Five Exercises for Snoring and Sleep Apnoea (Updated)

This updated video describes the exercises that help reduce snoring and sleep apnoea by about 50%. I have made this video for my NHS patients as I do not have access to myofunctional therapy yet in my Snoring and Sleep Apnoea clinic at the Royal National ENT Hospital (part of the UCL NHS sleep department in London). Please have a look at my myofunctional video for more information. These exercises are meant to complement the therapeutic options available in my snoring and sleep apnoea clinic on the NHS.

I have updated the sound, lighting, and made it shorter to answer the criticism I have had from the other video. I hope this is more accessible for everyone.

Camacho Myofunctional Therapy to Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sleep. 2015 May 1;38(5):669-75.

Mr Vik Veer - ENT Consultant and lead for the Sleep Surgery department at the Royal National ENT Hospital, London.

NEWSLETTER
If you would like more information, news and have access to various devices I give away for free, please sign up to my Newsletter. Click on the link below.

** Disclaimer - The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional. **

Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:15 NHS treatment options for Snoring and Sleep Apnoea
0:21 How tongue and throat exercises help people with snoring and sleep apnoea
0:58 Myofunctional therapy and Snoring and Sleep Apnoea
1:31 Evidence that these exercises work (Camacho 2015 - link above)
1:50 The 1st exercise for snoring and sleep apnoea (poke out your tongue)
2:15 Problems with a tongue tie
2:30 Curl your tongue if you have a tongue tie
3:05 The 2nd exercise for snoring and sleep apnoea (Suck your tongue to the roof of your mouth)
3:21 More advanced techniques for the second exercise
3:40 The 3rd exercise for snoring and sleep apnoea (cheek poke)
4:17 4th exercise for snoring and sleep apnoea (drop your tongue down)
5:11 5th exercise for snoring and sleep apnoea (tongue thrust and swallow)
5:29 Bonus exercises for snoring and sleep apnoea
5:56 Conclusion

[iservice]

I have been doing these exercises for 3 days and last night my boyfriend said that I didn't snore.. Which meant he got a better night sleep and so did I. Thank you so much for this video - Absolute lifesaver.. So simple, clear and straightforward. I highly recommend you practice these exercises I will certainly add this to my daily maintenance exercises x

[townfanjohn]

To anyone scrolling through I can only offer my own experience. Since I was a baby my snoring was legendary. I will spare you the details but when I hit adolesence I developed a number of psycological difficulties, was introverted and was unteachable in terms of education. I cant say the sleep apnoea was entirely to blame but since I started to these excersises the impact was immediate and profound. My quality of sleep improved massively. I started strengthening my soft pallet and the results as i say were amazing. I have recently started face massages because my sinus have been blocked up for ever. Once again the results were spectacular. These are simple excersises but if you dont know then you dont know. Judging by the difference before and after I believe I had a very severe case of SA (both nose and throat) and suspect this new regime may save my life. I dont like giving advise but if you suspect you have SA these exercises are free and if you get half the results I have you will be delighted I promise. Good luck.

[denisedagostino]

I don’t think your videos are very long or nor would I complain about it. You’re giving us very good information. Great information on a subject. That is very hard for a lot of people to understand and I thank you for it. Some of the stuff you’re giving us our doctors don’t even give to us and we go on an appointment so you go ahead and keep them as long as you want. I really appreciate all your posts.

[trumpeterswan]

I've been doing these exercises for about 2 weeks almost every day. Almost immediately my sleep was improved and since I use a Sleep App, called Sleep Monitor, I know the loudness and number of recordings of snoring and other noises. Today there was no recording or snoring, down from twenty or more, many very loud. The other thing that has happened is I no longer wake myself up with strange throat sounds. This is a gift from God himself and I thank you from thr bottom of my heart for making this video. As a person recovering from Chronic Fstigue, sleep quality is o e of the root causes I was addressing, so I am quickly healing from that condition.

[JustinW]

Dear Mr Veer
I was recently diagnosed with severe apnoea, so I started these exercises two weeks ahead of my appointment with an ENT specialist. In the last week, whilst I know I'm continuing to snore, I am sleeping markedly better than I have done in years. No morning headaches in the last week, no need for an afternoon nap and energy levels are markedly up compared to what they have been in recent years.
I really can't thank you enough. For the likes of me, even a mild improvement is a massive improvement and it's still early days. I genuinely believe these exercises can be literal life savers.
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and knowledge :)

[peterstark]

It's crazy how well this works! Thank you thank you thank you!! You are a godsend. Everyone with sleep apnea needs to hear this. I've been doing these exercises daily for a couple of months now and I'd say my sleep apnea is 90% gone. Sometimes I even sleep through the entire night. So it turns out it's all about muscle tone - simply amazing and amazingly simple! :) Now I can throw out all those painful mouth splints and my CPAP torture device. Honestly you've saved my life and I can't thank you enough. Huge respect.

