Quality sleep is essential to physical and mental well-being. When sleep is repeatedly interrupted, the effects can extend well beyond simply feeling tired the next morning.
For people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), breathing repeatedly becomes restricted or stops during sleep. These disruptions can prevent restorative sleep and, when untreated, are associated with important health risks.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a medical condition that should be properly evaluated and treated. Depending on the individual, treatment may involve positive airway pressure therapy such as CPAP, an oral appliance, surgery, weight management, treatment of nasal obstruction, or a combination of approaches.
For some patients, orofacial myofunctional therapy may also have a role as part of their treatment plan.
What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway repeatedly becomes narrowed or blocked during sleep, reducing or temporarily stopping airflow.
When this happens, the body may briefly arouse from sleep to restore breathing. A person can experience these interruptions many times during the night without remembering them the next morning.
OSA can affect both adults and children, although the causes, risk factors, and appropriate treatments can differ.
Because untreated sleep apnea can have significant health consequences, anyone who suspects they may have OSA should discuss their symptoms with an appropriate healthcare provider. A sleep study is often used to determine whether sleep apnea is present and how severe it is.
What Are Common Signs of Sleep Apnea?
Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, and not everyone with sleep apnea realizes they have it.
Possible signs and symptoms can include:
- Loud or persistent snoring
- Pauses in breathing observed by another person
- Waking while gasping or choking
- Excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue
- Morning headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability or changes in mood
- Dry mouth upon waking
- Frequent nighttime awakenings
Some people have few obvious symptoms, which is another reason professional evaluation is important when sleep apnea is suspected.
What Causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
OSA usually isn’t caused by one single factor.
During sleep, muscles naturally relax. In someone susceptible to OSA, the anatomy and function of the upper airway can allow it to narrow or collapse enough to interfere with breathing.
A variety of factors can increase someone’s likelihood of developing OSA, including anatomy of the airway and jaws, body weight, age, family history, nasal obstruction, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, and other medical or structural factors.
Tongue position and the function of muscles surrounding the mouth and upper airway may also be relevant in some individuals.
Understanding which factors are important for a particular patient requires an appropriate medical and, when indicated, dental or airway evaluation.
How Is Sleep Apnea Treated?
Treatment depends on the type and severity of sleep apnea as well as the individual patient’s health, anatomy, and other circumstances.
Treatment options may include:
- Positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP or related devices)
- Oral appliance therapy
- Weight management when appropriate
- Treatment of nasal obstruction or allergies
- Positional therapy
- Surgical treatment for selected patients
- Lifestyle changes
- Orofacial myofunctional therapy as an adjunct for appropriate patients
CPAP remains an important and effective treatment for many people with OSA. Myofunctional therapy should not be viewed as a universal replacement for CPAP or other medically recommended treatments.
Where Does Myofunctional Therapy Fit?
Orofacial myofunctional therapy focuses on the function and coordination of the tongue, lips, jaw, and muscles of the mouth and face.
Therapy typically uses individualized exercises and behavioral techniques designed to improve specific oral and facial muscle functions and establish appropriate patterns for tongue posture, nasal breathing when the airway permits it, chewing, and swallowing.
Research has examined myofunctional therapy in people with obstructive sleep apnea and suggests that it may improve certain sleep-related outcomes in some patients, particularly when used as part of a broader treatment approach.
That doesn’t mean everyone with sleep apnea needs myofunctional therapy—or that myofunctional therapy alone can resolve every case of OSA.
A 2025 systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials also found improvements in daytime sleepiness and sleep quality in adults, while results for apnea severity were more mixed, reinforcing the potential role of myofunctional therapy as an adjunct rather than a universal replacement for established OSA treatments.
The first step is understanding the individual’s condition.
The Role of Tongue Posture and Oral Function
The tongue and surrounding muscles are part of a complex system involved in breathing, speaking, chewing, and swallowing.
Some people demonstrate patterns such as a low resting tongue posture, persistent mouth breathing, or other oral myofunctional concerns. These patterns may be relevant when evaluating overall oral and airway function.
However, persistent mouth breathing can also be the result of an underlying problem that makes nasal breathing difficult.
For example, nasal obstruction, allergies, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, or structural concerns may require evaluation and treatment by another healthcare professional.
Myofunctional therapy cannot remove a physical airway obstruction. When appropriate nasal breathing is possible, however, therapy may help patients establish more functional oral-rest and breathing patterns.
Myofunctional Therapy Works Best as Part of Collaborative Care
Sleep apnea is a good example of why collaboration between healthcare disciplines matters.
Depending on the individual, care may involve a physician or sleep specialist, dentist, orthodontist, ENT, or other healthcare professionals in addition to a myofunctional therapist.
A myofunctional therapist can evaluate oral and facial function, identify patterns within their scope of practice, provide appropriate therapy, and help patients understand when additional evaluation may be warranted.
The objective isn’t to replace someone’s existing sleep apnea treatment. It’s to determine whether addressing oral myofunctional function could be a useful component of their overall care.
What If I Think I Have Sleep Apnea?
If you experience persistent loud snoring, witnessed pauses in breathing, gasping during sleep, significant daytime sleepiness, or other symptoms of sleep apnea, talk with a qualified healthcare provider about being evaluated for a sleep disorder.
If you have already been diagnosed with OSA and are wondering whether oral myofunctional therapy could complement your current treatment, that’s a different conversation—and one worth having with your healthcare team.
Have Questions About Myofunctional Therapy and Sleep?
Jennifer Block, RDH, COM, CST, CLC provides orofacial myofunctional therapy through telehealth and offers complimentary consultations for people who want to learn more about their oral and facial functional patterns and whether myofunctional therapy may be appropriate for them.
A consultation is not a substitute for a sleep study or medical diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea. If sleep apnea is suspected, appropriate medical evaluation should be part of the process.
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