Snoring is more than an annoying nocturnal quirk; it’s a problem that can affect your relationships, sleep quality and health. Fortunately, certain lifestyle changes and products can help you manage this common problem.

What causes snoring?

Snoring occurs when the airflow through the mouth and nose is partially blocked during sleep. The blockage causes the surrounding tissue to vibrate and produce sound – snoring.

Various factors can narrow the airways and cause snoring, including relaxed throat muscles or a backward sliding tongue. Here are some common factors that make snoring more likely:

• being overweight, which adds extra tissue around the neck that compresses the airways
• nasal problems as a deviated septum
• 
  nasal polyps
• congestion from colds or allergies
• structural features, such as a long soft palate or uvula (the back of the mouth), or swollen tonsils or adenoids
• poor muscle tone due to aging
• alcohol and certain medications that cause the airways to collapse more easily.

In some cases, snoring can indicate sleep apnea, a serious condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. You can read more about sleep apnea below.

Anti-snoring products

Anti-snoring products, such as oral appliances or positional aids, can reduce snoring when used correctly. These devices most often work by helping to keep your airways open during sleep. This reduces the vibrations that cause snoring.

Anti-snoring devices are often self-administered. If a device doesn’t relieve your snoring, your doctor can help you explore other treatment options and address any underlying causes.

Positional aids

Research shows that sleeping on the side (rather than on the back) can significantly reduce both the intensity and duration of snoring in many people without sleep apnea. For some people, positional aids that encourage side sleeping are a convenient and inexpensive way to reduce snoring.

Positional aids can range from tennis balls sewn into the back of nightwear to specialized devices that cause your body to change position. Specialized vests, pillows and alarms are examples of positional aids that can help snorers who struggle to maintain a side sleeper position.

ONE literature review published in Sleep & breathing found that the effectiveness of position aids varies from product to product. For example, vests with inflatable chambers were found to reduce snoring by more than half in position-dependent snorers. Wedge pillows also significantly reduced snoring. On the other hand, wearable alarm devices that alerted snorers if they slept on their backs did not lead to significant improvement in snoring frequency.

Researchers found that some users did not use the devices for a long time due to discomfort issues. Despite mixed results, positional aids remain a low-risk option worth trying for snorers, especially those who notice improvements when sleeping on their side.

Oral appliances

Oral appliances work by keeping the airway open during sleep. These appliances fit over the teeth as retainers and work by moving the jaw or holding the tongue forward to prevent airway obstruction.

Oral appliances can improve the quality of sleep for both the user and their bed partner. When prescribed by a doctor and fitted by a dentist, these devices can be a comfortable and effective solution to managing chronic snoring. (You can also buy over-the-counter “boil and bite” oral appliances that you mold yourself.)

While oral appliances can be effective, they are not without potential drawbacks. Some users experience temporary side effects such as drooling or jaw discomfort. And long-term use can lead to problems like changes in bite alignment. However, many people adjust to these devices with minimal discomfort, especially when properly fitted and regularly monitored by a dentist.

Units

A relatively new device, called eXciteOSA, was approved by the FDA to reduce snoring and mild sleep apnea. The device is worn in the mouth and used while awake. It helps with snoring by strengthening the tongue muscles to prevent airway obstruction during sleep. It works by delivering gentle electrical stimulation through a mouthpiece with electrodes placed above and below the tongue.

In a clinical trial, users completed daily 20-minute sessions for six weeks, followed by weekly maintenance sessions. The trial showed improvements in the severity of sleep apnea as well as the percentage of time spent snoring loudly. Side effects included excessive salivation, gagging, and tongue discomfort.

Lifestyle changes to reduce snoring

Reducing the frequency and intensity of snoring does not necessarily require spending money on a device. Some (Free) lifestyle changes can help you reduce snoring.

• Avoid alcohol. Refrain from drinking alcohol within three hours of bedtime to prevent airway muscles from relaxing too much during sleep.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Weight loss can reduce the amount of tissue in the neck and throat, which reduces airway obstruction.
• Solve nasal problems. Use saline rinses for a stuffy nose, minimize allergens in your bedroom, and consider a humidifier or medication for swollen nasal tissues.
• Stop smoking. Smoking irritates and inflames the upper respiratory tract, increasing the likelihood of snoring. Even exposure to secondhand smoke can contribute to the problem.
• Adjust sleeping position. Sleep on your side to prevent your tongue from blocking your airway. Try a body pillow, or sew a tennis ball to the back of your nightie to keep off your back.
• Lift your head. Use extra pillows, a wedge pillow, or raise the head of your bed to improve airflow.

These strategies can help with simple snoring. However, if symptoms such as gasping, night awakenings or daytime sleepiness persist, see a doctor to check for sleep apnea.

Could your snoring be a sign of sleep apnea?

Snoring can sometimes be a warning sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder that causes people to repeatedly stop breathing for short periods during sleep. Other signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, morning headaches, or waking up feeling groggy.

It is important to see a doctor if you (or your bed partner) suspect you have sleep apnea. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, strain on the cardiovascular system and other health problems.

To determine if snoring is a sign of sleep apnea, your doctor will ask about your symptoms and perform a physical exam. They may check for physical factors such as a narrowed airway, a large neck circumference, or high blood pressure, all of which may indicate a higher risk of OSA.

When doctors suspect sleep apnea, they typically recommend a sleep study to confirm the diagnosis. While sleep studies were once performed exclusively in laboratories at night, home-based sleep studies are now widely available and can provide sufficient data for diagnosis in many cases.