[marialuisapadron]

I used to struggle with sleep apnea and snoring but since I started practicing these exercises every night, I haven't struggled with it anymore and my rest is so much better! Thank you so much for sharing this video.

[JG-Photography]

I just tried these exercises last night and it really worked. I've been tracking my snoring daily using an app and the score went significantly down. I use an MAD but currently I can't because I have orthodontic braces for the next 16 months. I also tried the tongue device but it really doesn't help much and it makes my tongue sore in the morning. Thank you for sharing this video as it really helped me. I am working out daily as well to lose more weight. Also, currently in the works of getting better with food choices, the time of the day and the amount of what I eat. It really matters to me to get fit and get this snoring fixed. Again, thank you!!!

[Eigert]

This is incredible! I started doing the exercises just three days ago and noticed an immediate improvement. I don’t wake up at night any more and feel more rested in the morning. This feels damn near miraculous

[Whatupplaya]

First exercise: 1:54

Second exercise: 3:05

Third exercise: 3:41

Fourth exercise: 4:17

Fifth exercise: 5:11

Bonus exercises: 5:29

[townfanjohn]

Hi I first contacted you a while back after discovering your videos. These excersises had an immediate impact and I have recently started face massages to help drain my sinus. I'm not being dramatic, I honestly believe you may have saved my life. The difference in sleep, therefor overall quality of life is amazing. Thank you.

[chrisrobinson]

This is great information. I have suffered from sleep apnea all my life. I was born with enlarged adenoids and suffered from ear aches and sore throats at an early age. During my tonsilectomy they remove part of my enlarged adenoids. Later in life I participated in a sleep study and was prescribed a CPAP machine. It helped a little, but after multiple masks and dry throats it just wasn't working for me. After trying these exercises in two days, my sleep pattern has improved considerably. It is also nice to find a non-medicinal or mechanical solution to my problem. Thank you so much for this information.

[lisaritter]

I really loved the first video because even though I’m an RN, BSN and certified in peri anesthesia I found a lot of the medical information very helpful. Please don’t take it down. The information on the symptoms of the excessive urination at night, and the apnea leading to hypertension and weight gain were all signs that I was seeing in my husband. However, when filling out his history for our new GP, under signs of possible sleep apnea I only listed his snoring and events at night that I had suspected for quite a while were apnea, where I had to physically jar him awake and startle him to breath. A home sleep study showed 253 episodes in a 7.5 hour period- 250 of which were hypopnea and 3 were full apnea. I appreciate your effort and think the 2 videos are useful hand in hand together. One as explanation for beginners and the other for reference for practice and compliance. Thank you. 👍👏🥰

[parentspride]

I grew up with APNEA unknowingly. It had gotten to a very bad state of huge hiccups that woke me up at nights, gasping heavily for breaths, high blood pressure till I came across this exercise. I am good now. I can sleep freely now. Thank you

[anniejoseph]

So effective. The very first session for a day, done twice, reduced the snoring

[FD-wtzh]

This is actually working for me. What I do:

1. The exercises in this video once a day, just before bed
2. Keep my tongue position on the roof of my mouth via suction during the day, to build the habit to keep it there at night
3. Breathing through my diaphragm instead of my chest

I've been doing this about a week, and last night I didn't snore at all. I'm excited, since I thought this was a problem I would just have to live with. Good luck to others!!

[kaybee]

I am amazed at how quick this works!!! I just did them tonight (4/6/2022), and I feel a great difference already!!!

[AprilEverett-jo]

the first day i did these exercises, i slept so much better and 2 days later my blood pressure is normal. it’s amazing.

[townfanjohn]

I am starting to consider myself very fortunate to have discovered your content. After watching your other video on these techniques yesterday (01/09/21) I have had 2 sleeps and noticed a huge difference already. For starters I can't remember dreaming as vividly and more importantly I have felt so much more refreshed on waking up. Its still very early doors for me but I feel this may be a real game changer. Thank you so much

[vinilzord]

We need to protect Dr. Vik Veer at all costs. These exercises saved my life. Thank you so much, God bless you and your family