Best Snoring Aids
Looking for the best anti snoring aids? Whether you are a loud snorer or a victim of sleeping beside one, it’s time for you to get to know these aids to stop snoring and avoid inconveniencing your roommates.
You might think that it is a normal habit as half of the population tends to snore at a certain point in life. Research shows that about 40 percent of adult men are snorers. They outnumber adult women wherein only 24 percent are habitual snorers.
However, best snoring aid reviews say that snoring could also serve as a health warning. Light snoring may not affect the quality of your overall sleep. Heavy snoring, on the other hand, may require anti snore aids as they can eventually become a risk factor for other health problems.
The most common source of such is sleep apnea. This is when breathing ceases for short intervals while you are sleeping. It occurs when you sleep on your back and your throat closes. This causes air to be blocked off for a few seconds.
There are a lot of other possible causes which can worsen snoring. This includes heavy drinking, smoking, congestion from a cold, or allergies. It can also be hereditary as it may run in your family. Otherwise, it simply comes with age.
If you notice such aggravation, do not hesitate to grab the best over-the-counter snoring aid! Listed below is our top snoring aid review.
The Best Anti-Snoring Aids That Really Work
Nasal Dilators
One of the best anti-snoring aids that we recommend is the nasal dilator. This disposable pocket-size device dilates the nostrils to allow better breathing while sleeping. This is the best option when you know your snoring is caused by sinus issues.
Opening up the nasal passages has been proven to enhance the quality of sleep. Nasal dilators help prevent obstructive sleep apnea and other nasal congestion conditions. This type of snore aid, however, is not suited for severe sleep disorders.
Our top 3 nasal dilators include Mute Snoring, Sleep Right’s Intra-Nasal Breathing Aid, and Snore Care Nose Vents. What set Mute Snoring apart are its ribbed paddles. This allows more comfort for the nostrils and keeps the dilator intact.
Sleep Right’s Intra-Nasal Breathing Aid is the best over the counter snoring aid and definitely fits the budget. Meanwhile, the Snore Core Nose Vent boasts of its medical grade silicone material. This prevents interruptions in your sleep by allowing maximum comfort.
Nasal dilators are worth a try to lessen your snoring and alleviate the quality of your sleep. This may be the best snoring aid for you if you are looking for one that is relatively inexpensive, lightweight, and more comfortable to wear with its remarkable grip.
Nasal Strips
The second most common snoring aid is the nasal strip. Its increased popularity is due to its easy to use construction. Just like nasal dilators, nasal strips aim to open the sinus passages to improve breathing.
They are flexible bands made with adhesive tape and hard plastic splints. As they attempt to straighten out, they lift the sides of the nose. This causes the opening of the nasal passages externally.
Our top choice for this anti snoring aid would be Breathe Right Nasal Strips. These are available over the counter. This snoring aid further became a performance-enhancing aid as it has been proven to promote better sleep. It opens the passages by pulling the cartilage walls of the nasal valves.
Therapeutic Anti Snoring Aid
Salt Machines
Salt therapy has been proven useful and effective for a variety of health conditions. It originated from the salt mines and caves of Eastern Europe. As the workers were mining the salt, salt particles were released into the air and the miners received health benefits from breathing these in.
The result of this study paved the way to the foundation of modern Speleotherapy. Salt particles penetrate deep into the lungs to get rid of any bad bacteria such as mucus. For this reason, salt machines improve and deepen breathing and allow you to get better sleep.
Apart from being the best snoring aid in terms of humidifying the respiratory tract, salt machines also help remove germs in the air. They filter out dust and allergen to fight viruses.
The SalinPlus Salt Therapy Device was created to allow people to experience salt therapy in their very own homes. It consists of a fan and a filter cartridge which aim to remove over 98% of dust particles. It is easy to use as it automatically emits dry salt particles into the air.
It has been proven to reduce snoring as it helps keep the airways open by producing negatively charged dry salt which only attracts positively charged surfaces. In addition to that, it can even reduce asthma symptoms.
