Airway issues are derailing women’s energy, hormones, and sleep—and most never realize the mouth is where the story begins. This episode reveals the overlooked oral factors silently driving fatigue, anxiety, and chronic symptoms.

In this episode of Healthy Buzz, I sit down with dentist and airway specialist Kristen Geist to unpack how breathing mechanics, tongue position, and oral health directly influence women’s hormones, sleep, and overall health. Kristin shares her personal journey with undiagnosed upper airway resistance syndrome, years of exhaustion, anxiety, and lightheadedness, and how her symptoms were repeatedly dismissed as “just stress.” This conversation is for any woman dealing with fatigue, brain fog, jaw tension, acid reflux, or unrefreshing sleep who has been told everything looks “normal” but still doesn’t feel well.

In this episode:

• How Kristen discovered her own upper airway resistance syndrome after years of symptoms being dismissed

• Why airway issues in women are under-diagnosed and often misattributed to stress or anxiety

• The difference between sleep apnea and UARS, and why “mild” apnea isn’t mild

• How mouth breathing impacts hormones, nervous system regulation, oral microbiome, and gut health

• The role of tongue posture and tongue ties in breathing, jaw pain, headaches, and digestion

• What to know before trying mouth taping, and why nasal breathing is essential

• How oral appliances work, when they help, and when CPAP is still needed

• Daily oral health habits that support whole-body health—from tongue scraping to neutralizing acidity

• Why oral inflammation can shift during perimenopause and menopause

Find an airway-focused provider:

• AADSM Directory (American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine): https://www.aadsm.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23097479645&gbraid=0AAAABBOvoLEa3yX_rG1Saika8AXNer5qR&gclid=CjwKCAiA0eTJBhBaEiwA-Pa-hWxggueUrUg8GX8Hrvw2HrMKU8kIbnrsD89SFnKT7KFNRZm86GKm6BoCT6gQAvD_BwE

• The Breathe Institute provider directory: https://thebreatheinstitute.com/

• Airway Circle provider listings: https://www.airwaycircle.com/directory

Interested in delicious, high-protein recipes? Download your 7-day high-protein plan here: https://bcw.beecollectivewellness.com/high-protein-recipes

Connect with Kristen:

Website: https://stan.store/pranawithdrkristen?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnqgHwMDvalKRSPNQxZSj0jbqRzf0UHEeXxVBTbEY2oVMlus_RTP5yliJn5NI_aem_mwOBw6qFNacvq6wX5ZkRJw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pranawithdrkristen/

Email: pranasleepandwellness@gmail.com

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