Be Our Partner! Book a Free Consultation Now! Become a Member > Get Involved >
Health Conditions > Health Articles > Find a Practitioner > Events >

Home  /  Health Conditions  /  Snoring

Snoring

Snoring is the sound of tissues in your nose, mouth or throat vibrating as you breathe in your sleep. It is very common and usually not serious — but it can also be a sign of sleep apnea, which needs a doctor. Side sleeping, a healthy weight, less alcohol before bed and clearing a stuffy nose help many people, and a dentist-fitted mouthpiece is an option for stubborn snoring. Chiropractic, acupuncture, herbs and massage are not proven snoring treatments.

Call 911 right away for any of these:

  • Signs of a stroke: sudden confusion or trouble speaking, sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side), sudden severe headache with no known cause, sudden trouble seeing, or sudden trouble walking or loss of balance. Call an ambulance rather than driving (NHLBI). See our stroke guide.
  • Signs of a heart attack: chest pain, heaviness or discomfort, pain in an arm, the back, neck or jaw, shortness of breath, or heavy sweating for no reason (NHLBI). Untreated sleep apnea, which can hide behind loud snoring, raises the risk of stroke and heart attack (NHLBI).
  • A child who has trouble breathing or starts drooling, especially with a sore throat, needs emergency care right away (MedlinePlus).

See a doctor soon (don’t wait for it to pass) if:

What is snoring?

Snoring is the sound you make when your breathing is blocked while you sleep. The sound comes from tissues at the top of your airway that strike each other and vibrate (MedlinePlus); they relax and narrow when you are asleep (NHS). It is very common and not usually caused by anything serious, and there are things that can help (NHS). When it is severe, it can cause frequent awakenings and daytime sleepiness, and it can disrupt a bed partner’s sleep (MedlinePlus).

Ordinary snoring or sleep apnea?

Doctors call snoring without sleep apnea “primary” snoring (AASM guideline). The harder question is how to tell it from sleep apnea, which is when breathing stops and restarts many times during sleep, can keep your body from getting enough oxygen, and when untreated raises the risk of stroke, heart attack and other serious problems (NHLBI). People with sleep apnea often snore loudly, but not everyone who snores has sleep apnea (MedlinePlus).

Signs that point toward apnea include breathing that starts and stops, gasping for air, loud and frequent snoring, and daytime sleepiness. You may not know about the night-time signs until someone tells you (NHLBI), so the NHS suggests asking someone to stay with you while you sleep (NHS). In women, sleep apnea may not include snoring (NHLBI). Only a sleep study can show whether you have it, which type and how serious (NHLBI). This guide covers snoring on its own; for apnea, see our sleep apnea guide, and for insomnia and other sleep troubles, our sleep problems guide.

Why do people snore?

Anything that narrows the airway or relaxes the throat muscles can bring on snoring. The usual suspects are:

Getting checked

Your doctor will look inside your mouth and nose for problems that might be causing it. It helps to bring a partner who can describe your snoring, and you may have a blood test or be referred to a specialist (NHS). A sleep diary can help your provider too (NHLBI). Treatment depends on the cause (NHS). This guide is educational and not medical advice.

Side by side

Six approaches compared

For every condition we look at the same six approaches: what each involves, what it typically costs, and what a patient can realistically expect.

