Is it actually possible to stop snoring? You've probably been told you snore, and it can be embarrassing. Snoring happens when your airflow is restricted as you sleep, causing the tissues in your mouth, nose, or throat to vibrate.
Occasional snoring is common. However, if you snore too frequently and loudly, this may be associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder that interrupts breathing while you sleep. That's why the first step to reducing snoring is to understand what's causing it.
Below, we'll begin by identifying reasons why people snore, then we'll give you practical changes you can try at home to stop snoring, and an overview of ways to treat sleep disorders that cause snoring.
Why Do I Snore? A Scientific Explanation
As you fall asleep, the muscles in your mouth and throat naturally begin to relax. According to Vena et al. in the Physiological Determinants of Snore Loudness, this relaxation reduces the size of your airway, which results in an increase in airflow and pressure. If your upper airway becomes too narrow, the air you breathe has to squeeze in and out through an even smaller space. That physical restriction then causes vibrations in the nearby tissues in the throat, tongue, soft palate, and uvula, creating that acoustic sound of snoring.
While the above illustration shows the parts involved in snoring, everyone's anatomy is different. Some people have larger palatine tonsils, a longer soft palate, and others a naturally narrow airway. These are all factors that increase the likelihood of snoring while sleeping.
Common Causes of Snoring
Let's look at the different factors that can narrow your airway as you sleep and make its tissues more likely to vibrate:
- If you sleep on your back, your tongue can move toward your throat
- Having a cold, allergies, or nasal congestion can restrict nasal breathing during sleep
- If you have a deviated septum or any other nasal structural issue, this may reduce airflow through the nose
- Alcohol and sedatives can make your throat relax even further
- Excess fat and tissue around your neck may place more pressure on your airway
- Because your muscle tone naturally decreases with age, your throat tissues may relax more while asleep
- Deprivation of sleep may result in greater relaxation in the muscles within the mouth and nasal areas
- Enlarged tonsils, a long soft palate, or a naturally narrow airway can also contribute
Note: It's possible for your family history and anatomy to play a part. According to Hirani & Smiley (2023), snoring and other breathing issues caused by sleep disorders have a strong genetic component due to inherited craniofacial structures.
This is why a remedy that may work well for one person may do nothing for you.
Table Showing a Summary of Snoring Causes
| Possible Cause | Clue | First Step |
| Back Sleeping | You snore worse when sleeping with your face up | Try side sleeping |
| Congestion | You have a blocked nose, or you're breathing through your mouth | Address the congestion |
| Alcohol | You snore worse after evening drinks | Avoid alcohol before bed |
| Possible Sleep Apnea | You experience gasping, pauses, or daytime fatigue | Contact a healthcare provider |
How to Stop Snoring at Home
The best way you can reduce snoring will of course depend on what's restricting your airflow. Now that you have a clue of the possible reasons why you snore, implement one or two changes related to that reason instead of buying several anti-snoring products at once.
Here's what you can do.
1. Change Your Sleeping Position
If your snoring gets worse on your back, sleep on your side. This is because when sleeping on your back, gravity can pull your tongue and other soft tissues in your mouth toward the throat, making the airway narrower.
If you often feel uncomfortable sleeping on your side, use a body pillow to support yourself, and make it harder to roll over to your back. You can also try the old tennis-ball trick. Attach one to the back of your sleepwear, and anytime you lie on your back while asleep, you'll feel uncomfortable and turn to a side sleeping position. This trick works for some people, but the body pillow one is less disruptive.
Another trick in the bag is to slightly elevate your upper body to improve airflow using a wedge or an adjustable bed. There's the option of stacking a few pillows to elevate your head and shoulders, but you'll bend your neck awkwardly and may experience stiffness or neck pain when you wake up.
Side sleeping may take some time getting used to, so a comfortable bed can make all the difference. If you tend to sweat and sleep hot, crisp percale cotton bedding is breathable, and it'll keep you cool through the night. If you prefer something cozier, buttery-smooth sateen has a silkier finish that feels luxurious against the skin.
2. Open Congested Nasal Passages
A blocked nose can force air through narrowed nasal passages or encourage mouth breathing. Treat persistent allergies or congestion with advice from a healthcare professional. Staying hydrated may keep mucus from becoming thick, but water alone won’t cure snoring.
Nasal strips and external nasal dilators may improve your airflow when narrow or congested nasal passages are the problem. They don’t correct an obstruction in your throat and do not treat obstructive sleep apnea.
Regularly washing your bedding can also reduce exposure to dust mites and other allergens that may worsen nighttime congestion.
3. Adjust Habits that Relax or Irritate the Airway
A few lifestyle changes may also help reduce snoring:
- Avoid alcohol in the hours before bed, as it relaxes the throat muscles.
- Ask your healthcare provider about sedating medicines if you think they affect your snoring. Don’t stop prescribed medication on your own.
- Quit smoking, which can irritate and inflame the airway.
