Snoring can make nights miserable for the person who snores — and it’s even worse for anyone trying to sleep in the same room.
A recent study by sleep specialists at Mute catalogued 30 home remedies for snoring. The list includes things like taping the mouth shut and wearing compression socks. The team surveyed more than 2,000 Britons, according to the Daily Mail. Forty-four percent of participants said they’d try anything to stop snoring.
Here’s how Mute ranked those remedies:
- Using extra pillows
- Drinking plenty of water
- Using nasal strips/expanders
- Applying nasal spray before bed
- Avoiding alcohol at night
- Completely abstaining from alcohol
- Rubbing decongestant ointment on the chest
- Taking a hot shower or bath before bed
- Sleeping in a sitting position
- Sleeping upside down (with legs where the head should be)
- Placing extra pillows
- Using a mouthguard
- Saltwater gargles/sprays
- Evening workouts
- Sucking on mint candies before bed
- Drinking honey and lemon water before sleep
- Doing throat exercises
- Practicing anti-snoring exercises
- Wearing a sleep mask
- Drinking alcohol before bed
- Using a humidifier
- Wearing an anti-snoring ring
- Applying petroleum jelly to the tip of the nose
- Stuffing a tennis ball in pajamas to avoid sleeping on your back
- Taping the mouth shut
- Wearing a nasal plug
- Daily singing to strengthen throat muscles
- Acupuncture
- Wearing compression socks
- Applying thyme oil to the legs
Jonathan Hobson, an otolaryngologist and consultant at the University of Manchester, responded to the study with his own advice for tackling snoring.
First, he recommended not wasting money on expensive rings and other remedies that lack scientific support.
Hobson said divorced middle-aged people are particularly prone to spending on such treatments. They may worry about finding a new partner and feel willing to spend a lot just to stop snoring.
Hobson warned that many trendy remedies act as placebos. People may convince themselves a device or spray will stop their snoring, but the problem often remains. For example, decongestant sprays don’t provide lasting relief, and chest-applied ointments don’t actually open the airways, even if they feel like they do.
Hobson doesn’t recommend taping the mouth shut or using a nasal plug — those can be dangerous. He does say singing can help reduce snoring, and that claim has scientific support.
Which of his tips line up with the study’s top remedies? Let’s find out.
Five Tips for Combating Snoring from Jonathan Hobson
- Reduce alcohol consumption. Alcohol is a major factor in snoring. Alcohol relaxes the muscles of the upper airway, which makes the airway collapse more easily at night and produces snoring.
- Sleep on your side. Sleeping on your back makes snoring more likely; lying on your side can help reduce it.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Losing excess weight can reduce snoring.
- Take a hot shower or bath at night. This can help clear the airways, and using a humidifier in the bedroom can have a similar effect.
- Prop yourself up with extra pillows. A more upright head position reduces pressure on the neck airways, which may help cut down snoring.
