Simon Coghlan MSc, BSc Physio, DipMedAc

If you’ve ever woken up with a “cotton mouth,” you’ll know how quickly dry mouth can hijack your day. For some people, especially after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, xerostomia isn’t just annoying. It can affect swallowing, taste, sleep, speaking, dental health, and confidence in social situations.

If you or your partner has noticed loud snoring, “stopping breathing” in sleep, waking unrefreshed, morning headaches, or feeling foggy and tired during the day, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) may be part of the picture.

Arguments fire up your body’s stress system. Heart rate climbs, breathing tightens, shoulders lift… and your jaw muscles quietly join the party.