ApproachWhat it involves Estimated costWhat to expect
Conventional medicine (AMA) A check of your nose, mouth and throat, and a sleep study if apnea is suspected. First steps are self-care: side sleeping, a healthy weight, less alcohol and no smoking. Next may be nose strips, dilators or sprays, a dentist-fitted mouthpiece, mouth and throat exercises, or sometimes surgery. CPAP if a sleep study shows apnea. Medicare Part B covers sleep studies for people with signs and symptoms of sleep apnea, with 20% coinsurance after the deductible. The Pricer lists online home sleep apnea tests at about $99–$464.50 (median $189) and a hospital overnight study at a median of about $2,949. Cost estimate for mouthpieces and surgery being researched. Self-care helps many people. A mouthpiece reduced snoring in trials, and exercises also showed benefit. Surgery can relieve snoring but doesn’t always work, and snoring can come back. No medicine is an established snoring treatment.
Chiropractic No established role as a snoring treatment. A chiropractor can encourage you to see a doctor if you gasp, choke or are very sleepy, and support healthy habits. About $55–$100 for a self-pay follow-up visit and $90–$200 for a first visit. Medicare Part B covers only certain chiropractic services. We found little research: one case report of a man with sleep apnea whose care combined adjustments with exercises, diet and weight loss. It can’t show that adjustments helped. Don’t put off a medical check.
Acupuncture Needle sessions offered for snoring or sleep apnea, used alongside — never in place of — a proven treatment. About $125–$230 for a first private visit and $90–$185 for follow-ups; community clinics about $50–$90. Medicare covers acupuncture only for chronic low back pain. We found little research on snoring itself. A review of 9 trials in sleep apnea suggested possible benefit, but the quality of the evidence was low to very low. Not a substitute for a medical check.
Herbal medicine No herb or supplement is an established snoring treatment. Some herbs are sedating, which is a safety question for snorers. Cost estimate being researched. We found little research. A small before-and-after study of a Chinese herbal formula in 118 adults reported less snoring, with no comparison group. A review of medicines for snoring found no consistent data. “Natural” doesn’t mean safe; ask your doctor and pharmacist first.
Massage therapy Relaxing bodywork for comfort. General massage is not a treatment for snoring. About $70–$90 a month for a membership at one national chain (Massage Envy), which includes one 60-minute session a month; each franchise sets its own rates. We found little research: one small study of Chinese therapeutic massage in people with sleep apnea, and one trial adding a hands-on technique to mouth and throat exercises. Pleasant and low risk, but it doesn’t replace the basics.
MBHA Wellness Coach Everyday habits that help: working toward a healthy weight with your doctor, side sleeping, avoiding alcohol close to bedtime, not smoking, a steady sleep routine — plus support to keep up exercises or use a mouthpiece. Cost estimate being researched. These are the first steps recommended by the NHS and MedlinePlus. In one small study of heavy-snoring men, those who lost weight snored less. Habits may reduce snoring but don’t always stop it, and don’t replace a check for apnea.

Approach 1 of 6

Conventional medicine (AMA)

Conventional care for snoring starts with simple things and moves up. Your provider will look for a cause and check whether sleep apnea is part of the picture (NHS).

1. Self-care first

The NHS advice: try to lose weight if you are overweight; sleep on your side (try taping or stitching a tennis ball to the back of your sleepwear, or buy a special pillow or bed wedge); and consider asking your partner to use earplugs. Don’t smoke, don’t drink too much alcohol, and don’t take sleeping pills, which can sometimes cause snoring (NHS). MedlinePlus gives much the same advice (MedlinePlus). The Wellness Coach section below covers what research says about weight and alcohol.

2. Treating a blocked nose

The NHS lists nasal dilators or strips that hold your nose open, and decongestants or nasal sprays to reduce swelling inside the nose (NHS). Be careful with decongestant sprays: the NHS says those bought for a cold should not be used for more than a week, as this can make symptoms worse (NHS). A 2016 review of 14 studies found dilators and strips improved nasal breathing but did not change snoring measures in people with sleep apnea (systematic review, 2016). A 2015 review of drugs for snoring, including nasal sprays, found only nine randomized trials and one other study, and no consistent data to support a medicine for primary snoring (systematic review, 2015).

3. Mouthpieces (oral appliances)

The NHS lists a mouth device that brings the tongue forward (a mandibular advancement device), and a chin strap or mouth device (vestibular shield) for people whose mouth falls open (NHS). For sleep apnea, a dentist or orthodontist custom fits the device (NHLBI).

