What is Mewing
In short, mewing is the correct placement of the tongue inside the mouth. The human body works on feedback, and the tongue provides valuable feedback to your body about the development of your facial bones all through your life. Some people are natural mewers, but others - mainly due to nasal congestion - are utilizing wrong tongue posture. As a consequence, their facial development is weak and unappealing.
Wrong Tongue Posture
Tongue placement is a habit. You do not go about your day mindful of it (yet😏).Wrong tongue posture is the placement of your tongue on the bottom of your mouth. This is a common occurrence for *mouth-breathers.
How it Looks
The visible que's for wrong tongue posture are mouth breathing and double chin while you are lean. In general, if your tongue is placed anywhere except the roof of your mouth, you are exhibiting poor tongue posture.
Right Tongue Posture
What is correct tongue posture? Tongue firmly placed on the roof of the mouth. The whole tongue, not only the front. The back of the tongue is especially crucial to this. It should be touching at all times!
How it Looks
Correct tongue posture makes a big difference. The skin at the bottom of your jaw is firmly hugging the bone (no double chin) and obviously you are breathing through your nose (lips sealed at all times).
Mechanism of Mewing
Mewing - aside from its immediate effects - has the capability to remodel your bone structure. Short lesson: The bone on the right is the maxilla. The roof of your mouth is the bottom of your maxilla. That is where your tongue rests.
How it Looks
As your tongue rests on your maxilla, it creates a soft, constant pressure on it. That pressure, pushes the whole maxilla to expand forwards and outwards. Instead of your face being narrow and long, it becomes wider and shorter. Your eyes get better support and your cheekbones become more prominent!
What are Sutures
Short facial bone lesson: Your head is comprised of 22 bones. These bones are connected by sutures. These are fibrous joints connecting the bones of the skull. They are not stationary and they respond to low constant pressure. Specifically, they permanently change positions relative to one another. That is where the constant, yet mild pressure of the tongue comes in. The goal is not to move the bones with it. The goal is to stimulate the bones to move!
Mewing Results
Example 1:
Mewing can help in a lot of different ways. For me, (@spartangum), it helped me make my midface more compact, raised the prominence of my cheekbones and tightened the skin under my jawline. It also helped me a TON with symmetry.
Timeframe
Mewing does not offer significant overnight results. As we discussed, the pressure applied is soft, provoking movement, not forcing it. In a few weeks though, the first results will start to show.
* @spartangum after ~10 months of mewing (and intense chewing).
Example 2:
For me, (@its_all_connected_official), it has made my nose straighter, significantly moved my jaws forwards, and made my eyes more almond-shaped. Friends who knew me a couple years ago barely recognize me today.
Timeframe
I had a number of instances in which I would analyze progress photos and wondered if the little bit of progress I had made even took place. But if I gave into those ideas, I would have never gotten to where I am today. It was 2 years till I made progress I was decently satisfied with.
* @its_all_connected_official after 3 years of various mewing exploits.
Mewing Routine
Day 1
It is normal if you cannot keep your whole tongue on the roof of your mouth at first. Especially the back third, that is the most difficult to achieve. Do not get discouraged though. Mewing takes practice to become a habit. What you should do, is remind yourself to mew as often as possible and at all times.
End Goal
Your end goal with mewing, it to literally be able to do it in your sleep! That's right, you sleep for 8 (hopefully) hours a day, if those 8 hours you do not mew, you are losing out on some serious progress! (If you want a post about mewing in your sleep, comment below.) For the time being, be as mindful as possible about your tongue posture, and correct it every time you catch it slipping. Don't get discouraged, its normal to not get it right away, it takes sooome time!
Mewing Resources
We both have very detailed posts on how to remodel your face backed up by results. Will also be exploring the subject of cranial restructuring further in the near future. Follow us at @spartangum and @its_all_connected_official to stay updated and leave any comments down bellow!
If you want more resources on looking better, check out this article!
Take care you beautiful people!