Written by Associate Professor Dr Jack Gerschman, dental sleep medicine specialist.
Quick answer: the right fix depends on where the vibration is actually happening. If it's your nose — congestion, allergies, a naturally narrow nasal passage — nasal strips are usually the answer. If it's your throat or jaw, a mandibular advancement device (MAD) is the gold standard. Most people are a bit of both. Here's how to tell which is you, and what to actually do about it.
(For the full breakdown of what causes snoring in the first place, see Why Do People Snore?.)
Work out where it's coming from
A couple of quick questions do most of the diagnostic work:
- Do you feel congested, or breathe better through your mouth than your nose? That points to a nasal cause.
- Does your partner say the snoring happens even when you're not sick or congested, especially lying on your back? That points to a throat or jaw cause — the airway collapsing regardless of what your nose is doing.
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Does it get worse after alcohol, or as the night goes on? Also throat-related — those muscles relax further, not your nasal passages.
If it's your nose
Nasal strips work by holding the nostrils open from the outside, so you're not forced into mouth-breathing overnight. It's a same-night fix — no adjustment period, nothing to mould or fit.
Shop Happy Sleep Nasal Strips →
If it's your throat or jaw
This is the harder-to-fix category with lifestyle changes alone, because it's usually about anatomy — how your jaw, tongue, or soft palate sit once your muscles relax in sleep. A mandibular advancement device holds your jaw gently forward, keeping that part of the airway open all night. It's the most well-evidenced non-surgical option for this specific cause, and it's what most sleep clinics recommend before anything more invasive.
Shop the Happy Sleep Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece →
Worth doing either way
Side-sleeping instead of back-sleeping, cutting back on alcohol before bed, and getting to a healthy weight all help regardless of the underlying cause — they just don't fully solve it on their own for most people. Think of them as support for whichever device fix actually applies to you, not a replacement for it.
When it's more than snoring
If it's loud, happens every night, or comes with gasping, choking, or pauses in breathing, that's a different conversation — it can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, and it needs a proper diagnosis, not a home device.
FAQ
Can I stop snoring without any device? Sometimes, if it's mild — side-sleeping and cutting back on alcohol can be enough. Most people with persistent snoring need something that directly targets the nose or throat.
Is a nasal strip or a mouthguard better? Neither is universally better — they solve different problems. Nasal strips help nasal-cause snoring; mouthguards help throat-and-jaw-cause snoring. Using both covers more ground if you're not sure which applies.
How quickly do these solutions work? Nasal strips work the first night. Mandibular advancement devices usually take a few nights to adjust to, with most people noticing a real difference within one to two weeks.
Should I see a doctor before trying a device? If your snoring is mild to moderate, it's reasonable to try a nasal strip or mouthguard first. If it's severe, or involves gasping or breathing pauses, see a doctor first to rule out sleep apnea.
General information only, not medical advice. If snoring is affecting your health or sleep quality significantly, speak with a healthcare provider or dentist before starting any device.
