of the mouth falling into the back of the throat while you sleep.

What causes the tongue to block the airway is it actually relaxes too much and falls to the back of the throat. The tongue naturally relaxes while sleeping, but with sleep apnea patients it relaxes a little too much. This is where these special tongue exercises for sleep apnea come into play.

The tongue exercises will help strengthen the tongue and tissues of the mouth. This helps with the overall tongue strength when it relaxes while you sleep keeping it from falling back into the throat.

Like most exercises, tongue exercises for sleep apnea need to be done correctly and consistently to work properly. When done correctly and consistently they have been shown to work. There are also other sleep apnea exercises out there that work the mouth and throat as well.

Try a few of these tongue exercises for sleep apnea.

1.) Gargle for 5 minutes and repeat this process two to three times daily.

2.) Hold spoon against the top of your mouth just behind your top front teeth with your tongue. Keep this position for as long as you can and repeat two times a day.

3.) Use your tongue to hold a spoon against the roof of your mouth. Place the spoon just behind the top front teeth. Hold this position as long as you can. Repeat this exercise three times daily.

4.) Rub the tip of your tongue across the roof of your mouth. Start at your top front teeth and mouth to the back of your mouth. Repeat this sequence for 3 minutes and repeat two times daily.

5.) Hold your tongue between your teeth, clamp down gently and swallow five times. Repeat three times a day.

Like any other exercise workout program you must do this consistently to benefit fully from it. It is important to do these exercises correctly to also gain the full benefits. Try working on these sleep apnea tongue exercises and see if they are a good fit for you.




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