  • Guideline. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine recommend that sleep physicians prescribe oral appliances, rather than no therapy, for adults who request treatment of primary snoring. For sleep apnea, they suggest a custom, adjustable appliance from a qualified dentist (AASM guideline, 2015; we read only the abstract).
  • A trial. In a 2024 pilot trial, 50 couples were randomly assigned to a mandibular advancement device or to a combination of nasal dilator, saline nasal rinse with a steroid spray, mouth taping and side sleeping. After 4 weeks, partners rated 91% of the mouthpiece group as much or very much improved, versus 58% of the combination group; both reduced snoring. It was small and short (randomized trial, 2024).
  • Reviews. A 2021 review of 18 studies concluded the evidence supports mandibular advancement devices for primary snoring, though few studies looked at primary snoring specifically; common side effects were jaw joint pain and extra saliva, which improved with time (systematic review, 2021). Long-term changes were mainly in the teeth, in six trials at high risk of bias (systematic review, 2018). See our TMJ guide if your jaw already bothers you.

Cost estimate being researched. Start with your dentist or sleep doctor rather than a non-custom product; the guideline favors a custom appliance for sleep apnea.

4. Mouth and throat exercises

Exercises for the tongue, throat and face (oropharyngeal or myofunctional therapy) are a drug-free option with some evidence. A 2018 review of nine studies (211 adults) found snoring intensity scores fell by about half and time spent snoring by about 31% (systematic review, 2018). In a randomized trial of 39 people with primary snoring or mild to moderate sleep apnea, three months of daily throat exercises lowered measured snoring, while a comparison group using nasal strips and breathing exercises did not change (randomized trial, 2015). An online trial of 66 people with simple snoring found less snoring after four weeks than with health education alone (randomized trial, 2024). Most studies were small and short; we read only abstracts.

5. CPAP, if a sleep study shows apnea

CPAP, a machine that uses mild air pressure to keep the airway open, is the most common treatment for sleep apnea, and its benefits include reduction or elimination of snoring (NHLBI, NHLBI). Medicare may cover a 12-week trial if you have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (Medicare.gov); The Pricer lists most new machines at about $500 to $1,600 (The Pricer). See our sleep apnea guide.

6. Surgery and medicines

Surgery is sometimes used for snoring if other treatments do not help, but the NHS says it is not widely available there, does not always work, and snoring can come back (NHS). A 2025 review of 43 studies (2,713 adults) of soft palate and throat surgery found patients’ own snoring scores fell on average from about 7.3 to 3.5, with tonsil removal seeming to add benefit; few studies used objective measures (systematic review, 2025). For sleep apnea, the NHLBI lists these surgical categories: a tongue nerve stimulator, tonsil removal, removal of tissue from the mouth and throat, jaw advancement, and weight-loss surgery (NHLBI). Cost estimate being researched.

No medicine is an established treatment for primary snoring (systematic review, 2015). A weight loss medicine has been approved for people with moderate to severe sleep apnea and obesity, which is different from simple snoring (NHLBI).

What it costs

Medicare Part B covers sleep tests for people with signs and symptoms of sleep apnea; after the deductible you pay 20% (Medicare.gov). The Pricer lists online home sleep apnea tests at about $99 to $464.50 (median $189) and a hospital overnight study at a median of about $2,949 (The Pricer).

Find a medical doctor in our directory

Approach 2 of 6

Chiropractic

Chiropractic care is not an established treatment for snoring. Snoring comes from tissues in the nose, mouth and throat vibrating as air passes (NHS), and we did not find research showing that spinal adjustments change that.

What we found

We found little research. The one item that turned up was a single case report of a 42-year-old man with obesity and sleep apnea, who had used CPAP for over 5 years and sought a way to reduce snoring. Over 90 days his care combined chiropractic manipulation with mouth and tongue exercises, nutrition changes, posture correction and exercise. His breathing events per hour fell from 55.4 to 3.4 and he lost 40 pounds (case report, 2023). Because so much changed at once, a case report can’t show that the adjustments did anything.

How a chiropractor can help safely

  • Encourage you to see a doctor if you gasp or choke in your sleep, someone sees your breathing stop and start, or you feel very sleepy in the day (NHS).
  • Support habits that help, such as a healthy weight and sleeping on your side (NHS).
  • If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, work alongside your sleep doctor, not instead of them.

What it costs

The Pricer lists about $55 to $100 for a self-pay follow-up visit and $90 to $200 for a first appointment (The Pricer). Medicare covers only spinal adjustments by a chiropractor to correct a subluxation, and does not cover other services a chiropractor orders (Medicare.gov).

