What is the Spiritual Meaning of Biting Your Tongue in Your Sleep?

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The symbolism of biting your tongue in your sleep, dreams, & more

Co-authored by Devin McSween Reviewed by Stina Garbis

Last Updated: August 14, 2023 Fact Checked

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Spiritual Meanings

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Dream Interpretations

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Religious & Cultural Meanings

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Good or Bad Omen?

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Biting During the Day Meaning

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How to Stop Biting Your Tongue

According to many cultures and religious beliefs, biting your tongue as you sleep holds profound meanings for your life and spirituality. While nighttime biting can be annoying or even painful, it might be a sign to express yourself if you’re repressing your feelings, or a reminder to think before you speak. Read on to learn about the various spiritual meanings of biting your tongue in your sleep, what it symbolizes in your dreams, what it means to different religions, and plenty more!

Things You Should Know

Biting your tongue in your sleep can be a sign to watch what you say. It’s a reminder that your words can hurt others or yourself.
If you’re repressing your emotions, nighttime tongue biting can be a sign from your guardian angel to open yourself up and be vulnerable.
A dream about biting your tongue might be a sign to deal with negative emotions that you’re suppressing or that are bringing you stress.

Section 1 of 6:

Spiritual Meanings of Biting Your Tongue in Your Sleep

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You may need to watch what you say Biting your tongue in your sleep is believed to be a sign to think before you speak. Your guardian angel or spirit guides might be reminding you that your words have power and can affect your friends, family, coworkers, and yourself. So, they’re telling you to choose your words carefully for your sake and others’ wellbeing.^{[1]
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- Biting your tongue can be a warning that people are using your words to betray you. It’s a sign to be careful about what you reveal and to whom.
- Or, biting your tongue can be a punishment for speaking badly about people. Your guardian angel might be chastising you that gossiping is hurtful and can bring you bad luck.
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You’re repressing your emotions If you have pent-up anger, frustration, or sadness, you might bite your tongue in your sleep to release your negative feelings. This might be a spiritual sign to reflect on what is causing your emotions in your waking life and to deal with your negative feelings. When you find the source of your issues, you can let go of what’s bothering you and find peace.
- When you start feeling negative, reflect on the source of your emotions. Are you upset because of something you did, or something someone said?
- Then, talk to a friend or family member about how you’re feeling. They can help you calm down and find a solution to your problem.
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You’re having difficulty expressing your feelings Biting your tongue in your sleep can mean you don’t feel in control of your life, whether that’s at work or in your relationship. You might feel insecure or scared to bring up your feelings, which can manifest as biting your tongue in your sleep. So, take this as a sign to be vulnerable in your relationships and express how you feel.
- Your guardian angel is reminding you that telling others how you feel helps you process your emotions, feel supported, and deal with what’s bothering you.
- Talk to a trusted friend or family member about your fears to help yourself open up. Then, express yourself creatively by journaling, painting, or singing.
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You’re revealing your secrets Sometimes, biting your tongue can be a spiritual message that you’re disclosing too much to your friends, coworkers, or acquaintances. While it’s great to be open with the people in your life, sometimes it’s okay to keep your innermost thoughts to yourself; sharing everything can hurt others or come back to bite you.^{[2]
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- For example, you might think your partner cleans up the kitchen wrong and feel compelled to criticize their efforts. Nitpicking about something small might cause your partner to feel unappreciated and do more harm than good.
- To help get out your emotions and process them, start journaling your thoughts.
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You're on someone's mind Waking up with a bitten tongue is often considered a sweet sign that a friend or acquaintance is thinking of you. This might mean that they’re dreaming about you, or they’re harboring a secret crush and they want to be with you.
- Biting your tongue can also indicate that your partner, friends, or family members are proud of you and everything you’ve accomplished.
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You’re feeling stressed out If you’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed at work or in your personal life, you might start biting your tongue in your sleep. Whether you’re dealing with a stressful workload, a job change, or conflicts in your relationships, biting your tongue might be a way for you to get out your anxiety and negative energy.^{[3]
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- Take biting your tongue as a sign to practice self-care. Make time in your day to go for a walk, hang out with your friends, and enjoy your hobbies to help you destress.
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You could be the subject of gossip Biting your own tongue as you sleep can be a warning from your guardian angel that someone you trust wants to betray you. For example, a coworker might spread rumors to hurt your chances at a promotion, or a friend might gossip about you in hopes of ruining your good reputation.^{[4]
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- After you bite your tongue in your sleep, watch what you say to the people in your life. Follow your intuition about who to trust—if someone makes you uneasy and gives you bad vibes, back off from being their friend.
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You’re fighting with someone If you’re holding your tongue in an argument with your friend or partner, you might bite down on your tongue in your sleep to symbolize the feelings and frustrations you’re withholding. By biting your tongue, your spirit guides might be telling you that keeping your feelings inside does nothing to improve your relationship.^{[5]
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- So, take this as a sign to resolve the conflict. Calmly confront your friend or partner and express your feelings with “I” statements. Listen to their side and then work to come up with a compromise that makes you both happy.
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You’re being dishonest When you’re withholding the truth or your real feelings from your friends, family, or partner, you might find yourself biting your tongue in your sleep. Whether you covered up a mistake at work or lied about why you missed a date, your guardian angel might gently remind you to apologize so you can live your life more openly and positively.^{[6]
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- While you apologize to the people you hurt to show your remorse and make the situation better, apologizing can also help you feel less stressed, guilty, and stop your nighttime tongue-biting.
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You’re disconnected from your spirituality Biting your tongue in your sleep can be a message from your spirit guides that you're neglecting your spiritual practice. It might have taken the back burner due to work stress or a new relationship, so this can be your sign to refocus your energy and reconnect with your spirituality.^{[7]
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- While life changes might have turned your focus from your spirituality, your guardian angel might be reminding you that prayer, meditation, and other practices can help you center yourself and find security amid instability.

