The Most Ignored Muscle in Your Body Could Be Affecting Your Sleep, Breathing & Health

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

What if one of the most overlooked parts of your body was influencing far more than your ability to speak, chew, and taste?

Right now, without changing anything, notice where your tongue is resting. Is it pressed against the roof of your mouth? Sitting behind your bottom teeth? Is your jaw clenched? Are your lips apart?

Most people have never consciously thought about their tongue’s resting position. Yet in this solo episode of the SuperLife Podcast, Darin Olien explores the surprising connections between the tongue, breathing, facial development, sleep, blood pressure, posture, and even the way we experience food.

Darin argues that four modern conveniences have fundamentally changed how we use our tongues: soft processed foods, habitual mouth breathing, antiseptic mouthwash, and forward-head posture from excessive screen use. He explores research into jaw development, the oral microbiome, nitric oxide production, sleep apnea, and the intricate muscular and fascial connections throughout the body.

From the long-debunked tongue taste map to the relationship between oral bacteria and blood pressure, Darin reveals how much we still have to learn about this remarkable muscular structure. He also discusses why chewing real food matters, how nasal breathing supports normal airway function, and why tongue exercises are being investigated as a complementary approach to certain breathing and sleep problems.

Most importantly, this episode is about taking action. Darin shares practical habits for improving tongue awareness, supporting oral health, reducing unnecessary jaw tension, and becoming more conscious of how you breathe throughout the day.

He finishes with a guided two-minute tongue exercise routine that you can begin practicing immediately.

Your tongue works for you every single day. Maybe it’s time to start paying attention to it.

Practical Takeaways: Supporting Your Tongue Every Day

1. Become Aware of Your Resting Position

Notice where your tongue naturally sits throughout the day. Darin recommends practicing a relaxed resting position with the tongue against the palate, lips gently closed, and teeth slightly apart, without clenching or forcing the position.

2. Pay Attention to Your Breathing

Become conscious of habitual mouth breathing and whether your nasal passages are consistently obstructed. Persistent difficulty breathing through the nose deserves evaluation rather than simply forcing the mouth closed.

3. Chew Real, Fibrous Foods

Incorporate foods that require normal chewing, including apples, carrots, nuts, seeds, and fibrous vegetables, as appropriate for your individual dental and swallowing needs.

4. Support Your Oral Microbiome

Eat a variety of vegetables, including nitrate-rich foods such as beets, arugula, spinach, and celery. Discuss routine antiseptic mouthwash use with your dental professional, particularly if it was prescribed for a specific condition.

5. Practice Gentle Tongue Hygiene

Darin recommends gentle tongue scraping to help remove surface buildup associated with bad breath. Avoid aggressive scraping or irritating the tongue.

6. Release Jaw and Facial Tension

Notice when you clench your teeth or tense your jaw, particularly during stressful situations or extended screen use. Gentle relaxation and posture awareness may help reduce unnecessary muscle tension.

7. Try the Two-Minute Tongue Routine

Darin demonstrates a short sequence involving tongue placement, gentle suction holds, tongue clicks, palate slides, directional stretches, cheek resistance, and humming.

Practice gently and stop if anything causes pain or breathing difficulty. These exercises are not a substitute for assessment or treatment of sleep apnea or other airway conditions.