Find a chiropractor in our directory

Approach 3 of 6

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is sometimes offered for snoring. The research is thin, and acupuncture should not stand in for a medical check or a proven treatment.

What the research says

  • For sleep apnea. NCCIH describes a 2020 review of 9 studies (584 people) that suggested acupuncture might help improve breathing in obstructive sleep apnea, but the quality of evidence was low to very low. Three studies looked at safety and none reported side effects (NCCIH). The review’s abstract reports a drop of about 6 breathing events an hour and calls for high-quality trials (systematic review, 2020).
  • For snoring. We found little research on snoring itself. The item we read was a case series of four people with sleep apnea treated with local acupuncture, including needles placed inside the mouth. After 10 sessions, most showed less snoring, and the authors said it should be investigated further (case series, 2021). Four people with no comparison group can’t show that acupuncture works.

If you try it

Keep your medical check, any sleep study and any treatment you are prescribed. Tell your acupuncturist about your snoring and any sleep apnea diagnosis. NCCIH notes that relatively few complications have been reported, but problems have resulted from non-sterile needles and improper treatment (NCCIH).

What it costs

The Pricer lists about $125 to $230 for a first private visit and $90 to $185 for follow-ups, with community acupuncture clinics at about $50 to $90 (The Pricer). Medicare covers acupuncture only for chronic low back pain (Medicare.gov).

Find an acupuncturist in our directory

Approach 4 of 6

Herbal medicine

No herb or supplement is an established treatment for snoring. NCCIH says there is very limited, if any, research on complementary approaches for obstructive sleep apnea other than acupuncture, and reminds us that “natural” does not always mean safe (NCCIH).

What we found

  • A 2012 report followed 118 adults with snoring or sleep-disordered breathing who took a Chinese herbal granule formula for four weeks. Snoring scores improved from before to after, and no significant side effects were reported. There was no comparison group, and we read only the abstract, so we can’t say the formula caused the change (retrospective study, 2012).
  • A 2024 review of 58 trials of Chinese herbal medicine for sleep apnea (4,590 people) reported lower breathing-event counts than placebo in 7 of them. We read only the abstract, which does not describe the herbs, their safety or study quality (systematic review, 2024). It is a signal for researchers, not a reason to skip a medical check.
  • The 2015 review of drugs for snoring included some homeopathic and oil-based nasal sprays among the products studied, and found no consistent data to support any of them (systematic review, 2015).

A safety point about sedating products

MedlinePlus advises cutting down or avoiding alcohol and other sedatives at bedtime to reduce snoring (MedlinePlus), and the NHS says sleeping pills can sometimes cause snoring (NHS). NCCIH says kava and valerian are said to have sedative properties; kava has been linked to liver injury that is sometimes serious or even fatal (NCCIH). We did not find research on whether sedating herbs affect snoring, so we can’t say. Ask your doctor and pharmacist before adding any sleep or relaxation product.

What it costs

Cost estimate being researched.

Approach 5 of 6

Massage therapy

Massage is not a treatment for snoring. A relaxing massage may feel good and help you unwind before bed, but it does not open a blocked nose or throat.

What we found

We found little research. Two items turned up, both in sleep apnea rather than simple snoring:

  • A study of tui na, a traditional Chinese therapeutic massage, in 31 people with moderate to severe sleep apnea. Each had about 15 minutes of treatment twice a week for 10 weeks, and 20 completed the course. Bed partners rated snoring intensity lower afterward, but breathing events changed only from 43.8 to 37.8 an hour. The authors said a controlled study should follow (tui na study, 2017).
  • A randomized trial of 60 adults with mild sleep apnea compared mouth and throat exercises alone with exercises plus myofascial release, a hands-on technique. Breathing events did not differ between groups, but the snoring index and sleep quality improved more with the added technique. The authors said further studies are needed (randomized trial, 2023).

These are early findings, and the exercises, not the hands-on work, are the better-supported part (see Conventional medicine).

What it costs

One national chain (Massage Envy) lists membership at about $70 to $90 a month, which includes one 60-minute session a month; each franchise sets its own rate (The Pricer).

