March Health Highlights
Health News for March 5th - 20th
National Sleep Awareness Week March 12th - March 18th
· The National Sleep Foundation has announced Sleep Awareness Week® 2023 will take place from March 12-18, celebrating the 25th Anniversary of its annual campaign. Sleep Awareness Week serves as a call to action for the public to recognize their sleep as a crucial part of health and well-being.
· Sleep Awareness Week begins on March 12 at the start of Daylight Saving Time when most of the public faces the disruption of the clock change and loses an hour of sleep. During the week, NSF also releases results of its hallmark Sleep in America® Poll. Over the past 25 years, more than 20 polls have been fielded on topics ranging from aging, exercise, and bedroom setup to help the public understand key attitudes, behaviors, and experiences with sleep health.
ComPsych Classes for March
Lincoln Financial Webinar: "Tools to Handle Stress" March 8th, 2023
Green Imaging - DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING AT NO COST TO YOU!
SDOC has partnered with Green Imaging to provide diagnostic imaging for employees covered under the SDOC health plan* at $0 cost to you.
For these services, you will not file a claim with your health services plan. Instead, you will receive a voucher when you schedule your service. Simply present the voucher when you arrive for your appointment. Click on the flyer below for more information.
Helpful Health Facts: How does "Tongue Posture" effect your sleep?
Have you ever heard of something called tongue posture? How about tongue positioning? Chances are you probably haven’t, but it’s a very real thing that can cause some very real problems if done incorrectly. This article covers what tongue posture is, why it’s important to have proper tongue posture, and a few ways to help improve yours if needed.
What is Tongue Posture?
Tongue posture, also known as tongue positioning, is a fancy way of describing how our tongues are positioned in our mouths while at rest. Believe it or not, there’s actually a right way and a wrong way to rest your tongue. While this may sound silly or unimportant, the truth is that proper tongue posture can protect you from other whole-body concerns.
Risks of Bad Tongue Posture
Our tongues are incredibly strong and are connected to other areas outside of our mouths. This means that what you do with your tongue, including how you rest it, can affect the entire body. Bad tongue posture can have a negative effect on your eyes, nose, head, neck, shoulders, and of course, teeth. Improper tongue posture can contribute or lead to:
- Sleep Apnea
- TMJ
- Problems with Vision
- Bad Body Posture
- Tooth Damage
Incorrect Tongue Posture
If you find yourself resting your tongue on the bottom of your mouth or up against your teeth, you’re one of the 50% of Americans that have incorrect tongue posture. Constant pressure on the teeth can cause teeth to shift, become crooked, create a bad bite, and even result in habitual teeth grinding (which can create a whole host of problems on its own). Those who rest their tongues on the bottom of the mouth may suffer from more neck pain, jaw pain, and bad body posture overall. Additionally, bad tongue posture can change someone’s appearance and make the face take on a longer, flatter shape or cause the chin or forehead to jut forward.
Correct Tongue Posture
Proper tongue posture can protect your oral health as well as your overall health. Practicing proper tongue positioning can lead to improved sleep, better breathing, and decreased neck, jaw, or head pain. So, what exactly is the right way to do this?
Focus on resting your tongue gently on the roof of your mouth and about a half an inch away from your teeth. To fully practice proper tongue posture, your lips should be closed, and your teeth separated ever so slightly.
Can You Fix Improper Tongue Posture?
Good news — you can work to improve your tongue posture. The first step in fixing bad tongue posture is to find the right spot where your tongue should rest. You can do that one of two ways:
- Slide – Place the tip of your tongue on the back of your top teeth and then slide it backward. You should feel a spot where the roof of your mouth slopes upward. The area right before that slope is the prime tongue resting spot.
- Smile – The other way you can find your ideal tongue position is to smile really wide (we’re talking about really cheesy smile), raise your eyebrows, and try to swallow without unclenching your teeth. You should feel your tongue rise to the roof of your mouth into its ideal resting position.
Like any habit, don’t expect your tongue posture to change overnight. Keep practicing these two tricks to remind yourself to consciously rest your tongue in that ideal position. Over time, muscle memory will replace bad, old posture habits with new, proper positioning. (source: https://www.chesheim-dental.com)