- Keep a regular sleep schedule and aim to get enough rest.
- If excess weight contributes to airway pressure, gradual weight loss may reduce snoring. Note that weight isn’t a cause of snoring for everyone, so don't treat it as a universal answer.
Anti-Snoring Devices and Medical Treatments
If you snore persistently, you may need professional assessment, particularly when home remedies haven’t helped. The right treatment will depend on where your airway becomes restricted and whether a sleep disorder is involved.
Oral Appliances and Mouthguards
A fitted oral appliance can move the lower jaw or tongue slightly forward to help keep the upper airway open.
This isn’t the same as wearing a basic sports mouthguard. A qualified sleep or dental specialist should assess and fit the device so it works correctly and doesn’t create new jaw or dental problems.
Chin Straps
Chin straps keep your mouth closed while you sleep. This may help some people who snore, especially if why they snore is linked to breathing through their mouth. Unfortunately, the evidence supporting their effectiveness is limited. Note that chin straps don't treat underlying airway obstruction issues.
CPAP for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, sends pressurized air through a mask to keep the airway open during sleep. When you use it correctly, a CPAP machine can stop snoring caused by obstructive sleep apnea and prevent repeated breathing interruptions.
CPAP is a medical treatment, not a general anti-snoring gadget. A healthcare provider may recommend an at-home test or an overnight sleep study before prescribing it. A sleep study will track breathing, oxygen levels, heart rate, movements, and brain waves.
Surgery and Structural Treatment
Your doctor may consider surgery when physical structures are blocking airflow. Options may include correcting a deviated septum, treating enlarged tissues, or modifying structures in your throat.
These procedures aren’t first-line fixes for ordinary snoring. They require assessment by an appropriate medical specialist.
When Snoring Could Be Sleep Apnea
Hirani & Smiley (2023) explain that snoring alone doesn’t confirm obstructive sleep apnea. However, loud and persistent snoring can be a warning sign, especially when it occurs with:
- Breathing that repeatedly stops and starts
- Gasping, choking, snorting, or sudden awakenings
- Morning headaches or a dry mouth
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Frequent waking during the night
- Feeling unrefreshed after a full night in bed
A partner may notice breathing pauses before the person snoring knows anything is wrong. Contact a healthcare provider or sleep center if you experience these additional symptoms. Proper testing can show whether sleep apnea or another sleep disorder is affecting your breathing and sleep quality.
Important: Don’t try to hide possible sleep apnea with nasal strips, ear plugs, or unverified internet hacks. These may mask the disruption without addressing the underlying airway obstruction.
FAQs
Can Snoring Be Stopped Permanently?
Sometimes. Lasting improvement depends on the cause. Position-related or congestion-related snoring may respond to simple changes, while structural problems or sleep apnea may require professional treatment.
Why Do I Snore More on My Back?
Gravity can pull your tongue and soft tissues toward the back of your throat, limiting airflow and increasing tissue vibration.
Does Sleeping on Your Side Stop Snoring?
It can reduce position-related snoring, but it won’t correct every cause. Nasal obstruction, anatomy, and sleep apnea may still require treatment.
Do Nasal Strips Work for Snoring?
They may help when nasal congestion or narrow nasal passages are responsible. They don’t treat throat obstruction or obstructive sleep apnea.
Does Loud Snoring Always Mean Sleep Apnea?
No. However, loud snoring paired with breathing pauses, gasping, morning headaches, or daytime sleepiness needs medical assessment.
Does Alcohol Make Snoring Worse?
It can. Drinking alcohol before bed relaxes the throat muscles, which may narrow the airway and lead to snoring.
Will Losing Weight Stop Snoring?
It may help when excess tissue around the neck contributes to airway narrowing. Weight loss isn’t the right solution for every snorer.
When Might I Need a Sleep Study?
Speak to a healthcare provider if snoring is loud and regular or comes with choking, breathing pauses, severe tiredness, or concentration problems.
Conclusion
Snoring problems begin when restricted airflow causes relaxed tissues to vibrate. Since the cause varies, the right solution might involve side sleeping, clearing nasal congestion, limiting evening alcohol, sleeping more consistently, or addressing another health factor.
A loud snoring sound accompanied by breathing pauses, gasping, morning headaches, or daytime fatigue needs medical attention.
While bedding can’t treat an obstructed airway, a comfortable setup can make healthier sleep habits easier. Doze’s Quick-Change Duvet Bundles, breathable sheets, and cloud-like bedding help take the wrestling match out of bedtime. Less stuffing, more dozing.
References
- Hirani, R., & Smiley, A. (2023). A scoping review of sleep apnea: where do we stand?. Life, 13(2), 387.
- Vena, D., Gell, L., Messineo, L., Mann, D., Azarbarzin, A., Calianese, N., ... & Sands, S. A. (2024). Physiological determinants of snore loudness. Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 21(1), 114-121.