Find a massage therapist in our directory

Approach 6 of 6

MBHA Wellness Coach

An MBHA Wellness Coach is not a medical provider and can’t diagnose or treat snoring or sleep apnea. A coach can help you act on your provider’s advice and build habits that reduce snoring.

What a coach can help with

  • Weight and movement. The NHS advises losing weight if you are overweight (NHS). See our weight control guide.
  • Sleeping on your side, by setting up a pillow, wedge or the tennis-ball trick and staying with it.
  • Alcohol timing and sleeping pills. Planning evenings so you are not drinking close to bedtime, and reminding you to talk with your provider before changing any medicine.
  • Exercises and mouthpieces, with a daily routine for throat exercises or getting used to a dentist-fitted mouthpiece.
  • Noticing warning signs, and encouraging you to see a doctor if you or a partner notice pauses, gasping or heavy sleepiness.

What the research says

  • Weight. In a 1995 study, 19 heavy-snoring men completed a 6-month weight loss program and 12 lost weight. In the 9 who lost at least 3 kilograms, snores per hour fell on average from 320 to 176, while men who gained weight did not improve. The authors concluded the major effect appeared related to weight loss. It was very small and only men were studied (weight loss study, 1995).
  • Alcohol. A 2020 review of 13 studies (279 people) found alcohol was associated with worse snoring and sleep apnea severity and lower oxygen levels (systematic review, 2020). The NHS advises, for sleep apnea, not drinking too much, especially shortly before sleep (NHS).

These changes may lessen snoring, but they won’t always stop it, and they don’t replace a check for sleep apnea.

What it costs

Cost estimate being researched.

Another approach

Pillows, tape, straps and phone apps: what we found

  • Special pillows and wedges. The NHS suggests a special pillow or bed wedge to keep you on your side (NHS). In a 2015 study of 25 adults with positional sleep apnea, a head-positioning pillow was used for two nights; the median snoring index fell from 218 to 115 events an hour, though the objective count fell significantly only in normal-weight patients. It was short, with no separate comparison group (pillow study, 2015). A review notes long-term use of position devices remains an issue (review, 2013).
  • Nose strips and dilators hold the nose open (NHS). They improved nasal breathing but not snoring measures in people with sleep apnea (systematic review, 2016). They may help a stuffy nose; they are unlikely to fix sleep apnea.
  • Chin straps hold the mouth closed for people whose mouth falls open in sleep (NHS). We found little research on chin straps alone.
  • Mouth taping. A 2025 review of 10 studies (213 people) found two showed improvement in sleep apnea measures and others found no difference, and it raised possible risks, including suffocation if the nose is blocked. The authors saw a potentially serious risk of harm from doing it indiscriminately (systematic review, 2025). Please don’t tape your mouth without your doctor’s okay, especially if your nose is often stuffy.
  • Phone apps. One paid app was tested on 201 recordings from 11 patients and agreed closely with a specialist’s count, though it missed more snoring when snoring was frequent (app study, 2022). An app can show how much you snore, not why; only a sleep study shows whether you have sleep apnea (NHLBI).
  • Earplugs for your partner are a simple, low-risk option (NHS).

Another approach

Snoring in children, tonsils and adenoids

Many children snore sometimes, but snoring with other signs deserves attention. The NHLBI lists snoring, mouth breathing, breathing that starts and stops, waking often and bedwetting at night, and by day sleepiness, overactive or aggressive behavior and trouble paying attention at school, as signs of sleep apnea in children (NHLBI). Not every snoring child has sleep apnea (MedlinePlus); diagnosis needs a sleep study, and the provider will look in the nose and mouth for large tonsils or other blockages. Large tonsils or adenoids (tissue at the back of the nose) are often the cause, and obesity is also common. Secondhand smoke can make it worse. Depending on the cause, providers may recommend weight loss steps, surgery to remove the tonsils and adenoids, a nasal steroid spray, an asthma medicine, a CPAP machine, oral devices or orthodontic treatment, or mouth and face exercises (NHLBI).

