Mouth and Tongue Exercises Help Reduce the Frequency and Power of Snoring

Noisy breathing during sleep is called snoring. Treatment of primary snoring varies widely and includes avoiding intake of alcohol and sedatives, avoiding lying flat on the back to sleep, weight loss, treatment of nasal problems, palate and upper airway surgeries, and use of dental sleep devices. Though there is no standard treatment available for primary snoring or snoring associated with a mild form of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a Brazilian study has found that in patients with primary snoring or mild OSA, oropharyngeal, or mouth and tongue, exercises significantly reduced the frequency of snoring by 36% and total power of snoring by 59%. Study’s author Geraldo Lorenzi-Filho, said, "We tested the effectiveness of oropharyngeal exercises to reduce snoring and the exercises significantly reduced snoring in the study group."

Following exercises were included in the study-

1. Push the tip of the tongue against the roof of the mouth and slide the tongue backward.

2. Suck the tongue upward against the roof of the mouth, and press the entire tongue against the roof of the mouth.

3. Force the back of the tongue against the floor of the mouth while keeping the tip of the tongue in contact with the bottom, front teeth.

4. Elevate the back of the roof of the mouth and uvula while saying the vowel ’A’.

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The study has been published in the Online First section of CHEST.

Source-Medindia