Is your jaw holding unresolved stress?

Why the jaw acts as your body’s “emotional storage unit”.

I went to a meditation class recently, and while it was incredibly relaxing, it made me realise how much I struggled to relax my face. The instructor kept circling back to our breathing, asking us to let go of any tension in our bodies, faces and jaws. I exhaled, letting myself loosen up, only to find my jaw almost automatically clench back up.

Since then, I’ve tried to be more aware of how often I’m clenching my jaw. Throughout the day, and even when I wake up during the night, I check in, only to notice that my jaw is still locked and my face feels tense.

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As it turns out, jaw tension is very common. Left unchecked, it can develop into temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ/TMD), which affects up to 60 to 70 per cent of the population, with women four times more likely to experience it.

Jaw tension is also something that dermal therapist Elisa Osmo sees frequently in her clinic, Glow Medispa. According to Elisa, it’s particularly common among people who are stressed, time-poor and working in high-pressure jobs.

“I often notice tight masseter muscles, limited jaw mobility and tenderness around the TMJ area,” she explains. “Many clients don’t realise that they’re holding tension until the area is touched during treatment.”

Although the symptoms might show up in physical ways, TMJ can be directly linked to stress and emotional issues, bubbling beneath the surface.

What causes jaw tension?

Jaw tension is most often caused by the clenching or grinding of teeth, usually subconsciously. It can feel like a dull, constant ache or show up as tightness or stiffness when trying to move your jaw. Jaw pain can also cause popping or clicking, and, as Elisa explains, can contribute to headaches, migraines, facial pain and even facial asymmetry.

“Over time, [clenching] creates habitual muscle contraction that the body no longer recognises as abnormal,” she adds.

The link between jaw tension and stress

The exact cause of jaw tension depends on the person. For some people, it can result from a misalignment in the top and bottom rows of your teeth, sleep apnea, snoring or smoking. But for others, it can be a physical manifestation of stress and anxiety.

“Effectively, the jaw acts as the body’s ‘emotional storage unit’,” Elisa tells me. “When the nervous system is under pressure, the body shifts into a subtle ‘fight-or-flight’ mode. Instinctively, the masseter and temporalis muscles clamp down to protect us.”

The temporomandibular joint acts as a hinge, connecting your jaw to your skull. It’s important for a range of daily activities, like speaking, chewing, yawning and expressing emotion. In holistic and traditional modalities, the jaw is also seen as the centre of communication. “When we swallow our words or hold back frustration, that energy is physically held in the jaw, leading to a locked, hardened expression,” she explains.

How to tell if you’re holding stress or trauma in your jaw

Aesthetically, overactive jaw muscles can create facial imbalance, heaviness in the lower face and tension-related puffiness. Long-term tension can also impact posture and neck alignment, while other signs your jaw is holding onto unaddressed emotional stress might be swelling and water retention in your face, congested skin or puffiness.

However, given that jaw clenching and tightening can happen subconsciously, it’s hard to recognise it in the moment. Elissa’s tip for a simple check-in is, even as you’re reading this, to pause and notice whether your teeth are touching, even when your face is relaxed. Ideally, there should be space between them.

Treating and managing jaw tension

The first step to addressing jaw tension is to acknowledge it. “Awareness is powerful,” Elisa says. “Once people become conscious of their clenching habits, they can actively interrupt the pattern.”

From there, there are a few ways to approach it. One avenue she suggests is through a facial or an intra-oral (buccal) massage. Treatments like Glow Medispa’s Buccal Contour Facial work from both outside and inside the mouth to target deep muscle tension. By accessing the masseter and internal cheek muscles directly, it aims to release muscular knots, improve lymphatic flow and boost circulation.

Another option is a slightly less invasive treatment, like Ma Saj’s TMJ Relief massage, which aims to dissolve tension and support muscles in the back, chest and hips. Or there’s lymphatic drainage.

“Gua sha therapy is an effective tool for relieving muscle tension and encouraging lymphatic drainage,” Elisa explains. When performed, either by a therapist or at home, it’s said to help soften tight jaw muscles, reduce inflammation and promote relaxation.

Beyond that, stress management tools and nervous system regulation can be equally important when it comes to combating jaw tension. Whether that’s meditation, yoga, deep breathing, physical movement or mindfulness, it’s worth addressing the root cause of day-to-day stress and anxiety.

Another simple, everyday way to combat a tight jaw is by setting small reminders throughout the day to unclench and soften. From reminder alerts on your phone to sticking a post-it note in your eyeline, scheduling moments of awareness to relax your face can prevent tension from building throughout the day.

When it comes to chronic jaw pain, it’s always worth consulting a professional directly. Night guards or dental treatment might be needed to help with severe grinding, while physiotherapists can recommend specific exercises and help create a personal treatment plan.

For more on the effect of stress on the body, try this.