5 Myofunctional Therapy Exercises for Sleep Apnea

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Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder caused by extra body fat around the neck and throat. When you lie down, the excess fat can restrict or "obstruct" your breathing pathways.

If your body doesn't get enough oxygen while you sleep, it may suddenly wake you to help you breathe. This disrupts the sleep-wake cycle and leads to disturbed sleep.

Our experts are here to help. Myofunctional therapy is a targeted, holistic approach to treating sleep apnea that delivers long-lasting results without surgery or equipment.

Read on to learn how you can easily do five myofunctional therapy exercises to relieve your sleep apnea symptoms.

How Myofunctional Therapy Can Help Sleep Apnea

Myofunctional therapy is a type of physical therapy designed to treat oral myofunctional disorders (OMDs), which cause abnormal facial and jaw muscle patterns and movements that impact daily functioning, such as breathing, chewing, swallowing and speaking.

To strengthen and train the muscles in your mouth, face and jaw, healthcare providers use myofunctional therapy to help them function properly, allowing them to rest in proper alignment. Myofunctional therapy has proven to benefit those with sleep apnea by strengthening these weak muscles, which can ease snoring and help you get more oxygen.

Myofunctional Exercises to Relieve Sleep Apnea

By practicing these five simple myofunctional exercises routinely, you can improve muscle tone and reduce the likelihood of airway blockages that cause snoring, especially if your snoring is related to poor muscle control, aging or sleeping on your back.

Exercise #1: Tongue-to-Palate Hold

The purpose of the tongue-to-palate hold is to improve tongue posture and encourage nasal breathing habits. It may help sleep apnea by supporting airway stability and reducing tongue collapse during sleep.

Here’s how to do the tongue-to-palate hold:

  • Find your spot: Sit tall, close your lips gently and touch the tip of your tongue to the bumpy ridge right behind your top front teeth (sometimes called "the spot").
  • Flatten and suction: Flatten the rest of your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Pretend you are trying to suction the entire body of your tongue to the palate.
  • Hold: Keeping your lips closed and your teeth slightly apart, hold this suctioned position for 5 to 10 seconds while breathing normally through your nose.
  • Repeat: Relax your tongue for a few seconds. Then repeat the suction hold 5 to 10 times.

Exercise #2: Tongue Slide and Suction Exercise

The tongue slide and suction exercise can strengthen your tongue muscles and improve tongue control and endurance. It may help your sleep apnea symptoms by supporting proper resting tongue position, which helps enhance upper airway muscle function.

Here’s how the tongue slide and suction exercise is done:

  • Find your home base: Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, directly on the bumpy ridge just behind your upper front teeth.
  • Apply pressure: Press the tip firmly against this spot.
  • Slide backward: Slowly drag your tongue backward along the roof of your mouth towards your soft palate, keeping full contact the entire time.
  • Hold and release: Hold the position at the back of your palate for a few seconds, then relax.
  • Repetitions: Repeat 5 to 10 times.

Exercise #3: Soft Palate Elevation Exercise

Try the soft palate elevation exercise:

  • Find a Mirror: Stand or sit in front of a mirror so you can see the inside of your throat.
  • Open Your Mouth: Open your mouth as wide as possible, exactly as if you are getting ready to yawn or let out a loud roar.
  • Stick Out Your Tongue: Stick your tongue out and down, pointing it gently toward your chin.
  • Locate the Uvula: Look at the small, fleshy piece of tissue hanging straight down in the very back of your throat (this is your uvula).
  • Lift the Uvula: Take a slow, deep breath and on the exhale, consciously lift your uvula and the back of your roof (soft palate) upward. It should rise toward the roof of your mouth while your tongue stays pushed down and out.
  • Hold: Hold this lifted position for about 5 seconds.
  • Repeat: Relax and repeat this lift 10 times to complete one set. Aim to do 3 to 4 sets per day.

The soft palate elevation exercise targets your soft palate and throat muscles. It can help sleep apnea and snoring by potentially reducing airway vibration and supporting upper airway tone.

Exercise #4: Lip Seal and Resistance Training

Regularly doing the lip seal and resistance training exercise can strengthen your lip muscles and encourage closed-mouth posture. It can relieve sleep apnea by promoting nasal breathing and reducing mouth-breathing habits associated with airway issues.

Here’s how to do the lip seal and resistance training exercise:

  • Get Ready: Relax your face and sit in a comfortable position.
  • Seal: Press your lips firmly together as if you are trying to hold something back, but do not clench your teeth.
  • Hold: Maintain this tight seal for 5 seconds.
  • Relax: Unclench your lips and rest for 5 seconds.
  • Repeat: Complete the hold-and-relax cycle 5 to 10 times.

Exercise #5: Controlled Nasal Breathing Exercise

The controlled nasal breathing exercise helps reinforce healthy breathing patterns. It can reduce sleep apnea complications by improving your breathing efficiency as it supports long-term airway health.

Here are the directions for the controlled nasal breathing exercise:

  • Posture: Sit straight up or lie flat on your back.
  • Relaxation: Relax your neck and drop your shoulders completely.
  • Tongue tip: Place your tongue tip on the roof ridge behind your front top teeth.
  • Tongue body: Suction the rest of your tongue body fully against your palate.
  • Lips: Close your lips gently without clenching your jaw teeth together.
  • Inhalation: Inhale slowly and quietly through your nose for 4 seconds.
  • Airflow: Direct the air deep into your belly instead of your chest.
  • Exhalation: Exhale softly and completely through your nose for 6 seconds.
  • Repetition: Repeat the cycle for 10 complete, continuous breaths.
  • Frequency: Practice this routine 2 to 3 times every single day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Myofunctional Therapy for Sleep Apnea

How does myofunctional therapy treat sleep apnea?

It targets muscle weakness in the tongue, soft palate and upper throat. By performing targeted exercises, you build muscle tone and train your tongue to rest properly on the roof of your mouth. This increased tone prevents these soft tissues from collapsing backward into your airway during sleep, which significantly reduces snoring and obstructive breathing pauses.

Can myofunctional therapy completely cure severe sleep apnea?

No, it’s generally not a standalone cure for severe cases, but it works exceptionally well for mild to moderate sleep apnea. For severe sleep apnea, it’s highly effective as a supportive therapy alongside a CPAP machine or an oral appliance. It helps lower your necessary CPAP pressure settings and teaches you to keep your mouth closed at night.

How long does it take to see improvements in sleep quality?

Most patients notice a reduction in snoring and daytime fatigue within 4 to 6 weeks of consistent daily practice. However, a full course of therapy typically requires 6 to 12 months to completely retrain resting muscle memory, permanently correct swallowing patterns, and achieve long-term airway stability.

Is everyone who snores or has sleep apnea a good candidate?

It is ideal for individuals whose sleep apnea is caused by a low-resting tongue, chronic mouth-breathing, or throat muscle weakness. It is less effective if your sleep apnea is primarily driven by anatomical blockages like severe nasal septal deviations, large tonsils, or central sleep apnea, which originates in the brain rather than the throat muscles.

What is the required daily time commitment for these exercises?

You need to practice the exercises for about 5 to 10 minutes, twice to three times every single day. Because success relies entirely on building muscle tone and changing lifelong habits, skipping days can stall your progress, making consistency far more important than the total duration of a single session.

Take the Next Step for Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can profoundly impact your whole health and day-to-day life. Reach out to our sleep care experts and our sports med and rehab specialists for the personalized whole-person care and solid support you deserve.

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