Ever wake up with a sore tongue, wondering how it happened? If you keep biting your tongue at night, this might be behind the discomfort.
Tongue biting can be painful, and even lead to tongue injuries. The underlying causes of nighttime tongue biting often include bruxism (teeth grinding), stress, or even sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea.
In this article, we’ll take a look into the reasons behind this issue, signs that you might be experiencing tongue biting, and practical solutions to stop biting your tongue at night!
Reasons Why You’re Biting Your Tongue
Tongue biting during sleep can result from several triggers that disrupt your natural sleep patterns. Let’s look at some of the most common causes.
1. Teeth Grinding (Sleep Bruxism)
Sleep bruxism, also known as teeth grinding, is one of the leading culprits behind nighttime tongue biting and happens when your jaw muscles clench or grind during sleep, often without you even realizing it.
This excessive jaw movement can cause your tongue to get caught in between your teeth, leading to tongue biting.
Stress, anxiety, or certain medications may increase the risk of teeth grinding, making it more likely for someone to bite their tongue in their sleep.
If left without proper attention and intervention, bruxism can also result in worn teeth, jaw pain, and even chronic headaches.
2. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder that can increase the chances of tongue biting.
OSA occurs when breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep, which may cause the tongue and jaw muscles to relax abnormally.
This lack of muscle control may result in biting the tongue or cheeks. People with sleep apnea often wake up tired, have dry mouths, and may experience tongue injuries from these nighttime movements.
Other symptoms of sleep apnea may include:
- Waking up gasping for air
- Feeling fatigued, even after a full night’s sleep
- Chronic, loud snoring
- Difficulty concentrating
If you suspect you may have sleep apnea it’s essential to see your doctor right away, since it can have long-term health implications if left untreated.
3. Rhythmic Movement Disorder
Rhythmic movement disorder (RMD) is a condition where repetitive movements, such as head banging or body rocking, occur during sleep. These constant movements might increase the chances of accidentally biting your tongue.
RMD can disrupt sleep, making you feel fatigued, and may cause you to bite your tongue multiple times a night. It’s usually more common in children but adults can experience this disorder as well.
4. Nocturnal Seizures
Nocturnal seizures, also known as nighttime seizures, come from a type of epilepsy that causes seizures during sleep. The involuntary movements that happen during these seizures can lead to tongue biting.
People who experience nocturnal seizures may wake up confused or with mysterious injuries, or they may feel fatigued the following day even after having a long night of rest.
Some of the other symptoms of nocturnal seizures can include:
- Convulsions
- Wetting the bed
- Muscle twitches and spasms
- Falling out the bed
- Headaches
Talk to your doctor right away if you or a family member notice any of these symptoms.
Signs You May Be Biting Your Tongue
If you’re waking up with any of the following symptoms, it could indicate that you’re biting your tongue in your sleep:
- Sore or swollen tongue, especially along the sides
- Small cuts or sores on your tongue that weren’t there the night before
- Jaw pain, headaches, or signs of teeth grinding
- Dry mouth, indicating mouth breathing or sleep apnea
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Feeling fatigued or unrested despite a full night’s sleep
These signs can help you identify if tongue biting is an issue so you can take steps to prevent it before it causes further discomfort or injury.
Mouth Tape for Tongue Biting
Mouth taping promotes nasal breathing, which can help to support the treatment of sleep apnea and reduce the risk of abnormal tongue movements that can cause tongue biting.
When the mouth stays closed during sleep, the jaw remains in a more stable position, decreasing the chance of biting your tongue or cheeks.
This simple solution can also enhance overall sleep quality by minimizing disruptions caused by mouth breathing.
If you’re looking for the best mouth tape for sleeping, Dream Recovery is the way to go. It’s made from organic bamboo silk and hypoallergenic adhesive, making it super soft, gentle on the skin, and eco-friendly while still being strong enough to stay on all night without needing readjustments.
Try Dream Recovery Mouth Tape to improve sleep quality and prevent tongue injuries.
Mouth Guards to Prevent Teeth Grinding
A mouth guard can help protect your teeth and tongue from the effects of sleep bruxism (teeth grinding), a common cause of biting your tongue during sleep.
These guards act as a buffer between the upper and lower teeth, preventing them from clenching and grinding against each other.
By reducing jaw tension, night guards lower the risk of your tongue getting caught between your teeth during sleep.
Custom-made night guards offer the best fit and comfort, ensuring you get a restful night while keeping your mouth safe from injuries.
If teeth grinding is causing nighttime tongue biting, a night guard could be a great solution.
Learn more about the benefits of mouthguards for sleep with our article: Do Mouthguards Help With Snoring?
Stress Management Techniques to Reduce Tongue Biting
Stress and anxiety can sometimes be major triggers of sleep bruxism (teeth grinding). Therefore, adding relaxation practices into your daily routine can help to prevent tongue biting.
That’s because managing your daily stressors can reduce the subconscious tension that often leads to teeth grinding, jaw tension, and abnormal tongue movements at night.
Activities like yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, or journaling before bed can help to activate your parasympathetic nervous system to both calm your mind and support more relaxed jaw muscles during sleep.
Consistency is key, so it may take some time for these practices to help reduce the frequency of tongue biting and improve your emotional well-being.
Sleep Studies to Identify Underlying Sleep Disorders
If you keep biting your tongue even after trying other solutions, undergoing a sleep study can provide some insights into why you might be struggling with this issue.
A sleep study helps diagnose conditions like obstructive sleep apnea, rhythmic movement disorder, nighttime seizures, or sleep bruxism, which may be causing tongue biting.
Identifying the root cause allows for targeted treatment, such as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) for sleep apnea, certain therapies for movement disorders, or medications for epilepsy.
After getting the right diagnosis and treatment, many people with sleep disorders experience better, higher-quality sleep. So, if you suspect you might have an underlying condition, a sleep study might be a good way to go to help understand why you’re biting your tongue at night.
Learn more here about CPAP alternatives for sleep apnea and the best mouth tape for sleep apnea.
FAQ
Is biting your tongue while you’re sleeping normal?
Biting your tongue while you’re sleeping is a common issue and is usually indicative of something else going on, such as sleep apnea, teeth grinding, stress, anxiety, nighttime seizures, or a movement disorder.
Is biting my tongue while I’m sleeping linked to anxiety?
Yes, biting your tongue while you’re sleeping can be linked to anxiety. This is because anxiety can cause teeth grinding (bruxism) which can cause you to accidentally bite your tongue during sleep.
How can I stop biting my tongue in my sleep?
You can stop biting your tongue in your sleep by using a mouth guard, trying mouth tape to keep your jaw aligned, using stress management techniques, and by treating sleep apnea or nocturnal seizures if you struggle with these disorders.
What are the signs and symptoms of tongue biting during sleep?
The signs and symptoms of tongue biting during sleep may include: waking up with a sore or swollen tongue, jaw pain, signs of teeth grinding, and injuries like small cuts or sores on your tongue.
Final Thoughts
Biting your tongue at night can be really painful and a major cause of disruption to your sleep.
The good news? Solutions like mouth tape, night guards or mouth guards, stress management techniques, and sleep studies can help you to address the root causes of tongue biting or chewing. This could be things like sleep apnea, mouth breathing, bruxism (teeth grinding), anxiety, or movement disorders.
It’s important to identify the signs early on and implement practical solutions to reduce any tongue injuries and improve your sleep quality.
If you suspect an underlying condition behind your tongue biting, talk to your healthcare practitioner right away.