19/01/2026
Jaw tension can quietly disrupt your breathing, core function, and posture.
The jaw doesn’t work in isolation. It’s functionally connected to the diaphragm and pelvic floor through fascial continuity, shared postural control systems, and the nervous system’s regulation of breathing and tone.
When the jaw is chronically clenched: • Breathing often becomes shallow and upper-chest dominant
• The diaphragm may move less efficiently
• The pelvic floor can increase resting tone to compensate
• The core becomes rigid rather than responsive
• Postural strain commonly develops in the neck, shoulders, and lower back
This isn’t a single nerve pathway — it’s how the central nervous system coordinates breathing, muscle tone, and posture under stress.
With persistent jaw tension, the body tends to hold a protective pattern: Jaw tension → altered breathing → reduced core coordination → postural fatigue
When the jaw relaxes: • Breathing naturally deepens
• The diaphragm and pelvic floor move more freely together
• The spine is better supported from the inside out
• Posture becomes easier to sustain, not forced
Many people try to “fix” posture by pulling their shoulders back.
But posture is regulated from breathing and tone, not effort.
One often-overlooked starting point? Releasing chronic jaw tension.
Because when the jaw lets go, the rest of the system can follow.
