A yoga therapist says tension in your jaw and sacrum can be linked-this routine will soothe both

Key Points:

• Jaw tension can cause significant pain, disrupt sleep, and reduce quality of life, with stress often being a key underlying factor even after using night guards or avoiding gum.
• Yoga offers a holistic approach to managing jaw tension by lowering stress levels and directly relaxing the jaw muscles, potentially reducing the frequency and severity of jaw clenching.
• Yoga therapist Serena Arora highlights a connection between jaw tension and the sacrum, suggesting that tightness in one area mirrors tightness in the other, supported by limited research linking temporomandibular disorders (TMD) with sacral positioning.
• A recommended yoga sequence targeting both the sacrum and jaw includes exercises such as side and hip lengthening, spinal undulation, sacral release, jaw release with a tennis ball, neck release, and deep relaxation (Savasana) to gently stabilize and strengthen these areas.
• This functional yoga therapy routine aims to soothe jaw pain by addressing both physical and stress-related contributors, offering a complementary option for those struggling with chronic jaw tension.