#038: The Overlooked Link Between Mouth Breathing, Sleep, Anxiety & Brain Fog | Dr Mary Bourke

Send us Fan MailCould the Way You Breathe Be Driving Anxiety & Brain Fog?What if another supplement, diet or health protocol isn't the first place you need to look?What if something as automatic as how you breathe, chew and swallow could be influencing your sleep, nervous system and how you feel during the day?In this episode of Nutrition Gateway, I sit down with Dr Mary Bourke, an experienced chiropractor with more than 30 years in clinical practice and a special interest in orofacial growth, development and function.Mary is a certified Sacro Occipital Technique practitioner and craniopath, as well as CEO of Myo Munchee, continuing the pioneering work begun by her father, Australian dentist Dr Kevin Bourke, almost 60 years ago.And this conversation completely changed the way I think about the mouth.We explore the connection between mouth breathing, nervous system regulation, sleep quality, anxiety and brain fog, particularly for women moving through their 40s, perimenopause and beyond.Mary explains why we are designed to breathe through the nose, what can happen when mouth breathing becomes habitual, and why symptoms such as waking with a dry mouth, snoring, grinding your teeth, jaw tension, morning headaches and never quite feeling refreshed could be clues worth investigating.We also dive into something I had never considered before: the role of the tongue and swallowing.Mary explains how tongue position, swallowing and nasal breathing interact with the muscles of the upper airway and nervous system, and why the simple act of chewing may be far more important to lifelong health than most of us realise.In this episode, we discuss:Why habitual mouth breathing may contribute to overbreathing and nervous system activationThe connection between breathing patterns, anxiety and feeling constantly "wired"Why poor breathing during the day may affect sleep at nightDry mouth, snoring, teeth grinding and morning headaches as potential cluesWhat happens to upper airway muscle tone as women ageWhere your tongue should naturally restWhy swallowing and tongue function matterHow chewing helps exercise the muscles involved in the upper airwayWhy modern soft and convenience foods may mean we're simply not chewing enoughThe fascinating work of Weston A. Price and changes in jaw and facial developmentWhy digestion begins long before food reaches your stomachThe importance of eating slowly, chewing properly and creating a calmer mealtimeWhy children need exposure to different food textures and opportunities to chewThe emerging field of orofacial myofunctional therapyHow chiropractors, dentists, speech pathologists and other practitioners can work collaborativelyMary's work with Myo Munchee and the upcoming Handbook for the HumanFor the woman over 35 who feels as though she is doing all the things for her health but is still waking tired, battling brain fog, feeling anxious or wondering why her body doesn't feel as resilient as it once did, this conversation offers a completely different place to become curious.Because sometimes improving our health isn't about adding more.Sometimes it's about rediscovering the foundational things the human body was designed to do.Breathe. Chew. Swallow. Sleep. Move. Nourish.And perhaps start paying attention to what your mouth has been trying to tell you.About Dr Mary BourkeDr Mary Bourke is an experienced chiropractor with more than 30 years in clinical practice and a special interest in orofacial growth, development and function. She is a certified Sacro Occipital Technique practitioner and craniopath and brings a distinctive hands-on perspective to health and development, particularly the role of oral function, breathing and chewing.Mary is CEO of Myo Munchee and co-creator of Handbook for the Human, an educational resource designed to help parents understand early human development through interconnected foundations including sleep, movement, nutrition, play, connection, feeding, breathing and early oral function. Connect with Dr Mary Bourke and her work at Myo Munchee Instagram: @drmarybourkeInstagram: @handbookforthehumanWebsite: handbookforthehuman.comFacebook: @myomuncheeInstagram: @myomuncheeYouTube: @myomuncheeLinkedIn: /company/myomuncheeWebsite: myomunchee.com Here is the blog Mary mentions in the podcast.  About Your Host, Sally-Anne KearnsI’m Sally-Anne Kearns, a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and host of the Nutrition Gateway podcast.I help women over 35 who are struggling with anxiety, brain fog, low energy and health overwhelm cut through the noise and get back to the foundations their body needs to function well.My approach combines functional nutrition, nervous system support and simple, practical nutrition and lifestyle strategies to help you create more capacity, clarity and confidence in your health.Ready to simplify your health?Explore my programs, resources and ways to work with me at www.sknutrition.au, including HEALthy Foundations, my six-month membership designed to help you understand your body and build the foundations for calmer, clearer and more energised days.