Section 2 of 6:

Dream Interpretations of Biting Your Tongue in Your Sleep

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Biting your tongue can mean you're suppressing your feelings. In general, dreaming about biting your own tongue holds similar spiritual meanings to biting it in real life. This can be a sign to improve your communication and be vulnerable to address and deal with negative emotions that are making you feel angry, sad, guilty, or hurt.^{[8]
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- Write down everything you remember after you wake up to interpret your dreams. Recording what happened, where you were, who you were with, and how you were feeling can help you uncover the deeper significance.
- For example, biting your tongue while you’re upset and talking to your friend can indicate that you are arguing with them in real life.
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Biting someone else's tongue can mean you want to prevent conflict. A dream about biting your friend, partner, or family member’s tongue can represent an argument you're having with them in real life. This can mean that you’re trying to hold them back and keep the peace instead of solving the conflict.
- If you and your friend or partner aren’t seeing eye-to-eye about an issue, be the bigger person and work towards a compromise.
- For example, if you and your partner are arguing about your spending habits, you might both present the number you’re comfortable spending and then find an amount in the middle that works for both of you.

Section 3 of 6:

Religious and Cultural Meanings of Biting Your Tongue in Your Sleep

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Proverb 17:28 in the Bible references biting your tongue in order to appear wise and prevent making a fool of yourself. Many Christians take this as a message to sit back and listen to God’s or their guardian angel’s guidance.^{[9]
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In Hinduism, a bitten tongue represents inner conflict and the throat chakra. According to Hindu beliefs, waking up with a bitten tongue can mean you’re dealing with stress and negative energy in your life.^{[10]
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Research source} The tongue is believed to be tied to the throat chakra, which is an energy center that deals with communication and expression. So, biting your tongue can mean your throat chakra is blocked.
- To open your throat chakra, journal your thoughts and feelings, sing along to your favorite song, and stretch your neck.
To many Muslims, accidentally biting down on your tongue in your sleep means you’re dealing with anxiety and insecurity in your waking life. This is considered a sign to pray to Allah for guidance and bring peace back into your life.^{[11]
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According to Filipino tradition, after you accidentally bite your tongue, you ask a friend to give you a number between 1 through 26. The number they give you corresponds with a letter in the alphabet (e.g. 1 equals “A” and 26 equals “Z”) and the first letter of the person’s name who is spreading rumors behind your back.^{[12]
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Section 4 of 6:

Is biting your tongue in your sleep a good or bad omen?

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Typically, biting your tongue in your sleep is regarded as a sign to be cautious and watch what you say. Speaking without thinking or sharing your innermost thoughts can cause you to hurt other people’s feelings. Or, it can give people who don’t have your best intentions at heart the ammo to betray you or damage your reputation.^{[13]
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Section 5 of 6:

What does tongue biting mean during the day?

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Biting your tongue during the day can be a sign to control your words. If you bite your tongue while eating breakfast or as you’re going about your day, it might be a message from your guardian angel to think carefully about your words and actions. The universe is warning you that losing control of yourself might harm your personal and professional relationships.^{[14]
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- To improve your self-control, pay attention to the moments when you blurt out your thoughts or act impulsively. Then, come up with a distraction to prevent your behavior. You might get up and go for a walk, or count down from 100.

Section 6 of 6:

How to Stop Biting Your Tongue In Your Sleep

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Practice relaxation techniques to lower your stress. If you’re dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety in your life, you might bite your tongue and grind your teeth in your sleep.^{[15]
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Johns Hopkins Medicine
Official resource database of the world-leading Johns Hopkins Hospital

Go to source} To reduce your stress, practice yoga, meditate, or do deep-breathing exercises daily. These techniques help you relieve tension, feel positive and confident, and sleep more soundly.^{[16]
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Mayo Clinic
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- Make your bedroom cozy and relaxing, too. Get a good night’s rest by limiting your screen time before bed, turning off your lights, and keeping your room cool.
You might bite your tongue in your sleep if you also grind or grate your teeth, which is called bruxism. Wearing a nighttime mouth guard helps stop you from biting down on your tongue and lessens the force, too. Just visit your doctor or dentist to get fitted for a mouth guard.^{[17]
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Johns Hopkins Medicine
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Biting your tongue in your sleep might be due to underlying conditions like epilepsy, muscle spasms, sleep apnea, and mental health disorders, or certain medications. If your tongue biting gets worse or is severely impacting your sleep, work with your doctor to find treatments that help relieve it and any underlying conditions.^{[18]
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Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

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