What the research says about tonsil surgery

  • A 2023 trial randomly assigned 459 children aged 3 to 12 with snoring but few breathing pauses to early adenotonsillectomy or watchful waiting. After 12 months there was no significant difference in executive function or attention. Behavior, sleepiness, symptoms and quality of life each improved more with surgery, and blood pressure percentiles fell more. Six children (2.7%) in the surgery group had a serious adverse event (randomized trial, 2023).
  • A Cochrane review of three trials (562 children) found that in healthy children aged 5 to 9 with mild to moderate sleep apnea, surgery improved quality of life, caregiver-rated behavior and sleep study results, but not attention or thinking tests; nearly half of the children managed without surgery had normal sleep studies by seven months. For children with snoring but normal sleep studies, the evidence was very low quality and inconclusive (Cochrane review, 2015).
  • In a 2023 trial of 276 children with sleep-disordered breathing symptoms, a daily steroid nose spray was no better than saline after 6 weeks: about 44% versus 41% had symptoms resolve (randomized trial, 2023).

Talk with your child’s provider or an ear, nose and throat specialist about surgery compared with watchful waiting. We read only the abstracts.

Another approach

Snoring in pregnancy and for partners

Pregnancy. Snoring is more common in pregnancy. In a study of 340 women who answered questionnaires, snoring rose from 7.9% in the first trimester to 21.2% in the third; women who started snoring in pregnancy were sleepier by day, and snoring went with swelling in late pregnancy but not weight gain. That study found no link between snoring and delivery outcomes (pregnancy snoring study, 2014). In a study of 1,305 women, those with new snoring in pregnancy had higher blood pressure on average, about 3 mm Hg higher by the end of pregnancy (cohort study, 2022); that does not prove snoring caused the difference.

The NHLBI says pregnancy can raise the risk of sleep apnea or worsen it, often more so in the third trimester, and that sleep apnea in pregnancy is linked to cesarean section, gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, low birth weight and preterm birth. CPAP is safe for treating it during pregnancy (NHLBI). So tell your prenatal provider if you start to snore, pause in your breathing or feel very sleepy. See our pregnancy guide and blood pressure guide. One case-control study found snoring in a past pregnancy did not predict sleep apnea later, though it relied on self-reports (case-control study, 2021).

Partners. Snoring can disrupt a bed partner’s sleep (MedlinePlus). Earplugs help, and a partner who comes to the appointment can describe what they hear (NHS).

Another approach

Putting the six approaches together

For most people the best-supported steps are the plain ones: side sleeping, a healthy weight, less alcohol and no sleeping pills near bedtime, and a clear nose. If that isn’t enough, a dentist-fitted mouthpiece and mouth and throat exercises have some research behind them, and surgery is a later option. Chiropractic, acupuncture, herbs and massage are not proven snoring treatments; if you use them, keep up your medical check. And if there is any chance your snoring is sleep apnea, get tested: the NHS says sleep apnea needs to be treated because it can lead to more serious problems (NHS).

Member stories

Living with Snoring? Share your experience

Real experiences help others choose. Tell us what you tried — conventional medicine, chiropractic, acupuncture, herbs, massage or coaching — what it cost and what changed.

No stories have been published for this condition yet. Yours could be the first.

Which approaches have you tried?

What did you try, what did it cost, and what changed for you? Please leave out anything you’d rather keep private.

We read every story before it’s published and may shorten it. Stories describe one person’s experience; results vary. See our Privacy Policy.

Sources

This page is for education only and is not medical advice. Costs are typical U.S. ranges and estimates; yours will depend on your provider, location and insurance. Talk with your doctor before starting, stopping or combining any treatment. In an emergency, call 911. See our disclaimer.

Find the right practitioner

Search MBHA’s Health Directory for doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists and massage therapists across the Monterey Bay.

Search the Directory All Health Conditions

The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a charitable, independent registered nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and does not endorse any particular products or practices. Claims and statements herein are for informational purposes only and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. We strongly recommend that you seek out your trusted medical doctor or practitioner for diagnosis and treatment of any existing health condition. MBHA provides administrative support, education and navigation — not medical, legal or tax advice — and cannot guarantee claim, billing or fundraising outcomes. MBHA is not an emergency service: in an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.