How to stop snoring: what actually works

What’s going on

Snoring is the sound of soft tissue at the back of your throat vibrating as air moves past it. It gets louder when that airway narrows, which happens more when your throat muscles relax in sleep.

It’s common. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) says about 40% of adult men and 24% of adult women snore habitually.

The fixes below work on what narrows your airway: gravity, alcohol, a blocked nose, extra neck tissue and a jaw that slides back. They go from free to paid.

Not sure which cause is yours? The snoring pattern finder can help you start in the right place.

Before you start, a quick check. Loud snoring with gasping, choking or pauses in breathing, or feeling tired after a full night, can be signs of sleep apnea. If that sounds like you, take the 2-minute “Should I get tested?” checklist first.

Sleep apnea needs a physician, not a snoring gadget.

What helps

1. Sleep on your side

Sleeping on your side Some often helps if you snore mostly on your back. On your back, gravity lets your tongue fall back and narrow your airway. The AASM and MedlinePlus both list side sleeping as a first step.

Staying on your side is the hard part. A body pillow behind your back can help. So can a snug backpack or a pocket sewn on the back of a sleep shirt with a tennis ball in it.

2. Skip alcohol close to bedtime

Less alcohol Some near bedtime can reduce snoring. Alcohol relaxes your throat muscles, so the tissue collapses and vibrates more easily. MedlinePlus also suggests cutting back on other sedatives at bedtime.

If you have a prescription that makes you sleepy, don’t stop it on your own. Ask your doctor whether the timing or dose could change.

3. Treat a stuffy nose

A blocked nose makes you pull harder to get air in. According to ENT Health, that extra suction pulls the soft throat tissue together. Some people only snore during allergy season or with a cold.

Treating the cause can help. The AASM notes that a decongestant before bed may improve airflow if you have allergies. Ask a pharmacist or doctor which one suits you.

A humidifier Weak may make a dry throat feel better, but there’s no good evidence it quiets snoring.

A nose that’s blocked most of the time is worth a visit to your doctor. A deviated septum or nasal polyps can cause it.

4. Lose weight, if you’re carrying extra

Weight loss Strong can ease sleep apnea in people with overweight or obesity, and it may help snoring too. Extra weight adds soft tissue around the neck, which narrows the airway. MedlinePlus puts it plainly: it may help, but thin people snore too.

5. Try mouth and throat exercises

Mouth and throat exercises Some, also called myofunctional therapy, train the tongue and throat muscles. A 2015 review found snoring improved in adults who did them. The studies were small, and the exercises only work if you keep doing them.

6. Nasal strips or dilators

Nasal strips and dilators Weak open the front of your nose. A 2016 review found they improved nasal breathing but didn’t change sleep apnea measures.

They’re worth trying if your snoring seems to start in your nose. Our nasal strips vs nasal dilators guide compares the two.

7. Mouth tape: be careful

Mouth tape Weak + warning has weak evidence and real risks. A 2025 review found only 10 small studies, and just 2 showed any benefit. The authors warned of a serious risk of harm when the nose is blocked.

Never tape your mouth if your nose is stuffy or blocked, or if you might have sleep apnea. More in is mouth taping safe?

8. Anti-snore pillows

Anti-snore pillows Weak have little evidence behind them. One small trial of 22 people found less snoring with a pillow that turned the head.

A wedge that raises your head and chest is a sensible, low-risk thing to try. See the best pillow for snoring.

9. A jaw-advancing mouthpiece

A jaw-advancing mouthpiece Strong holds your lower jaw slightly forward while you sleep. That pulls your tongue forward and opens the space behind it. The AASM and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine recommend oral appliances over no treatment for adults with snoring alone.

That recommendation covers oral appliances as a group, not store-bought ones in particular. The AASM doesn’t recommend over-the-counter devices, and results with them vary more.

Many over-the-counter versions are FDA-cleared to reduce snoring in adults. None is cleared for sleep apnea.

They’re usually boil-and-bite: you soften the plastic in hot water, then bite into it. Some adjust in small steps, which lets you use the least jaw advance that works.

Don’t use one if you:

• Are under 18
• Have signs of sleep apnea, or central sleep apnea
• Have loose teeth, gum disease, dentures or braces
• Have jaw joint problems (TMJ disorders)
• Have had recent implants or major dental work

Mouthpieces can cause jaw soreness and changes in how your teeth meet. If pain doesn’t settle, or your bite feels different through the day, stop and see your dentist. More in snoring mouthpiece side effects and how jaw-advancing mouthpieces work.

What a dentist or doctor can do

If none of this helps, see your doctor. MedlinePlus says to go if you’re often tired during the day, don’t feel you sleep well, or wake up gasping. Your doctor may order a sleep test to check for sleep apnea.

An ear, nose and throat doctor can look for nose, tonsil or palate problems, sometimes with a small camera. A dentist trained in dental sleep medicine can make a custom mouthpiece from impressions of your teeth. For sleep apnea, a custom appliance Some is an option once a physician has made the diagnosis.

What not to do

• Don’t pile on sleeping pills or a nightcap to sleep through it. Sedatives relax the throat further.
• Don’t assume quiet means fixed. Sleep apnea can continue with less noise, so pay attention to how you feel during the day.
• Don’t use an over-the-counter mouthpiece to self-treat suspected sleep apnea. Get tested first.