If You Snore, This Is the First Product You Should Try Using
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IF YOU HAVE a snoring problem, it's likely you've experienced the whole gamut of issues that comes from your obstructed airways. Hopefully you've gone to get your snoring checked out. If not, then we recommend seeing a medical professional first and foremost before you start throwing the kitchen sink at it. If you have received expert opinion on your snoring, then you at least have a solid idea of how serious your snoring is; which then leads to the ability to pursue potential solutions in products like anti-snoring devices.
What Are Some Symptoms of Snoring?
Just so you have a refresh, snoring is caused by obstructed airways."Frequent snoring is not normal and can be caused by multiple reasons, including allergies, nasal congestion, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, large collar size, or when the tongue falls back and blocks the throat," says sleep scientist Carleara Weiss, PhD, MS, RN. Even if you are a light snorer, Weiss notes you can experience feelings of constant fatigue, dry mouth, sore throat, headache, mood swings and more. "If a person is experience any of these symptoms, they should seek medical evaluation for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) before considering any at-home anti-snoring treatment solutions," says Weiss.
What Is the Most Effective Anti-Snoring Device?
As mentioned earlier, snoring can be caused by a number of factors. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to snoring. The first place you can start in looking for an effective anti-snoring device, though, is by adjusting your sleep position and pillow. "I recommend changing sleep position—side sleep typically reduces snoring—and using a medium-firm pillow for optimal neck and head support," says Weiss. Adjusting your sleep position in this manner could help open up the airways and potentially help alleviate your snoring.
If altering your sleep position doesn't work, then you can start exploring anti-snoring products like nose dilators, mouth guards, and more. With the help of Weiss, we did the research for you on which anti-snoring devices could prove to be helpful (and which devices are worth skipping). Keep scrolling to read our full list.
Cloud Memory Foam Pillow
According to Weiss, the ideal sleeping position to potentially help alleviate snoring is going to be on your side. Consider this medium to firm style pillow from MH-favorite brand Saatva. The Cloud memory foam pillow material will help contour to your body, and its gel-infused proprietary blend top will provide bllissful cooling.
Heritage Gen3
While the Oura Ring won’t stop snoring on its own, it can help you track your efforts and show how well you are sleeping. The Oura Ring includes an array of sensors, including an infrared optical pulse measurement sensor, a 3D accelerometer, and a gyroscope, to help provide detailed insights into sleep stages like deep sleep, REM sleep, and wakefulness.
Understanding your sleep habits with the Oura Ring's sleep tracking can help you improve your overall wellness. Add it to your arsenal so you can track if your sleep is improving during your anti-snoring device testing (you can't measure what you can't track, after all).
Unisex Classic Nasal Dilators
The Air Max nasal dilator offers a simple way to promote better sleep. "This works by opening the nose to keep the airways open and ensure adequate airflow during sleep, which would ensure satisfactory brain oxygen levels during sleep," says Weiss. Many individuals credit nasal dilators with providing a more comfortable rest, likely due to at least helping relieve some of the effects of snoring (but not necessarily curing their snoring). What's nice about nasal dilators is they are affordable and come in a bunch of different designs, so you can try out ones to see which is most comfortable.
The Air Max dilator you see here is a popular seller due to the product's ability to reach up higher into the nostril to open up the passageway more fully.
Breathe Right Nasal Strips Extra Strength Tan Nasal Strips (26 ct)
Nasal dilators also come in a strip form (called nasal strips). Instead of entering the nostril, nasal strips sit on top of the nose and use embedded elastic bands to pull open the nostrils. Breathe Right is a top seller for nasal strips due to its simple designs and ready availability (both online and at local drug stores).
Breathe Right's extra strength strips designed for sensitive skin are the best of their lot. With up to 50% more "spring" than their original strips, this one will open up even the stuffiest of noses. Easy, convenient, and a perfect on-the-go option.
Smart Nora Anti-Snoring Device
Unlike traditional mouthguards or nasal strips, Smart Nora is a contact-free and non-invasive device made to help limit snoring. The tech works is by placing a small white device (called the "Pebble") on your nightstand, and then connecting it the grey air pump. The Pebble then listens at night for snoring and transmits a message to the air pump, which then activates the white inflatable pillow insert to inflate or deflate to help change your head and neck position and open up the airways.
What's cool is you can adjust the sensitivity level of the Pebble and the amount of motion in your pillow to find your optimal setting. "I think a link to new tech is always nice to see," says Weiss. "I would recommend devices like this are for snoring only, so if the person has OSA it will not solve the problem."
Nasal Dilators Starter Kit
Some individuals find regular nasal strips aren't strong enough and nasal dilators are too intrusive. If you think that could be you, then consider taking a combination approach with the Intake Breathing set—a two-part system that sits comfortably on the outside of your nose and uses magnets to open up the nostril.
The magnets sit secured on a reusable band, while the breathing tabs, containing a steel disk, rest gently on your nostrils with a small tab of adhesive attached. Voila! Stronger nasal expansion and better breathing without an interior nasal dilator.
Functional Activator
Weiss only recommends considering a mouthguard if you do not have OSA. "They work very well for teeth grinding and bruxism but are not the solution for OSA—which many, but not all, people who snore have," says Weiss.
Mouth guards are popular as anti-snoring devices because they are are easy to set up. We like this one from Posturepro due to its unique design that trains your tongue to stay high on the palate. The theory behind this, according to the brand, is the positioning could promote better oral and postural health, thus leading to improved breathing and reduced snoring.
Meet the Expert
Carleara Weiss, PhD, MS, RN, Sleep Scientist
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