Finding Which Anti Snoring Aid is Right for You
The difference of nasal strips from nasal dilators is that they serve as a more non-invasive snoring aid. They are designed to follow the shape of your nose and fit right above the flare of your nostrils. It will seem too small to even feel its presence on your nose.
This type of snoring aid can also reduce nasal blockage. However, it is not effective for obstructive sleep apnea as this disorder is not involved with nasal blockage. Nasal strips serve as the quickest option for simpler sleep disorders.
For continuous use and hygienic purposes, you must purchase these strips regularly. Therefore, it may also tend to cost more due to its constant need of replacement.
Apart from that, your only other source of irritation would come from the chances of it coming loose in the middle of your sleep due to oily skin, sweat, or abrupt movement.
Additionally, studies have shown that this anti snore aid can decrease airway resistance and increase nasal airflow. Eliminate snoring with these aids that actually work. Do your research regarding the source of your snoring and purchase the best and most compatible product for you.
EPAP
The acronym EPAP stands for expiratory positive airway pressure. Said term pertains to a certain type of breathing–this is when you apply positive pressure only when you exhale. There are several devices which help create pressure–which will be discussed in the latter parts.
To start off, EPAP is believed to work because the pressure it creates stabilizes the upper airways. By doing this, there is a reduction of the possibility of airway collapse which will, in turn, result in a reduction of snoring altogether.
An EPAP might be the best snoring aid for you if you’re looking for a no-fuss anti-snoring aid. This is because the EPAP doesn’t involve the use of any machines. Furthermore, the only essential material here is your own breath.
An EPAP device will usually consist of two small valves–one for each nostril. These valves open when you inhale, then forces you to breathe in small holes by partially closing when you exhale. This is how it creates positive pressure in the airway.
One of the top snoring aids that is an EPAP is called the Theravent. The Theravent Snore Therapy is an adhesive bandage you place on your nostrils. This can take effect instantly; however, since it’s limited to being a nasal aid, it wouldn’t work if you snore through your mouth.
Anti-snore Wearables
For some people who snore, the problem is caused by the position in which they sleep in. Anti-snore wearables were created to address that exact problem.
Certain sleeping positions can obstruct breathing and cause snoring. The best example is sleeping flat on the back. Doing this causes the tongue to collapse into the airway.
The best anti-snore wearable would be the chin strap. It’s affordable and easy to use.
Chin Straps
If you snore through your mouth and not your nose, then this top snoring aid might just be the one for you. Chin straps are widely popular because of all the snoring aids, they might just be the easiest and most comfortable to use.
If you wear a chin strap before you sleep, you can rest assured that it will hold your jaw firmly in place. This forward position of the jaw reduces the risk of the tongue and throat tissues falling back to block the airways.
When choosing chin straps, you should consider its coverage. Some anti-snoring chin straps (e.g.: My Snoring Solution) have a sling-like design which has longer and wider straps.
These are more likely to stay in place without sliding off as compared to the devices with compact straps. Chin straps, however, will be ineffective if you suffer from a condition that blocks breathing from your nose.
Also, it is important to know if your snoring is just plain snoring or if it’s sleep apnea. This is important because if you have sleep apnea chin straps are counterproductive.
Tongue Retaining Device (TRD)
Simply put, a tongue retaining device holds the tongue forward while you sleep, so it makes for a clear, non-obstructed airway. Sometimes it’s referred to as a tongue stabilizing the device. The TRD remains to be one of the top snoring aids because it is widely available.
To explain further, the TRD works by holding the tongue in the anterior bulb. Pushing the tongue forward and giving the bulb a little squeeze creates a suction that holds the tongue in a forward position.
This increases the three-dimensional airway–keeping it open why you sleep. In comparison to the EPAP, TRD is an oral device which means it will only work for people who suffer from snoring from their mouths.
In a study conducted by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, 69 percent of patients can expect TRD to be effective. That said, most people who have snoring problems like to use TRDs because it is non-invasive in nature.
Not only is it small, it also doesn’t put pressure on teeth which would normally cause discomfort. There are, however, some people who can still find discomfort in this device. Some complain that they experience a bit of soreness in the tongue, especially at first use.
