Do you know Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) can greatly impact your sleep cycle? Sleep is the most important part of an individual life, as proper rest will keep your health fine and well. It is necessary not only for your physical health but also for your mental well-being.

However, sleeping with jaw pain would discomfort you. TMJ disorder misaligns your jaw joints and muscles. In this, you can confront several symptoms, like clicking noises in the jaw, difficulty in opening, jaw pain, closing the mouth, or associated headaches. 

In this blog, let's go through the effects of TMJ on your sleep cycle and get solutions to treat this disorder. 

Relation Between TMJ and Sleep Cycle

  • Ache and Suffering: The pain in the jaw and headache can be the main reason for your bad sleep quality. This pain may tend to increase at night due to a lower number of distractions. It will also impact your comfortable sleep position and lead to fatigue in the daytime.
  • Teeth Bruxism: In this, an individual can experience involuntary and unconscious grinding or clenching in their teeth. This further leads to exaggeration in jaw pain as well as headache and neck pain. So, bruxism is also a significant cause of your poor sleep quality.
  • Sleep Apnea: In recent studies, it has been found that there is a vital link between TMJ disorders and sleep-breathing disorders. The misalignment of jaws can obstruct the airway in the body, which can be a reason for your sleep disruptions.
  • Pain in Muscles: TMJ can lead to tension in your jaw and neck region's muscles. It may discomfort you while sleeping and disrupt your relaxation period.

Recommendations for Better Sleep

  • Use Oral Appliances: To get a painless sleep you can go for Oral devices. There are night guards that can help you ease your jaw pain. You can also use Mandibular Advancement devices with the help of an Orthodontist. These devices fix the position of your jaws and let the air pass while sleeping.
  • Improve Sleep Conditions: You must ensure that there is an ideal relaxation sleeping area, such as dark and quiet. If it is not possible, then use an eye mask to block lights and earplugs for disturbing sound. The perfect pillow also helps you in providing adequate support to your jaw and neck muscles.
  • Do Exercises for Jaw Relaxation: You can also try various exercises for the jaw. Before sleeping, you can perform gentle jaw stretches, open and close your mouth gradually, massage the jaw area, move your jaw side to side, etc. It is to be kept in mind that the movement of jaws should be mindful and very careful. You must avoid chewing gum; it may enhance your TMJ symptoms.
  • Perform Meditation: Meditation, before sleeping, can help you manage your stress and anxiety, which can occur due to TMJ and is responsible for bad sleep quality.
  • Nutritional Enhancement: A balanced and specific diet, rich in anti-inflammatory foods, can decrease TMJ symptoms and improve your sleep cycle. It should be ensured that you must avoid intake of caffeine and sugar before going to bed.
  • Consult a doctor: Despite these solutions, if you cannot sleep peacefully, you must consider a doctor who can align your jaws, which also helps improve the airway during sleep.

Final Thought 

The TMJ disorder is not a threat, but it must not be neglected. One cannot deny the connection between TMJ and sleep disorder. Bad sleep quality will affect your whole day's schedule and decrease the efficiency of your work. The above recommendations and advice help you reduce the pain and improve your sleep cycle. You may cure this disorder with proper TMJ disorder treatment under the guidance of a good doctor, which enhances your overall quality of life. It is said that sleep is a golden chain that connects your health with your body; therefore, keep your health fit and fine with a proper sleep cycle.