Sleep Disorder Breathing
Sleep disordered breathing is a general term for breathing difficulties during sleep. Obstructions in sleep can be due to narrow or blocked airways. Muscle weakness contributes to apneas. Sleep disordered breathing will cover anything from frequent loud snoring to obstructive sleep apnea. Myofunctional therapy is used to serve as an adjunct therapy to other obstructive sleep apnea treatments.
According to Manganaro, Memon J, (2022 Jan 31) Obstructive Sleep Disordered Breathing, the term “obstructive sleep-disordered breathing is not a distinct disease, but rather a syndrome of upper airway dysfunction during sleep characterized by snoring and or increased upper airway resistance and pharyngeal collapsibility.” The muscles that control the tongue and soft palate hold the airway open during sleep. When these muscles relax, if there is not enough space or muscle tone, the tongue will fall back and the airway will become narrow.
Hypopnea (collapse of the upper airway during sleep), and Apnea (absence of airflow) are the most common characteristics of Obstructive Sleep Disordered Breathing.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) can lead to chronic stress on your body, excessive cortisol levels, high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, etc. Myofunctional therapy is a key element in helping OSA if there is a physical obstruction. Myofunctional therapy cannot help central sleep apnea, where the brain is not sending the correct signals to the breathing muscles to stimulate a regular breathing pattern.
Do you experience any of these symptoms?
When sleep is continuously interrupted, our bodies will not fulfill a proper sleep cycle, thus not getting the restorative sleep we need each day. As multiple days/months/years of interrupted sleep add on to each other the negative side effects will be more apparent. Anything that disrupts your sleep will be addressed by your autonomic nervous system, which will activate your flight or fight response.
When breathing is disrupted you will gasp and the sympathetic nervous system responds by increasing the heart rate and blood pressure diverting the blood away from the organs and sending it toward the legs. This will also turn off digestion and send the blood flow away. This vicious cycle can be exhausting!!!! It is important to note, that anything taking up space in our airway will reduce airflow exponentially. For example, an oversized tongue, small mandible (lower jaw), weak chin, will impinge an airway and potentially cause an airway crisis.
Myofunctional Therapy is an important piece when treating mild to moderate sleep apnea. We help our clients to begin getting restful sleep. Therapy will help strengthen the muscles of the oral cavity and work on proper tongue placement. When these muscles are strengthened it allows more space in the airway. We coordinate with a team of sleep specialists, ENT’s, airway focused orthodontists, and Sleep Medicine doctors to determine if you or your loved one is struggling with sleep apnea.
