Better Sleep Starts Under Your Nose: Myofunctional Therapy & Breathing

Podcast 345

In this episode, Cathy Sykora sits down with Karese Laguerre, a Registered Dental Hygienist and Myofunctional Therapist, to explore how the way we breathe—and where our tongue rests—can deeply influence our sleep, anxiety, digestion, and overall health. Karese shares how myofunctional therapy strengthens the muscles between the eyes and shoulders to promote better breathing and restorative sleep. They discuss the surprising signs of poor breathing, such as chronic anxiety and fatigue, and dive into simple, actionable tips like nasal hygiene routines and using nasal strips. Karese also breaks down the role of the vagus nerve, why nasal breathing is superior to mouth breathing, and how sleep quality is far more important than sleep quantity.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• What myofunctional therapy is and how it transforms breathing and sleep
• How to identify if you’re breathing incorrectly and why it matters
• Why nasal hygiene should be part of your daily routine
• The science behind nasal vs. mouth breathing—and why it affects sleep and immunity
• How your tongue’s resting position impacts vagus nerve stimulation and breathing
• The truth about sleep duration vs. sleep quality
• How myofunctional therapy can help with TMJ, tongue ties, and more

Karese Laguerre is a Registered Dental Hygienist and Myofunctional Therapist. She founded The Myo Spot, a practice dedicated to amplifying oral wellness into whole-body wellness through virtual therapy. Karese helps clients of all ages with issues like tongue ties, TMJ disorders, sleep apnea, anxiety, and breathing dysfunction. She’s also the author of Accomplished: How to Sleep Better, Eliminate Burnout and Execute Goals, and a passionate educator helping people improve their lives through better breathing.

Memorable Quotes:

• “Breathing is the most critical thing to our life…who of us can go more than a few minutes without air?”
• “What feels like sleep is really just rest—not necessarily restoration of all your bodily functions and cognition.”
• “Most people don’t even know where their tongue is supposed to rest—and that’s the start of the problem.”

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