SLEEP & BREATHING
Your airway muscles matter
more than you think
Sleep-disordered breathing isn't just about anatomy — it's about muscle tone, posture, and how your airway behaves when you're unconscious. Myofunctional therapy addresses the muscles directly.
50%
REDUCTION IN AHI
IN ADULTS AFTER THERAPY
62%
REDUCTION IN AHI IN CHILDREN AFTER THERAPY
↑ SpO₂
IMPROVED OXYGEN SATURATION DURING SLEEP
The Connection
How orofacial muscle dysfunction drives sleep problems
The upper airway is surrounded by muscle. During sleep, muscle tone naturally decreases — and when that muscle is already weak, undertrained, or poorly postured, the airway is more vulnerable to collapse, partial obstruction, and resistance. Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy strengthens and retrains these muscles, reducing the likelihood of collapse and improving airway stability during sleep.
Snoring
Caused by vibration of soft tissue in a partially obstructed airway. Low tongue posture, open mouth breathing, and weak pharyngeal muscles all increase snoring severity. OMT targets each of these factors directly.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Complete or near-complete airway collapse during sleep, causing breathing pauses. OMT is supported by multiple meta-analyses as an effective adjunct treatment — alone or combined with CPAP, oral appliance therapy, or surgery.
Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)
Increased airway resistance without full apnea events — causing fragmented sleep, fatigue, and frequent night waking. Often missed on standard sleep studies. OMT can reduce airway resistance and improve sleep continuity.
Pediatric Sleep-Disordered Breathing
Children's sleep-related breathing disorders present differently — often as behavioral issues, bedwetting, poor focus, or slow growth rather than sleepiness. OMT addresses the muscular and habit-based contributors in growing children.
OMT as an adjunct to CPAP & oral appliance therapy
Myofunctional therapy is not a replacement for CPAP or oral appliance therapy in moderate-to-severe OSA — but it is an increasingly recognized adjunct that can improve compliance, reduce required pressure, and address the muscle-based contributors that devices alone cannot retrain. For mild OSA, OMT may be sufficient as a standalone intervention.
The role of nasal breathing in sleep quality
Nasal breathing supports healthy sleep through multiple mechanisms: it increases nitric oxide production (a bronchodilator and vasodilator), filters and humidifies inhaled air, and naturally positions the tongue on the palate — helping maintain airway patency. One of OMT's primary goals is establishing consistent nasal breathing, both during the day and during sleep.
Children and sleep-disordered breathing
Pediatric sleep-disordered breathing is a critical window of opportunity. Mouth breathing in childhood has been linked to changes in facial growth, narrow palates, crowded teeth, adenoid and tonsil enlargement, and behavioral symptoms that can be mistaken for ADHD. Early intervention with OMT — ideally in coordination with an ENT, orthodontist, or pediatric dentist — can have lasting effects on a child's development, health, and quality of life.
Sleep issues deserve a root-cause approach
Let's talk about whether myofunctional therapy
fits into your sleep care picture.