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Tennessee Orofacial Myology

Sleep & Sleep Apnea: Understanding the Signs, Risks, and Solutions

Good sleep is essential for every system in the body—your brain, heart, hormones, immune function, and daily energy. When sleep is disrupted night after night, your health, mood, and quality of life can decline quickly. One of the most common—and often overlooked—causes of poor sleep is sleep apnea.

At Tennessee Orofacial Myology, we focus on identifying airway issues and oral dysfunctions that contribute to sleep-disordered breathing in both children and adults.


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person tossing and turning in bed

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops or becomes very shallow during sleep. These breathing pauses can happen dozens or even hundreds of times per night, preventing your body from getting the deep, restorative sleep it needs.

Common Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

In Children

  • Loud snoring

  • Waking up choking, gasping, or short of breath

  • Morning headaches

  • Dry mouth

  • Daytime sleepiness or brain fog

  • Irritability, depression, or low energy

  • TMJ discomfort or clenching/bruxism

  • Difficulty staying asleep or waking frequently


    • In Adults

  • Mouth breathing

  • Bedwetting

  • Hyperactivity or attention issues

  • Restless sleep or frequent position changes

  • Snoring, noisy breathing, or pauses in breathing

  • Night terrors or sleepwalking

  • Poor growth, picky eating


    • Why it Happens

  • Low tongue posture

  • Tongue-tie or restricted oral tissues

  • Underdeveloped jaws

  • Mouth breathing habits

  • Enlarged tonsils or adenoids

  • Narrow palate

  • Weight or neck circumference

  • Aging and muscle tone changes

  • Nasal obstruction

  • Poor oral muscle function


    • watchPAT ONE at home sleep apnea

    What is the correlation between sleep apnea and myofunctional therapy? 


    Myofunctional therapy addresses the muscles and habits that shape the airway.

    It can help:

    • Improve tongue posture

    • Establish nasal breathing

    • Strengthen airway-supporting muscles

    • Retrain proper swallowing

    • Reduce nighttime mouth breathing

    • Support CPAP or dental appliance therapy

    • Improve outcomes before or after a tongue-tie release

    • Enhance long-term airway stability

    For children, therapy can also support proper facial growth and help reduce airway obstruction over time.


    WatchPAT ONE sleep apnea testing

    Our Sleep Testing

    For patients who need home-based sleep screening, we use WatchPAT One, a comfortable and disposable home sleep test.
    It measures:

    • Sleep stages

    • Apnea events

    • Oxygen levels

    • Snoring intensity

    • Heart rate variability

    • Sleep position


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