Teeth grinding - neuroathletic exercises that relax your jaw
Reading time: 5 min.
Teeth grinding: It is unpleasant and can lead to pain in the head, jaw joint, ears or teeth. Around one in three people in Germany suffer from so-called bruxism, often without initially noticing it. The problem, also known as bruxism, is often triggered by stress and excessive use of digital media at work.
Here you will find out where teeth grinding comes from and what you can do about it.
Contents
Teeth grinding: stress and screen time as triggers
Bruxism: What can you do about teeth grinding?
Jaw relaxation through targeted training
Neuroathletic training for the jaw
11 neuroathletic exercises for teeth grinding, headaches and tension
Conclusion: Relaxation is the key to success even when grinding teeth
Teeth grinding: stress and screen time as triggers
Constantly staring at screens and repetitive hand movements when using the mouse can cause tension in the neck and shoulders, which also affects the jaw region. If the muscles in the jaw are tense, this can lead to unconsciously clenching or grinding the teeth together in an attempt to relieve the resulting pressure.
Hormones released by stress, such as adrenaline and cortisol, can also increase muscle tension in the jaw. In such cases, teeth grinding, which can occur both while awake and while sleeping, serves as a kind of valve to release the built-up stress.
In addition, teeth grinding can also temporarily help relax the eye muscles and sharpen close vision. This is done to reduce the eye strain caused by frequent screen use. However, in the long term, this form of compensation, like any compensatory response, is not a good idea. It can lead to various problems, from overworked jaw muscles to damage to the teeth.
Bruxism: What can you do about teeth grinding?
If you want to get rid of the annoying grinding of your teeth, which in the worst case can also cause noise, tinnitus or migraines, it is first important to identify the individual triggers. If orthopedic dysfunctions such as incorrect tooth alignment or jaw joint misalignment can be ruled out, good stress management is a first step in treating bruxism. Reducing stress can also reduce tension in the muscles.
Jaw relaxation through targeted training
In addition, techniques from neurocentric training can help reduce stress and relax the jaw muscles. The focus here is on training the brain. In order to function smoothly, the brain needs precise signals from the body, which it analyses and processes.
In the case of the jaw, for example, the sensory information comes from the surrounding joints, muscles, nerves, soft tissue, teeth and sensory organs. If the quality of the transmitted data is poor due to incorrect or constant tension, the nervous system reacts with protective mechanisms such as pain sensation or muscular tension. Targeted exercises can improve communication between the body and the brain.
Neuroathletic training for teeth grinding for the jaw
In collaboration with neurotrainer Luise Walther, we have created a 10-minute exercise flow for your jaw, shoulders and neck. To make the exercises even more intense and effective, you can also use a resistance band , a vision stick and a Z-Vibe vibration pen for training.
11 neuroathletic exercises for teeth grinding, headaches and tension
Teeth grinding, headaches and tension often go hand in hand. Constant, unconscious grinding of the teeth causes tension in the jaw. This in turn can trigger constant headaches. With a few simple exercises you can do something about a tense jaw, relieve painful tension and actively combat headaches.
Eye mobilization with arrow board
Stand in front of the board. Move your eyes in the direction of the arrow without moving your head: arrow up, eyes up. Arrow to the right, eyes to the right, arrow down, eyes down, arrow to the left, eyes to the left. Stop when it becomes too much for your eyes.
Eye-neck mobilization
Stand in front of the VOR board . Hold the vision stick with your arm outstretched and focus on a letter at eye level. At the same time, move your eyes, head and arm with the stick at the same speed in the following directions of the lines on the VOR board: up, back to the middle, up right, back to the middle, right, back to the middle, down right, to the middle, down. Switch hands and move in all directions on the left side again.
Pelvic mobilization
Take the tension out of your knees. Slowly mobilize your pelvis by pulling your pubic bone towards your belly button and then arching your back slightly. Switch back and forth between the two positions slowly so that you don't go into pain or discomfort.
Gaze stabilization with VOR board
Stand in front of the VOR board . With your head still, jump with both eyes in the following directions on the VOR board: up right, top middle, top left, right, stay in the middle, left, down right, down middle, down left.
Thoracic spine mobilization
Press your palms together, breathe in deeply and as you breathe out rotate your arms to the left. As you breathe in, return to the middle. As you breathe out, rotate your arms to the right and as you breathe in, return to the middle. Now pull both hands apart, breathe in deeply again and repeat the exercise sequence.
Cervical and thoracic spine mobilization
Press your palms together, breathe in deeply and as you breathe out rotate your arms and head in the opposite direction. As you breathe in, return to the center. As you breathe out, rotate in the opposite direction again and as you breathe in, return to the center. Now pull both hands apart, breathe in deeply again and repeat the exercise sequence.
Cervical spine mobilization
Press your palms together, breathe in deeply and as you breathe out, rotate your head and eyes to the left. As you breathe in, return to the center. As you breathe out, rotate to the right and as you breathe in, return to the center. Now pull both hands apart, breathe in deeply again and repeat the exercise sequence.
Jaw mobilization
Open and close your jaw. Then move your lower jaw forward and backward. Then move your lower jaw to the right and to the left. Only go as far as is comfortable.
Jaw mobilization with the Z-Vibe
Open and close your jaw. Then move your lower jaw forward and backward. Then move your lower jaw to the right and to the left. Only go as far as is comfortable. Massage your lower jaw with the Z-Vibe vibration pen .
Ladder breathing
Stand upright, knees relaxed. Place your hands on your stomach and breathe in and out deeply through your nose. Focus on breathing into your hands and into your stomach. Now place your hands on your ribcage and breathe in and out deeply through your nose into your hands and into your ribcage.
Then place your hands on your chest, breathe deeply in through your nose and out into your hands, into your chest.
Mobilization of jaw and neck - tongue circles
With your lips closed, place your tongue in front of your front teeth. Now slowly move your tongue in a circular motion along your teeth: downwards, to the right, upwards and to the left. Make sure you go at a comfortable speed. Change direction.
Conclusion: Relaxation is the key to success even when grinding teeth
Teeth grinding is a widespread problem that affects many people and is often associated with stress and tension. In this blog post, you learned what the causes of teeth grinding are and how neuroathletic exercises can specifically help to relax your jaw and improve your quality of life. The interaction between head and body can play a decisive role here.
With the right tools and techniques, you can not only have a positive effect on your jaw feeling, but also on your general well-being. The neuroathletic exercises we have presented here can be easily integrated into your everyday life. Remember: You can actively do something about bruxism at any time.
