Anti-snoring Aids and Devices: Can They Help?

There are hundreds of anti-snoring aids and devices that are scattered on the marketplace.  There are almost as many products claiming to help people stop snoring as there are reasons people snore.  Let's take a look at some of the different types of snoring remedies that are out on the market.

The theory behind anti-snoring nasal sprays is that they help unblock nasal passages so that you have a clear and unobstructed airway.   There are several commercial ones on the market from Asonor to Z-snore and two dozen in-between.   Most claim that they do some sort of lubrication with "essential oils"

To me the use of "essential oils" to lubricate anything sounds more like a trip to get your fluids on your car checked at Jiffy Lube than it does a solution to snoring.  No matter the case, the anti-snoring nasal sprays probably work for some snorers but not for others.  The same can be said for "anti-snoring medicines."

There are a group of pillows that claim to be able to keep you from flipping on your back while you sleep, thus cutting down on the snoring issue.  Many people snore because they flop over on their back as the sleep.  The contour of an anti-snore pillows helps keep your head at an angle and to the side, thus keeping you from flipping over.  The idea here is that you will sleep better and snore less.

Anti-snoring pillows may help, or they may not.  I have visions of the pillow being ineffective and a person’s sleep partner, yanking the pillow from under the head of the snorer and either bashing them in the head or covering their own head to try to get some sleep.  Either way, anti-snoring pillows are an available solution for some.

If all else fails, why not tie your jaw shut?  That is precisely what an anti-snoring chin strap does.  It fits over the top of your head and around your jaw line, effectively forcing the sleeper to keep their mouth shut while they are sleeping and breathe out of their nose.

Obviously, some people might find this "chin strap" as useful in other parts of their lives. (just kidding)  If you are a chin strap wearer, you might get some funny looks, but if it helps you and your partner sleep through the night without turning the bed into a noisy, disruptive symphony of gurgling, wheezing, and other-worldly sounds, then a chin strap may your anti-snoring aid of choice.

There are a pile of other things ranging from breathing strips, that you place across the outside of the nose that claim to hold your nose open so you can breathe better to snore-pins and nose clips that either force you to breathe out of your mouth or hope to open your airway to breathe out of your nose more easily.

Clearly there are many choices out there for different types of anti-snoring devices.  Some or all try to stop the snoring and help you get a better night's sleep.  That is surely worth a try.