Mewing is a technique that involves the conscious effort to position the entire tongue flat against the roof of the mouth, or the palate. It requires the tip of the tongue to rest just behind the front teeth, with the back two-thirds suctioned firmly against the soft and hard palate. This posture is promoted to encourage nasal breathing and proper oral rest mechanics. The central question is whether this conscious, active posture can be maintained when the body enters an unconscious state. The ability to “mew in your sleep” is limited by involuntary physiological changes that occur as the body cycles through the different stages of the sleep process.
Defining Mewing Posture vs. Natural Rest Position
The ideal tongue position, often called “mewing,” involves a high degree of muscular engagement to create a suction seal against the roof of the mouth. This active position requires the intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles to work against gravity and relaxation. The goal is for the entire surface of the tongue to make contact with the palate. This is distinct from a passive resting position. For many individuals, the tongue often defaults to the floor of the mouth, causing the posterior part of the tongue to drop away from the soft palate.
The Physiological Changes of Muscle Tone During Sleep
Maintaining the mewing posture relies on the consistent tone of the oropharyngeal muscles, particularly the genioglossus muscle, which is the main muscle responsible for pushing the tongue forward. When a person falls asleep, the body undergoes a natural, involuntary process of muscle relaxation called hypotonia. This relaxation affects all skeletal muscles, including those controlling the tongue. The genioglossus muscle’s activity significantly decreases upon the transition from wakefulness to sleep.
The greatest challenge occurs during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, which is characterized by a near-complete loss of skeletal muscle tone, known as atonia. During REM sleep, the activity of the genioglossus muscle is profoundly suppressed. This involuntary inhibition means that the active muscular effort required for the full mewing seal cannot be sustained, causing the tongue to relax and potentially fall backward toward the throat.
Common Sleep Habits That Hinder Proper Tongue Placement
Beyond physiological muscle relaxation, several common habits and structural issues actively prevent proper tongue placement during sleep. The primary disrupter is the need to breathe through the mouth instead of the nose. Nasal obstruction, whether temporary due to allergies or chronic, forces the jaw to drop open. When the mouth opens to facilitate breathing, the tongue must drop to the floor of the mouth to clear the oral airway, making contact with the palate physically impossible.
This low tongue posture contributes to the narrowing of the pharyngeal airway space. The combination of a dropped jaw and a relaxed tongue increases the risk of snoring and obstructive sleep events. In individuals with narrow dental arches or enlarged tonsils, the space available for the tongue is already compromised. When the oropharyngeal muscles relax, the tongue is more likely to fall back into the restricted airway, reinforcing the mouth-breathing habit.
Practical Steps to Improve Sleeping Tongue Posture
While it is impossible to consciously maintain the active, full-suction mewing posture during deep sleep, it is possible to encourage a better, more forward resting position. The most effective strategy involves ensuring a clear nasal airway, as nasal breathing is a prerequisite for maintaining any contact between the tongue and the palate.
To improve sleeping tongue posture, focus on these areas:
- Nasal Airway Clearance: Use nasal dilators, saline rinses, or address chronic allergy issues before bed to promote an open nasal passage.
- Myofunctional Therapy: Incorporate daily exercises designed to strengthen the tongue and soft palate muscles.
- Increased Resting Tone: Practice tongue-strengthening exercises consistently to increase muscle tone, offering resistance against relaxation during NREM sleep.
- Positional Training: Sleep on the side, which may help stabilize the jaw and tongue position more effectively than sleeping on the back.
- Mouth Taping: Use specialized mouth tape to gently keep the lips closed, encouraging the body to default to nasal breathing and helping the tongue remain elevated.