Postures for Optimal Growth, Health, and Beauty: How the Tongue Supports Our Facial and Spinal Development

May 10
4 min read

Woman in a blue athletic top standing outdoors with her arms open and her face lifted toward the sky. — Open, upright posture can help the body feel more spacious, energized, and connected from head to spine.

In the May 2026 ICPA Chiropractic Newsletter, Discover Chiropractic, Will and Susan Revak’s article, “Postures for Optimal Growth, Health, and Beauty: How the Tongue Supports Our Facial and Spinal Development,” invites families to look at posture in a new and surprisingly simple way: through the position of the head, the tongue, and the way we breathe.

At Healing Wave Chiropractic, we often talk with families about how small daily habits can influence how the body functions. Posture is one of those habits. It is not only about “standing up straight.” It is about how the body organizes itself from the inside out, how the nervous system communicates, how the jaw rests, how the airway functions, and how comfortably we move through life.

Postures for Optimal Growth Start with Small Daily Cues

The article begins with a beautiful observation: a ballerina, a baby, and a yoga or tai chi practitioner all have something in common. They naturally seek upright alignment. Their bodies seem to know what balanced posture feels like.

Over time, many of us lose that sense. Hours spent sitting, looking down, breathing through the mouth, clenching the jaw, or carrying tension can slowly shift us away from healthy alignment. The Revaks highlight two simple posture principles that can help us reconnect with that upright design:

First, imagine the crown of your head being gently lifted upward, like a puppet held by a soft string. This is a gentle lifting that helps the head, neck, and spine organize with more ease.

Second, let the tongue return to its “home” position on the roof of the mouth. When the mouth is at rest, the lips should be closed, the tongue should rest gently along the upper palate, and breathing should happen through the nose.

These two cues work together. The head gently lifts. The tongue rests where it belongs. The lips close. The breath moves through the nose. The body begins to remember alignment.

Why Tongue Position Matters

Many people are surprised to learn how much the tongue can influence posture and development. The tongue is not just for talking, tasting, and eating. At rest, it also acts like a support structure for the upper palate.

When the tongue rests on the roof of the mouth, it gives gentle support to the shape of the palate and upper dental arch. When the tongue habitually rests low in the mouth, especially alongside mouth breathing, the article explains that the palate and airway may be affected over time.

This is especially important for growing children. Childhood is a season of rapid development, and daily patterns matter. How a child breathes, rests their mouth, carries their head, and moves their spine can all become part of their body’s normal pattern.

Mouth Breathing and Posture

The article also discusses how mouth breathing can begin. Sometimes it starts because of allergies, congestion, irritated sinuses, enlarged tonsils, or other barriers to comfortable nose breathing. Once the body adapts to mouth breathing, the tongue drops away from the palate. From there, posture can begin to shift.

When the mouth opens and the tongue drops, the head may tilt back, the jaw may move forward, and the neck may begin to compensate. Over time, this can contribute to forward-head posture, rounded shoulders, shallow breathing, neck tension, and jaw stress.

This is a great reminder that the body is connected. The jaw is not separate from the neck. The neck is not separate from the spine. The spine is not separate from the nervous system. Everything is communicating.

A Simple Posture Reset for the Whole Family

Here is a gentle reset inspired by the article:

Pause and notice where your tongue is resting. Is it on the floor of your mouth, pressing against the teeth, or resting gently on the roof of the mouth?

Now soften your jaw, close your lips, and let the first two-thirds of the tongue rest along the upper palate. The tip of the tongue should rest slightly behind the front teeth, not pushing into them.

Next, imagine a soft string lifting you from the crown of your head. Let your neck lengthen without forcing it. Let your shoulders relax. Breathe through your nose.

This can be practiced while sitting at a desk, standing in line, driving, reading with your child, or waiting at a stoplight. The key is consistency!

How Chiropractic Fits Into the Bigger Picture

Chiropractic care looks at the body as an interconnected system. When spinal alignment, movement, posture, and nervous system communication are working well together, the body is better able to adapt to daily life.

For families, this can be especially valuable because children are constantly growing, learning, moving, and adapting. Healthy posture habits, regular movement, nose breathing awareness, and chiropractic checkups can all be part of a proactive wellness lifestyle.

The message of “Postures for Optimal Growth” is simple but powerful: small changes repeated often can help the body return to a healthier pattern. Your posture does not have to be perfect. Your awareness just needs a place to begin.

So today, take a breath through your nose, let your tongue come home, gently lift through the crown of your head, and give your body the opportunity to remember what ease feels like.

As always, concerns about persistent mouth breathing, snoring, jaw pain, sleep challenges, or growth and development should be discussed with your chiropractor and the appropriate healthcare provider.