A Simple, Exercise-Based Guide to the Airway Muscles and Sleep
A plain-English program of short daily exercises for the throat, tongue, jaw and breathing muscles, with no equipment needed.
Snoring is the sound of air moving past relaxed soft tissue at the back of the mouth and throat during sleep. Sleep apnea is a related but more serious sleep-related breathing condition, in which the airway narrows or closes repeatedly during the night. It is diagnosed with a sleep study and is managed by a doctor or sleep specialist.
The upper airway has no bone holding it open where the narrowing happens. It is kept open by a group of small muscles in the throat walls, the tongue and the soft palate. During deep sleep these muscles relax along with the rest of the body. Age, body weight, sleeping position, alcohol and nasal congestion are among the many factors that also play a part.
In recent years researchers have studied whether regular exercises for these muscles, often called oropharyngeal exercises or myofunctional therapy, can support breathing during sleep. This is an active area of research, and the studies listed at the end of this page are a good starting point for reading more about it.
The Stop Snoring And Sleep Apnea Program is a step-by-step exercise program by Christian Goodman, co-founder of Blue Heron Health News. He developed it with input from his wife, a voice teacher, whose work centres on how singers train and control their breathing passages. The program brings that kind of training into a short daily routine of throat, tongue, jaw and breathing exercises.
The program is delivered digitally as an ebook (PDF) with audio (mp3) files. Every exercise is written out step by step and illustrated with drawings. There is nothing to wear, plug in or buy, and it is meant to be used alongside any care or device your doctor has already recommended.
What's inside the program
Background and self-checks
- A plain-English explanation of how the upper airway works and why its muscles relax during sleep
- Simple self-checks done sitting in a chair, to help you see which areas of the airway to focus on first
- How the throat, tongue, jaw and breathing muscles work together
The exercises
- Throat exercises for the walls of the throat and the soft palate
- Tongue exercises
- Jaw exercises
- Breathing exercises
- Each one written out step by step with drawings; most take under a minute and need no equipment
Fitting it into the day
- A starting routine of about three minutes a day
- Longer routines for anyone who wants to do more
- Exercises that can be done quietly at a desk, in a chair or while waiting in line
- Tips for keeping up a steady daily habit
Format and access
- Digital ebook (PDF) and audio (mp3) version, available to download right after purchase
- Lifetime access, with future updates included at no extra charge
- Downloads for you and your close family
- An optional printed book or CD, offered after purchase for the cost of printing or CD production only
How the program is organised
Step 1 — Understand and check. The program opens with the background on how the airway works, followed by the chair-based self-checks, so the routine can be matched to the areas you want to focus on.
Step 2 — The short daily routine. Next comes the core routine of throat, tongue, jaw and breathing exercises, starting at about three minutes a day. Most of the exercises are designed to be done quietly in ordinary moments of the day, without anyone noticing.
Step 3 — Build the habit. Like any muscle training, the program relies on small, regular practice rather than occasional long sessions. The book includes tips for keeping the routine going, and longer options for anyone who wants them.
You can work through the program at your own pace and return to any exercise or section whenever you need a reminder.
Who this program is for
✓ Adults who want a clear explanation of how the airway muscles work during sleep
✓ People interested in the research on oropharyngeal exercises and myofunctional therapy
✓ Anyone who prefers a simple, equipment-free daily routine they can do at home
✓ Partners and family members who want to understand the topic and support a daily habit
✓ Those who want to add a healthy routine to the care they already receive from their doctor or sleep specialist
This is not for: anyone looking to replace medical care, skip a sleep study, or stop or change a prescribed breathing device or other treatment. It is also not for anyone expecting fast results. The program asks for a few minutes of regular practice every day. Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition, so anyone who has it, or who has heart-rhythm or blood-pressure concerns, or daytime sleepiness that affects driving, should talk with their doctor before starting.
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60-day money-back guarantee
The program comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied for any reason within 60 days of purchase, contact us for a full refund, and the materials stay yours to keep.
Important disclaimer
This program is educational. It is not medical treatment and is not a replacement for professional medical care. If you have snoring or sleep apnea concerns, talk to a qualified healthcare provider. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and it has not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Individual results vary. Keep working with your healthcare provider and never stop or change prescribed medication or treatment without their guidance.
Study resources
- Guimarães K.C. et al. (2009) American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine — Randomised study of daily oropharyngeal exercises in adults with moderate obstructive sleep apnea. PubMed
- Puhan M.A. et al. (2006) BMJ — Randomised controlled trial of didgeridoo playing, which works the upper-airway muscles, in adults with obstructive sleep apnea. PubMed
- Camacho M. et al. (2015) Sleep — Systematic review and meta-analysis of myofunctional therapy studies in obstructive sleep apnea. PubMed
- Rueda J.R. et al. (2020) Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews — Review of the evidence on myofunctional therapy (oropharyngeal exercises) for obstructive sleep apnea. PubMed