How Poor Sleep Impacts the Airway and Vice Versa

Introduction: The Two-Way Street Between Sleep and Airway Health

Most people think of poor sleep and airway problems as separate issues—but in reality, they’re deeply interconnected. When you don’t breathe well, you don’t sleep well. And when you don’t sleep well, your breathing muscles weaken, your inflammation rises, and your airway narrows.

At BreatheWorks, we see this cycle in nearly every patient we treat—from kids with open-mouth posture to adults with TMJ dysfunction, fatigue, or sleep apnea. Our whole-body approach emphasizes airway support and myofunctional therapy to help patients breathe, sleep, eat, talk, and feel better.

The Anatomy of Airway Dysfunction

Your airway isn’t just your nose and throat. It’s a dynamic, muscular tube that must remain open throughout the night to deliver oxygen to your lungs and brain. Disruptions in airway tone or posture can lead to:

• Mouth breathing

• Snoring and upper airway resistance

• Hypoxia and sleep disturbances

• Inflammatory cascades that impact memory, mood, and immunity

Over time, these lead to serious conditions like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bruxism (teeth grinding), and even cardiovascular disease.

How Poor Sleep Affects the Airway

When sleep is consistently disrupted, the body enters a state of chronic stress. This leads to:

• Increased cortisol and systemic inflammation

• Muscle fatigue, including the tongue, lips, and diaphragm

• Altered oral and facial tone

• Reduced control of the upper airway during REM sleep

This can make preexisting TMJ dysfunction worse and promote maladaptive breathing patterns, like mouth breathing, even during the day.

How Airway Issues Disrupt Sleep Quality

Conversely, unresolved airway dysfunction leads to:

• Fragmented, light sleep due to micro-arousals

• Decreased deep sleep and REM sleep

• Morning headaches, dry mouth, and tension in the jaw or neck

• Poor CPAP tolerance (for those using sleep apnea therapy)

If left untreated, this sleep deprivation worsens the body's ability to repair tissues, regulate hormones, and maintain emotional resilience.

Breaking the Cycle with Myofunctional Therapy

Myofunctional therapy addresses the muscular and postural components of airway health. By training the tongue, lips, soft palate, and face, we help patients:

• Achieve nasal breathing and lip seal

• Improve oral posture to stabilize the airway during sleep

• Reduce bruxism and nighttime clenching

• Enhance diaphragm use and breath coordination

This supports better oxygen delivery and reduces night-time awakenings.

The BreatheWorks Model: Treating Both Sides of the Equation

Our integrative model includes:

• Airway-focused assessments and referrals to ENTs or sleep specialists

• Customized myofunctional therapy plans

• Postural and breathwork techniques

• Sleep hygiene strategies (see our other blog posts for kids, teens, and older adults)

We often coordinate care with dentists, orthodontists, and PCPs to ensure our patients receive the best possible outcomes.

When to Seek an Airway Evaluation

Consider a comprehensive evaluation if you:

• Snore or breathe through your mouth at night

• Wake feeling unrefreshed even after 8+ hours of sleep

• Have been diagnosed with OSA but don’t tolerate CPAP well

• Grind your teeth or have persistent TMJ pain

• Struggle with focus, memory, or mood despite lifestyle changes

Our speech therapists and airway-trained team at BreatheWorks can help you explore root causes and build a plan for healing.

Final Thoughts: Sleep and Breathing Are Not Separate Issues

Improving sleep means improving breathing—and vice versa. By restoring airway function, we support energy, resilience, and health from the inside out.

If you’re looking for a speech-language pathologist near you who understands this relationship, BreatheWorks is here to help.

Sources:

• Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine: Airway Resistance and Sleep Quality

• NIH: The Role of Oral Rest Posture in Airway Stability

• ASHA.org: Myofunctional Therapy in Sleep and TMJ Care

• BreatheWorks.com: Whole-Patient Sleep and Airway Integration