Stress can be overwhelming, and it can be hard to find relief. Especially if that stress is becoming a nightly problem as you pick up the bad habit of night-time jaw clenching or jaw grinding. But rather than try another expensive night guard that ends up in the trash, there's one solution that you may not have ever considered... Somatic exercises!
Somatic exercises are gentle, body-based exercises that help you relax and let go of tension and stress — including helping you to stop jaw clenching and other stress-related muscle tension that's causing chronic pain.
What is Jaw Clenching?
Jaw clenching, also known as bruxism, is a condition that causes people to involuntarily clench or grind their teeth. It can be caused by a variety of things including:
- Sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea
- Underlying medical conditions, such as Parkinson's disease
- Poor posture
- Incorrect alignment of the teeth
- Caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine addiction or use
- Stress, anxiety, or tension
And by identifying the cause of the jaw clenching, you can identify the appropriate treatment for it.
When it comes to jaw clenching caused by stress, the appropriate treatment is difficult to determine — because there's no real way to rid stress from your life completely, let alone forcing your body to stop jaw clenching at night because of said stress.
But it is important to address the jaw clenching because it can lead to long-term problems such as chronic headaches, severe jaw pain, and TMJ if not managed properly.
Benefits of Somatic Exercises for Relieving Stress-Related Jaw Clenching
Somatic exercises can help to reduce the amount of stress-related jaw clenching that can result from the body’s natural reaction to stressful situations. You'll be able to learn how to control involuntary clenching in order to reduce the amount of tension in your jaw muscles and relax the area around your mouth and chin.
Over time, these somatic exercises can increase your body's ability to manage and cope with stressful situations, enabling you to take back control of your physical response and help relieve any pain or discomfort associated with stress-related jaw clenching. With time and practice, you can be in control of your physical response and help alleviate any pain or discomfort associated with jaw clenching.
Somatic Exercises to Activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System
Somatic exercises activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping us to relax and recover from physical and mental exertion. Whether it's a hectic workday or a stressful situation, somatic exercises can be used to regulate our emotions, helping us to become more mindful and in tune with our bodies. By facilitating better communication between the mind and the body, somatic exercises can be an effective way to promote relaxation and well-being.
Specific somatic exercises, such as ones that specifically target the trauma stored in our jaw, will help to reduce the pain that's felt there. This is especially important when it comes to how to stop clenching our jaw from stress.
We're typically unaware of how much tension we’re holding onto in our jaw until we take the time to focus on releasing those muscles with mindful exercises. Overall, somatic exercises can offer long-term relief from stress-induced jaw clenching.
Practicing Somatic Exercises to Release Tension in the Jaw and Face
When our bodies experience physical or emotional stress, the jaw tightens in response. So when you experience more stress than normal, your jaw is continuously tightening — until it just becomes a natural response for your body to clench.
To counteract this, somatic exercises are essential, because they focus on that stored trauma and stress in the jaw and can help reduce the daily tension felt there.
The beauty of somatic exercises is that they don't require much. Our programs specifically are easy to follow, require less than 10 minutes a day, don't require any equipment, and allow you to do them right at home.
Here are some more benefits of our somatic exercise programs:
Jaw pain relief in as little as THREE days.
The beauty of our Jaw Release program is that you’ll begin to feel jaw pain relief in as little as three days. And the jaw tension that's causing your clenching will slowly begin to heal from there.
The ability to do these exercises anywhere, at any time. (even in bed!!)
No gym, expensive equipment, or a long blocked out period of time necessary. These exercises and movements can be done in as little as 5-10 minutes a day and can be done in the comfort of your own home (& even in your bed if you want!).
Treating MORE than just the symptoms of your pain.
These programs aren’t just treating your jaw pain and providing much-needed jaw pain relief — they'll also allow your body to eliminate the deep-rooted cause behind where your pain is stemming from in the first place.
Getting back to the way you’re SUPPOSED to be living.
Your body was never supposed to feel this way. And your jaw deserves better! In just 15 days on this program, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that you won't wake up with jaw pain from jaw clenching ever again.
Tips for Maintaining Low Levels of Stress and Avoiding Jaw Clenching
Our Release Your Jaw In 15 Days program will release the tension and trauma being stored in your jaw but what about the tension and trauma that you haven't experienced yet?
We recommend including a regular somatic exercise practice into your routine. This will help your nervous systems stay regulated and relaxed, which in turn can help prevent jaw clenching due to stress.
Not only that, but by taking the time to practice somatic techniques you can also relieve tension in your shoulders, improve posture, and feel more grounded in your body.
Overall, somatic exercises can be an effective tool to help reduce and manage stress-related jaw clenching. Not only do they help to relax the muscles of the face, but they also provide an opportunity for greater self-awareness and mindfulness in your daily life. Additionally, these exercises can help you foster a deeper connection between your body, mind, and emotions, ultimately helping you to let go of stress more freely.