How to Stop Snoring: Self-Help Steps, Treatments and Warning Signs

If you want to know how to stop snoring, start with the simple fixes: side sleeping, less alcohol in the evening, and a clear nose. Snoring is very common, and most of it is harmless noise, but some of it is a sign of sleep apnoea that needs a doctor. This guide covers why snoring happens, the self-help steps worth trying first, the treatments a GP or dentist can offer, the warning signs not to ignore, and how to look after the person lying next to you.

The short answer: snoring happens when the muscles of your throat relax in sleep and the airway narrows and vibrates. The fixes with the best footing are sleeping on your side, avoiding alcohol for at least four hours before bed, losing weight if you're carrying extra, quitting smoking and treating a blocked nose. If those don't work, a GP can refer you for a mouthguard-style splint that holds your lower jaw forward. If you snore loudly and also stop breathing, gasp or choke at night, or you're sleepy during the day, see your GP, because that pattern points to obstructive sleep apnoea.

This guide is general information, not medical advice.

Why you snore

When you fall asleep, the muscles in your throat relax. That narrows the pharynx, the tube behind your nose and mouth, and the air rushing through makes the soft tissue vibrate. That vibration is the sound.

Healthdirect lists the usual things that make it worse: alcohol, smoking, being overweight, nasal congestion, allergies, mouth breathing, pregnancy and sleeping on your back (source). The Sleep Health Foundation adds that some medicines, including sleeping tablets, can contribute, and that extra fat around the neck narrows the airway (source).

It's also common. According to the Sleep Health Foundation, about 40% of men and 30% of women have at least mild snoring on some nights, and around 15% of people snore regularly. Middle-aged people are most at risk.

Self-help steps to try first

Give these two or three weeks, and ask your partner to keep notes.

1. Sleep on your side. Back sleeping is one of the listed risk factors, so staying on your side is the easiest change to make. A firm pillow behind you, or a body pillow, can stop you rolling over. See the best sleeping position for more on positions.
2. Stop drinking alcohol at least four hours before bed. Alcohol relaxes the throat muscles further. It also breaks up your sleep; see does alcohol help you sleep.
3. Lose weight if you're overweight. Extra weight around the neck narrows the airway.
4. Treat a blocked nose. If allergies or a cold force you to breathe through your mouth, avoid known allergy triggers and talk to a pharmacist about options. Nasal dilator strips may help clear the nose, though on their own they rarely fix snoring.
5. Quit smoking. Smoking is on healthdirect's list of things that make snoring worse.
6. Check your medicines. If you take sleeping tablets or other sedating medicines, ask your GP or pharmacist whether they could be adding to the problem. Don't stop prescribed medicine on your own.

You may have seen mouth taping recommended online. The evidence is thin, and it isn't a fix for snoring caused by a narrow throat. Read mouth taping for sleep before trying it.

Treatments a doctor or dentist can offer

If self-help doesn't do enough, these are the main options both healthdirect and the Sleep Health Foundation describe.

Treatment	How it works	Things to know
Mandibular advancement splint	A mouthguard-style device that holds your lower jaw forward to widen the airway	Usually fitted by a dentist. How well it works varies from person to person
Positional therapy	Devices or techniques that keep you off your back	Helps people whose snoring is mainly a back-sleeping problem
Nasal dilator strips	Open the nostrils	Modest benefit; rarely enough alone
CPAP machine	A mask delivers air pressure to keep the airway open	Recommended for obstructive sleep apnoea rather than simple snoring
Surgery	Procedures such as tonsil removal or widening the throat (UPPP)	Tonsil removal can help children; long-term success of throat surgery in adults is limited

Your GP is the starting point, and may check for sleep apnoea first, since that changes which treatment makes sense.

Snoring or sleep apnoea?

Not all snoring is the same. The Sleep Health Foundation notes that over 10% of regular snorers have obstructive sleep apnoea. In sleep apnoea the airway doesn't just narrow, it closes repeatedly through the night. Healthdirect explains that this lowers blood oxygen, breaks up sleep and raises the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and heart attack.

Signs that snoring may be more than noise:

• Pauses in breathing that your partner notices, followed by a snort or gasp
• Waking up choking or short of breath
• Feeling sleepy during the day even after a full night in bed

Our guide to the signs of sleep apnoea goes through these in more detail.

When to see your GP

See your GP if:

• your snoring is disturbing the people you live with
• anyone has seen you stop breathing, gasp or choke in your sleep
• you're sleepy during the day, or nodding off when you shouldn't be
• self-help steps haven't made a difference after a few weeks.

The Sleep Health Foundation suggests bringing your bed partner to the appointment, because they know what your nights sound like. Don't drive if you're drowsy during the day; pull over and rest.

Looking after the person next to you

Snoring is often more of a problem for the listener. While you work on the cause, a few things help the other person sleep:

• Earplugs for the partner, worn from the start of the night.
• Going to bed first, so they're asleep before the snoring starts.
• Separate rooms for a while. See sleep divorce.

There's more in our guide on how to sleep next to a snorer.

Where the Sovune Nudge fits

We make the Sovune Nudge, a vibrating alarm wristband, so we're not neutral. It does nothing for snoring itself. Where it helps is the morning after: a partner wearing earplugs, or sleeping in another room, still needs a way to wake on time.

• Wakes you with vibration on your wrist, so it works with earplugs in.
• No speaker, no sound, no light in the room, so the other person sleeps on.
• Starts as a gentle tap and builds through three intensity levels, over a full minute, and you can switch it off sooner.
• Set on the band itself, with no app, no phone and no pairing.

It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Quick answers

Can you stop snoring naturally? Often, yes. Sleeping on your side, cutting evening alcohol, losing weight and clearing a blocked nose fix a lot of simple snoring.

Why do I snore more after drinking? Alcohol relaxes the throat muscles, which narrows the airway further. Healthdirect suggests avoiding it for at least four hours before bed.

Do anti-snoring mouthguards work? A mandibular advancement splint helps many people, but results vary. Get it fitted through a dentist, ideally after your GP has checked for sleep apnoea.

Is loud snoring dangerous? Snoring alone usually isn't. Snoring with breathing pauses, gasping or daytime sleepiness can mean sleep apnoea, which should be checked by your GP.

For every type of silent alarm compared, see our complete guide to vibrating alarms in Australia.

See the Sovune Nudge →