Calming Your Nervous System
Jaw tension is often less about the jaw itself and more about how safe and settled your nervous system feels.
When your system is under stress — physical, emotional, or cognitive — muscles throughout the body can tighten automatically. The jaw is a very common place for this to show up, especially as clenching or holding that happens without conscious effort.
This guide explores body-based ways of supporting your nervous system, so jaw tension can ease without forcing, stretching, or “trying to relax.”
Why the nervous system matters for jaw pain
Your nervous system is constantly scanning for safety. When it senses threat or overload, the body prepares to protect itself — often through muscle tension and bracing.
For many people, jaw clenching is an automatic response. It may happen during concentration, stress, or fatigue, and it can continue into sleep.
This doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you. It means your system is doing its best to cope.
Supporting the nervous system can reduce the need for this protective tension, allowing the jaw to soften naturally over time.
Comfort, safety, and choice
Everything in this guide is intended to be adaptable. You’re encouraged to prioritise comfort over intensity, and stability over range.
Bodies vary widely in how they respond, and what feels helpful can change from day to day. That’s normal.
If anything feels uncomfortable, overwhelming, or destabilising, you can pause, make it smaller, or stop altogether.
You’re not trying to push your nervous system into calm — you’re offering it safer options and letting it respond in its own time.
A simple way to interrupt clenching: Say Emma
Many people with jaw pain notice that they clench automatically — sometimes without realising it. When this happens, the nervous system is often in a state of high alert.
This practice offers a reliable way to safely unclench the jaw, even if you don’t feel particularly relaxed.
This approach was shared by Leslie Russek, DPT, PhD, on the Bendy Bodies podcast (Episode 52: “Unlocking Jaw Pain”), and has informed how I teach jaw-friendly nervous system support.
Why saying "Emma" helps
The word “Emma” has a useful structure.
You can’t clench your jaw while making the sound “ah” at the end of the word. Saying it gently creates a brief, unavoidable release of the clench — without forcing the jaw open or trying to relax it.
Placing the tongue in a stable resting position afterwards helps organise the jaw safely, with the teeth remaining apart.
This makes it especially helpful during the day, when clenching is noticed, during flare-ups, or before bed.
How to use it
When you notice clenching — or as a simple routine during the day — softly say the word “Emma” three times.
On the “ah” sound at the end of the word, allow the jaw to open just enough to release the clench. There’s no need to open wide.
Bring the lips together gently. Let the tongue rest comfortably on the roof of the mouth, just behind the upper teeth — a stable, supported position.
Allow the teeth to remain slightly apart.
That’s enough. You’ve safely unclenched the jaw and given it a more organised resting pattern.
Important notes
This practice isn’t about relaxation or deep breathing. It’s simply a way to interrupt clenching and give the jaw a safer resting option.
Keep the movement small and comfortable. If your jaw or joints move easily, smaller is often better.
If anything feels effortful, uncomfortable, or unstable, stop and rest.
You can use this once, repeat it a few times, or return to it during flare-ups, periods of stress, or before sleep.
Practising this during the day can make it more likely that a less clenched pattern carries into sleep.
Other ways to support your nervous system
Calming the nervous system doesn’t require long practices or special techniques.
Simple supports can include brief pauses during the day, reducing unnecessary effort in the jaw, neck, and shoulders, or gently noticing tension without trying to change it.
During flare-ups, short and repeatable inputs are often more helpful than doing more or trying harder.
Over time, these small adjustments can reduce the overall load on the system and make jaw tension less persistent.
You may find these guides helpful
A Reassuring Note
Nervous system patterns can change.
When the body feels safer and less pressured, protective responses — including jaw tension — often soften on their own.
Understanding this process can be an important first step toward lasting ease.
Looking for something else?
When to Seek Medical Advice
Most jaw tension and TMD symptoms are related to muscle guarding, stress, or nervous-system patterns, and they often improve well with gentle self-care.
It’s a good idea to seek medical advice if you experience:
sudden, severe, or unexplained facial or jaw pain
injury, swelling, or suspected dislocation
numbness, weakness, or changes in vision or speech
a fever, illness, or signs of infection
new pain accompanied by weight loss or general unwellness
persistent symptoms that worry you or don’t improve over time
These situations aren’t common, but it’s always appropriate to check in with a qualified medical professional if something feels unusual or concerning for you.