7 Ways to Stop Snoring - GoodRx (2024)

Everyone hates it when something disrupts their sleep. But for people who snore or sleep near someone who snores, sleep interruptions can become commonplace. If you’re one of the many adults who snore, you (or your sleeping partner) may be looking for how to stop snoring and wondering whether different snoring devices can help.

Why do you snore so much?

Snoring is common, and there are many reasons a person may snore —including the common cold. But for about 40% of adults, snoring is a regular part of their nighttime routine.

Snoring is caused by the vibration of soft tissues obstructing the throat during sleep.

Many people associate snoring with obstructive sleep apnea, but there are other causes of snoring, too. The cause of your snoring is important because it determines the best treatment to fix it.

Here are the most common causes of snoring:

• Obstructive sleep apnea: This is a sleep-related breathing disorder where the airway is blocked and breathing stops during sleep. These episodes recur throughout the night and can lead to low oxygen levels and fragmented sleep.

• Obesity: Excess body weight can lead to health complications. The pressure of the extra body weight on the airway can cause narrowing that can lead to snoring.

• Nasal septum deviation: This is a defect in the structure of your nose that can complicate breathing.

• Nasal congestion: Blockages in your nasal airways, usually due to infection or allergy, can cause mouth breathing.

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• Back sleeping position: Sleeping on your back narrows your airway and can worsen snoring.

4 ways to stop snoring

1. Lose excess weight

Many people struggle with losing excess weight. The good news is that weight loss can help with snoring, but only in people who snore and have excess weight to lose. If that’s your situation, getting your weight closer to a target body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m2 can improve snoring.

But if you have a BMI that’s already 25 or under, then weight reduction is unlikely to help with snoring. Weight loss can be especially useful if the cause of your snoring is related to obesity and obstructive sleep apnea.

2. Limit alcohol and hypnotics at night

If you drink alcohol or take prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) sleep medication at night, this is likely to contribute to your snoring problem. Alcohol and sleeping pills relax the throat muscles around your airway, making it more likely to collapse during sleep. While alcohol and sleep medications may help you feel sleepier, ironically, both can worsen the quality of your sleep.

If you’re having trouble with falling asleep or staying asleep, consider sticking to a daily sleep routine and removing any electronics from your sleep space. Here are some other options you can try in place of alcohol and sleep medications.

3. Try a steroid nasal spray

Nasal congestion, mainly due to infection or allergies, causes swelling of the tissues in the nasal passageways. This makes those airways narrow, which leads to mouth breathing and snoring. Nasal steroid sprays can help relieve nasal congestion and improve nasal breathing during sleep. Your snoring will likely get better when you rely less on mouth breathing.

Here are some OTC steroid nasal sprays you might want to try:

• Budesonide (Rhinocort)

• Fluticasone (Flonase)

• Triamcinolone (Nasacort)

4. Avoid sleeping on your back

Sleeping on your back (the “supine” position) shrinks your airway, sometimes by as much as 30%. When you lie down, the weight of your neck, chest, and abdominal tissues increase pressure on the throat and can cause turbulent airflow, or snoring. Luckily, turning on your side when you sleep is a quick fix. Sleeping on your side can decrease your sleep interruptions by up to 50%.

3 anti-snoring devices to stop snoring

If you’ve worked through the recommendations above, and you’re still looking for a solution to your snoring problem, here are three anti-snoring devices that may help stop or prevent snoring altogether.

1. Nasal dilators and strips

If your nasal passages are blocked up, but a nasal spray hasn’t done the trick, sometimes declogging them can solve the issue. Nasal dilators can do this for you. Nasal dilators are devices you place inside your nostrils or outside your nose (it depends on the type).

External nasal dilators, like Breathe Right Nasal Strips, are more commonly recommended in the U.S. These OTC products improve nasal breathing and are more useful if your snoring is not related to obstructive sleep apnea.

2. Oral appliances

Dentists can make custom oral appliances that fit specifically for you. They focus on your mouth, rather than your nose. One of these devices can increase your upper airway size during sleep. They work by changing the position of your jaw, soft palate, and tongue to maximize the space in your mouth.

Like nasal dilators, oral appliances are more effective if your snoring is not due to obstructive sleep apnea. These devices take a bit more work to get — you’ll need to find a dental specialist who can measure your mouth and find the right device for you.

3. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine

If your snoring is caused by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is your best bet for improving your sleep and snoring. A CPAP machine also reduces the pressure that OSA places on your heart, and it may reduce the risk of long-term health complications associated with OSA. The research in this area is ongoing.

CPAP machines work by pushing a constant flow of air into your airway, nose, or mouth (it depends on the model). You use it overnight to keep them from collapsing with sleep. Talk to your primary healthcare provider or sleep specialist about whether a CPAP machine might be an option for you.