Q I heard sleeping posture affects the jaw joint. Do I need to break my habit of sleeping on my side?
A Sleeping on your side, especially always on one side, can press the jaw joint to one side and worsen asymmetry. Sleeping on your back (facing the ceiling) is best.
Detailed Answer
When you sleep on your side, the pillow pushes the jaw to one side, applying a skewed force to the joint. If this continues for a long time, the disc on one side is damaged first. If possible, lying face up toward the ceiling is ideal, and matching the pillow height appropriately is also important.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang, we recommend applying a warm towel for heat therapy to the stiff back of the neck and the area around the jaw before sleep and gently releasing them. When the stiff neck and shoulders loosen, the tension in the jaw comes down together. Calming the day's tension with deep abdominal breathing improves sleep quality, which also reduces teeth grinding.
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