Do you wake up tired every day even after a full night’s sleep? Maybe you struggle with brain fog, jaw tension, digestive issues, anxiety, or chronic pain that just won’t go away. The real issue might be airway dysfunction.
In this blog, we’ll show you how airway health could be the missing link in your healing journey. We’ll also share simple assessments and tools to help you breathe better, feel better, and ultimately live better.
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Basics of Airway Health
Your airway is the gateway to oxygen—the most important nutrient for your body. Every system relies on optimal breathing for energy, repair, and regulation. But what happens when your airway is restricted? Poor tongue posture, mouth breathing, forward head posture, or structural issues can all contribute to airway dysfunction.
Your body will compensate, and over time, compensation leads to dysfunction and illness. That dysfunction could show up as poor sleep, fatigue, posture changes, anxiety, depression, inflammation, or chronic pain.
How Airway Dysfunction Could Show Up in Your Life
- Sleep: Snoring, mouth breathing, or poor oxygen delivery can disrupt sleep and limit recovery.
- Digestion: The diaphragm and vagus nerve play a key role in gut motility and enzyme production. Poor breathing leads to digestive issues.
- Posture & Movement: Forward head posture and poor tongue position contribute to neck pain, shoulder tension, and altered movement patterns. Constant neck tension is a major sign of airway issues.
- Stress & Mental Health: Shallow breathing signals danger to the nervous system, triggering a chronic fight-or-flight response.
- Inflammation: Without enough oxygen, healing and recovery slow down, leading to more inflammation and immune dysregulation.
Airway health is foundational, not optional.
Signs of Airway Issues in Your Timeline
When assessing health history, these signs often point to airway dysfunction:
- Frequent ear infections or strep throat as a child
- Chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, or respiratory viruses
- Sinus infections or disrupted sleep
- Waking up feeling unrefreshed
- Asking, “Why am I always tired?” despite sleeping enough
- Fatigue in the late afternoon
- Sugar, salt, or carbohydrate cravings
- Waking up at 2-4 AM regularly
- Panic attacks, especially at night
- Constant anxiety or depression
- Multiple health conditions (endocrine, immune, digestive)
- Poor recovery after exercise
- Difficulty losing weight despite efforts
If you recognize these signs, it’s time to assess your airway health.
Self-Assessment for Airway Health
- Tongue Posture: Where is your tongue right now? It should be on the roof of your mouth, suctioned to the top one-third, with lips gently closed and teeth slightly apart. If your tongue is low or you’re relying on mouth breathing, that’s a red flag.
- Breathing Pattern: Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Are you using your neck and shoulders, or does your abdomen expand in all directions (360°)?
- Nasal Airflow: Can you breathe through your nose for at least 30 seconds without switching to mouth breathing? If not, you may have airway dysfunction due to obstruction or habit-driven dysfunction.
- Tongue Range of Motion: Can you touch the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth while opening wide?
- Palate Shape: Is your palate narrow and pointy, or wide and oval-shaped?
- Nasal Valve Function: When you breathe in, do the sides of your nose collapse inward, or do they dilate? If they collapse, it can indicate airway restriction.
Five Tips to Improve Your Airway Health
- Nasal Breathing: Train your tongue to stay at the roof of your mouth and breathe through your nose during the day and at night.
- Tongue Posture Practice: Keep your tongue suctioned to the roof of your mouth all day long. Try tongue clicks to reinforce proper airway space and jaw alignment.
- Diaphragmatic Breathing: Practice slow, deep breaths through your nose, expanding 360° through the abdomen. This activates the vagus nerve, calms the nervous system, and improves digestion and resilience.
- Nasal Dilators & Sprays: If nasal breathing feels restricted, try nasal dilators at night. A saline-xylitol nasal spray can keep nasal passages moist and reduce bacteria.
- Sleep Evaluations: Use simple screening tools like the Epworth Sleepiness Scale or STOP-Bang Questionnaire to assess your breathing. If concerns arise, request a sleep study from your physician to evaluate oxygen saturation and airway resistance.
Next Steps
If you suspect airway dysfunction, ask your physician for a sleep study. Consult a specialist in airway health to determine what’s causing the restriction and begin a root-cause approach to healing.
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