If you’re dealing with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), you might be surprised to learn that targeted tongue and throat exercises could help you reduce your symptoms. In this article, we’ll explain how strengthening the muscles in your upper airway can lead to better sleep, and explore a few specific exercises you can try at home.

How Tongue and Throat Exercises Help Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Living with OSA can be exhausting for both the person diagnosed and their loved ones. Loud snoring, repeated pauses in breathing, and poor sleep quality often affect daytime energy, mood, and overall health.

OSA happens when the muscles of the throat and tongue relax too much during sleep. When this happens, the airway narrows or collapses, blocking airflow and causing breathing pauses and snoring.

Tongue and throat exercises are designed to strengthen these upper airway muscles. Stronger muscles are less likely to narrow during sleep, which can improve airway stability and reduce vibrations that cause snoring. Sometimes these exercises are referred to as myofunctional therapy or oropharyngeal exercises.

One study found that regular throat and mouth exercises can lead to measurable improvements in snoring and sleep apnea symptoms like daytime sleepiness, especially in those with mild to moderate OSA. While these exercises don’t cure sleep apnea, they have minimal side effects and may reduce symptom severity when practiced consistently.

Simple Tongue and Throat Exercises To Try

The following exercises target different muscle groups in the mouth, tongue, and throat. Each one is designed to build strength and coordination in the upper airway. Try incorporating some of the following movements into your daily routine:

Tongue Slide Exercise

This exercise targets the tongue and throat muscles that prevent airway blockage.

1. Place the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth.
2. Slowly slide your tongue backward along the roof of your mouth as far as you can, curling your tongue as needed.
3. Return to the starting position, and repeat the movement for a total of three minutes per day.

Tongue Exercises

These movements work the tongue and jaw muscles that support airway control.

1. Stick your tongue out as far as you can.
2. Curl your tongue upward as if trying to touch the tip of your nose.
3. Hold this position for 10 seconds.
4. Stick your tongue out again, curling it downward this time, as if to touch your chin.
5. Hold this position for another 10 seconds.
6. Stick your tongue out again, pushing it toward your left cheek.
7. Hold this position for another 10 seconds.
8. Stick your tongue out toward your right cheek.
9. Hold this position for another 10 seconds.
10. Repeat these movements 10 times total.

Soft Palate Lift

The soft palate is the flexible part at the back of the roof of the mouth. Strengthening it may help reduce airway collapse during sleep.

1. Open your mouth as wide as you can, as if you’re at the doctor’s office saying “AAH.”
2. Focus on lifting the soft palate upward as you open your mouth.
3. Hold this position for 1 second.
4. Repeat 30 times.

Lip Puckering

This movement aims to strengthen facial and mouth muscles involved in airway support.

1. Pucker your lips tightly as if blowing a kiss to someone.
2. Hold this position for at least 10 seconds before relaxing your mouth.

Vowel Sound Repetition

Exercising the throat muscles can make them less likely to vibrate or collapse while you sleep.

1. Pronounce each of the vowel sounds (A, E, I, O, U) out loud.
2. Exaggerate each vowel sound as you go.
3. Repeat each vowel intermittently or continuously for three minutes daily.

Another option is to sing through the vowel sounds.

How Often Should These Exercises Be Done?

Tongue and throat exercises should be practiced daily for the best results. Some experts say doing these exercises for 10 to 30 minutes per day is the most helpful, especially if you stay consistent for at least three months.

Who May Benefit the Most?

People with mild to moderate OSA and those who snore loudly may see more benefits from regular tongue and throat exercises. These exercises can also help those who are on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy stick to their treatment plan.

Everyone’s experience is different, but some people with OSA who do these tongue and throat exercises regularly may notice their OSA symptoms getting better within a few weeks.

The Role of Exercises in Your Treatment Plan

While tongue and throat exercises can help reduce symptoms of sleep apnea, they should be used along with traditional treatment options, not instead of them. Always talk to your healthcare team before making changes to your treatment plan.

CPAP therapy is the most reliable sleep apnea treatment to keep your airway open during sleep, especially for moderate to severe OSA. Your healthcare provider may also recommend oral devices, weight management, changing your sleeping position, or sometimes surgery.

Doing exercises along with your prescribed treatments may help reduce snoring and support overall sleep quality. Skipping medical care can increase your risk of serious health problems linked to sleep apnea, such as heart disease or high blood pressure.

Work With Your Healthcare Team

Before starting any new routine, it’s important to talk to a sleep specialist or healthcare provider about tongue and throat exercises. They can help determine whether these exercises are right for your specific type and severity of sleep apnea.

For people living with OSA, small daily steps, like these exercises, can help support treatment and improve sleep habits when used along with professional care.

Join the Conversation

On MySleepApneaTeam, people share their experiences with sleep apnea, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Have you tried any tongue and throat exercises as part of your sleep apnea management plan? Let others know in the comments below.