Moreover, there are people who can’t get used to having their tongue held forward at all.
Tongue Training Devices
Currently, there is only one tongue training device on the market, and it’s The Silent Treatment. It‘s relatively new, only having been established in 2009 by the company Rowarth Design Ltd.
However, it can be considered as one of the top snoring aids, because even now, it has already garnered a lot of positive reviews. This is similar to a TRD, but it is not as uncomfortable.
Instead of straining the tongue forward, the pressure is applied to your molars, or “side teeth”. The Silent Treatment is created with little tiny spurs on its underside, which are sized and shaped precisely to fit the tiny lumps (papillae) that fill the upper side of our tongues.
In a sense, it kind of works as Velcro, but for your tongue instead. It’s a training device because, in comparison to the TRD, this has both instant and long-term effects. Over time, “muscle memory” will kick in.
This means that your tongue will remember the same, flat position it has been in while you sleep. This means that this device can eventually help eliminate the need for snoring aids regularly.
Again, this device will only work if the snoring problem lies on the tongue. Nasal snoring problems won’t be able to benefit from The Silent Treatment. Another con is that it might take some time to adjust to.
Position Trainers
As previously mentioned, certain sleeping positions can result in snoring or sleep apnea. It is important to know the difference because if you are actually diagnosed with sleep apnea, you may need prescription solutions.
Obstructive sleep apnea can be either positional or not, and in the case of the former, the best solution could be positional therapy. This refers to a behavioral strategy which usually involves having to wear a device around your waist or back.
This is to encourage you to keep sleeping in the side position in contrast to sleeping on your back which makes you prone to snoring.
There is also a device that uses “vibro-tactile feedback” technology. This is a device you wear on the back of the neck instead of your waist. It vibrates to alert your body to change positions without actually waking you up.
Thync Relax Pro
A device that uses similar technology to vibrotactile feedback is the Thync Relax Pro. By description, it uses neurostimulation to promote a calmer mood which will result in deeper sleep. The Thync Relax Pro uses mild electrical stimulation to activate certain nerve pathways.
Said pathways communicate with areas of the brain that improve stress levels and in turn sleep quality. It is non-invasive and safe. Before it was released, it underwent five years of testing as well as over 5,000 testing sessions.
The Thync Relax Pro comes with a triangular pod with two sticky pads on its back. To use it, you must sync the device with the Thync phone app, and then place the pods on the back of your neck. You will then be able to choose from two modes of relaxation: Thync Deep Sleep or Thync Deep Relaxation.
Once the device is on, you should feel a slight tinge in your neck, wish you should adjust to your preference. Thync recommends that you adjust it so that there is a tingling sensation–but one that’s hardly noticeable.
They also recommend using the deep sleep mode 15 minutes before you go to sleep. A con to this product is that it can only be used while standing or sitting. This proves to be inconvenient especially if you’re trying to go to sleep and want to lie down.
Also, unlike all the other devices mentioned the Thync Relax Pro isn’t marked ted as an anti-snore device. Rather, it is a device that will be helpful to people whose sleep apnea could be caused by stress.
Best Snoring Aid: Deciding What’s Best For You
To decide on the best snoring aid for you, the number one factor to consider is the cause of your snoring. There are four main possible causes: nasal snoring, open-mouth snoring, sleep position, or a stressful sleeping environment.
To find out the cause of your snoring, the easiest way would be to ask your partner or a family member to observe your sleeping habits.
If he or she tells you that you snore from your mouth or nose, then it would be best to choose from the first products mentioned. If they don’t work, you could opt to observe yourself before you sleep–ask yourself: do I sleep on my back?
Or am I in an environment that’s not calm enough for me to get a good night’s sleep in? Answering these questions will directly lead you to which anti-snore device is best for you.
If somehow you feel that there is more to it than just snoring, consider going to the doctor to get checked for sleep apnea. They can help you find the best solution.
Be patient when looking for the best anti-snore product for you. Some might not work for you immediately, some might just need a few nights of adjustment, but some might not work for you at all.
But fret not, you’ll have plenty options to choose from anyway. Just keep going back to this list to find the best snoring aid for you.