A woman wakes from sleeping on her Koala bedlinen
Comfier Sleep by Alex Irving 3 minutes

How to stop grinding your teeth in your sleep

Grinding your teeth in your sleep? Here’s everything you need to know

Grinding your teeth is a sneaky little condition because you may not even realise you’re doing it.

About half the population will grind their teeth from time to time, and there are a variety of reasons why. But it can be hard to stop, even when you know it’s happening.

So, what’s going on when you do it while you’re sleeping? We sat down with sleep expert and clinical psychologist Andrew Mair to get his thoughts on why it might be happening and how to stop grinding teeth in your sleep.

How do I know if I’m grinding my teeth?

The short answer? You probably won’t be the first to know.

Most people don’t realise they’re doing it until someone (a nice bed partner perhaps) hears them and tells them about their late-night grinding. Sometimes people find out days, weeks or even years after they start waking up with aching jaws. And sometimes it’s your dentist that will notice the damage done to the teeth over time.

Teeth grinding is most common in children and teenagers. “Up to 30% of children experience teeth grinding at any one time,” says Andrew. “In adolescence, it’s around 15%, and in adults, about 8%. It often stops for children when they reach adulthood and their adult teeth have come through, but not always.”

With stats like these, it’s good to know you’re not alone.

Why do I grind my teeth in my sleep?

There are a number of things that could be messing with your sleep, leading you to grind or clench your teeth throughout the night.

“Grinding your teeth while sleeping is seen as a different disorder to grinding your teeth during the day,” explains Andrew. “People are unaware that they’re doing it, which makes it impossible to intervene in any kind of psychological way.”

Here are a few things that could be the cause of your late-night grinding (grinding of the tooth variety, we mean!):

🦷 stress and anxiety

🦷 alcohol

🦷 smoking

🦷 caffeine

🦷 snoring

🦷 sleep apnea

🦷 drugs including antidepressants

A young boy sits on top of his Koala mattress and looks down at his toys on the floor
Children and teenagers are more prone to grinding their teeth at night

How to stop grinding teeth in sleep naturally

Taking care of your health, both physical and mental, can have a big effect on your quality of sleep. And we know, better than most, just how important a good night’s sleep truly is. Teeth grinding, jaw tension and dry mouth are all conditions that can happen while you’re sleeping. Here are some natural remedies that might just set these pesky little matters straight:

🦷 Try to relax: breathing exercises, meditation and gentle exercise can help.

🦷 Practice good sleep hygiene and develop a good bedtime routine.

🦷 Exercise regularly: yoga, pilates, walking, or anything that feels good for you are all great places to start.

🦷 See your GP if you think it could be related to ​​an illness or injury.

If you suspect you’re grinding your teeth at night, Andrew suggests making an appointment with your dentist. “While you’re figuring out the main cause of your teeth grinding, your dentist can help with ways to minimise or prevent any damage to your teeth.”

Get a good night’s sleep

At Koala, we know how important good sleep is for your overall health. And we know better than most that a good night’s sleep starts with the right mattress.

When your mattress isn’t quite right, chances are you’ll toss and turn. Restlessness often leads to anxiety around sleep, which, for some people, can result in the clenching of their jaws and the grinding of their teeth.

We’ve made it our mission to create the best mattresses around. And when you buy a Koala mattress, you’ll have 120 nights to take it for a test run. If you decide it’s not for you, we’ll organise a full return and refund. 

You’ll need a great pillow to go with your mattress and we’ve got your sorted with those too. Our range features the super-soft Cloudy Pillow, the award-winning Koala Pillow and the clever Breeze Pillow.

Ready to accept this mission for the best sleep of your life? You’ll find our full range of award-winning mattresses online.

Ahhh, now that’s how you do good sleep.

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