IF THE MOUTH is the source of the snoring, there are several effective products to stop snoring. The noise could be caused by the vibration that occurs if the palette is too soft. This type of snoring can be curbed by using dental devices that are inserted into the mouth before going to bed.   Other possible cures are throat rinses or sprays.

CHIN STRAPS (around $20)   Good to Very good

One product to help you stop snoring through the mouth is a chin strap.  This strap is designed to keep the mouth closed while sleeping, forcing the snorer to breathe through the nose. These straps support the lower jaw and allow the person to move the mouth if necessary when awake. Another variation is a chin strip which supports the lower lip and holds the mouth in a closed position to prevent mouth breathing.

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MANDIBULAR ADVANCEMENT DEVICES (MAD) (range from $35 to $95 or more)  Very Good to Excellent

These devices are generally mouth pieces that look similar to those worn by a boxer or football player.  These devices differ in design, but basically the mouthpiece works by positioning and holding your lower jaw lightly forward during sleep.  By doing this, the back of your tongue is moved forward allowing your respiratory airway to widen. You will experience greater airflow through your breathing passage enabling you to breathe more freely and stop snoring.

Some different brands include the Snore Meds Stop Snoring Mouthpiece ( very good);  the Anti-Snore brand Mouthpiece ( very good);  the Noronco anti-snoring mouthpierce (very good);  and the Snore Wizard (Excellent).

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THROAT RINSES (about $13)    Fair (about $13)

There are several throat rinses on the market.  These basically lubricate the throat.  While most companies claim an 85% reduction in snoring using these products, we have to wonder.   The rinses are generally pleasant tasting and reportedly help any irritation in the throat.   In our opinion, though, rinses do not provide enough help for a heavy snorer.

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THROAT SPRAYS (about $13)   Poor to Fair

For the most part, throat sprays are glycerin and ethanol and don’t do much.  The idea is to coat the back of the throat with some of the spray being swallowed.   In our opinion, not as good as a rinse.

If you find that your snoring is caused by air not getting through your nose, there are stop snoring  products  that will help enlarge the openings of the nasal airway passages. Keep in mind these products will not help other causes of snoring.      Here are a few nose related products, with our recommendations:

BREATHE  E Z (about $11)        Good to Very Good

Puts a stop to snoring by clipping a small, soft polyurethane U-shaped device on the nose. A small amount of pressure stimulates nerves causing the nasal airways to open. One set can last a month

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NASAL SPRAYS (Asonar brand, about $18;   Y Snore brand, about $8       Fair   Short Term Only

Nasal sprays are designed to open the air passages in the nose and nasal cavities.  Some people have reported success with this technique.   However, prolonged use of any nasal spray could damage sensitive nasal tissues.   This should be a short term product.

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NASAL STRIPS ( Breathe Right anti-snore brand:  about $40 for 38 strips)      Good

The nasal passages at the front of my nose are narrow, so many people have never been able to breath well through their nose.   Do you wake up with a dry mouth from mouth-breathing all night?  If so, nasal strips may help you and are worth a try.

The Nasal Strip adheres to the outside of the nostrils to help widen them, thus allowing better air passage.

Nasal strips are a proven product when it comes to opening nasal passages.  Will this cure your snoring?  It might.  It is a very non-invasive product, and is worth trying.

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NOZOVENT (about $15 to $20 for 2)          Very Good to Excellent

Nozovent is a type of springy nasal strip, except it is inserted just inside the hose.  During sleep, the soft tissues and muscles of the mouth and throat relax, narrowing the breathing airways. The gentle springboard action of Nozovent sufficently opens the nasal passage to reduce the pressure on the vibrating soft tissues at the entrance of the respiratory system. This provides snoring relief.

Nozovent was created by a Swedish physicial and is clinically proven.

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SNORECLIPSE (abut $11)    Good to Very Good

Snoreclipse contains rare earth magnets that were specially designed to apply a constant, comfortable pressure on the septum.      This is also a clip inserted into the nose (like a nose ring, it fits one side in each nostril with the actual ring outside the nose at the b

In addition to products for the nose and mouth, there are other products designed to help you stop snoring.   Some of them are pretty unique, and they are certainly worth looking at.   Keep an open mind.   Some of these have been very successful!

SLEEP ASSISTANTS (range $50 to $95)

Sleep Assistants.  These items vary somewhat in design, depending upon the brand.  SAs  are specifically  designed for individuals with insomnia, but have helped many  snorers.    Particularly  if your  snoring comes from exhaustion or fitful sleep due to stress.

Most sleeping assistant models sit on the bedstand and guide you in a pre-sleep relaxation session.  They do this by  helping you  adjust your breathing rhythm to a natural pattern.

The sleep assistant we like (the Nightwave brand)  projects a soft blue light.   The soft luminance of the light in a dark room slowly rises and falls.   You lie with eyes open and synchronize your breathing with the blue wave.  The wave becomes slower and slower, and after a short time, you roll over and fall asleep.   Pretty neat, huh?

This process may sound silly to the inexperienced, but if you have ever taken any relaxation classes, you know how truly beneficial it is to practice relaxing exercises prior to sleep.   Sleeping assistants won’t cure a deviated septum, but if your snoring is caused by fitful sleep due to stress and worry, and we all tend to be a jagged bundle of nerves,  this might be just the ticket.   We love these things.

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SNORE STOPPERS (about $40 to $100)    Very Good

These devices look like wrist watches, but are designed to train you to stop snoring!   Most are similar in design, and work off a formula similar to this:   A tiny microphone detects the sound of snoring and emits a short pulsing sensation that causes you to change position without waking up.   This  stops the snore.

Snore Stopper generally have varying  intensity levels (some people need a bigger “nudge” than others).   The theory is that, eventually, your body will train itself to sleep in the positions that do not trigger an impulse.      Additional electrode pads (gosh, that sounds terrible), may be purchased.   But don’t worry, folks, this is not like the shock Rover  gets with his doggie collar.  It is painless.

If you only snore while sleeping on your back, then this can be a very effective cure.   It is the same principle as sewing a golf ball in the back of your pajama tops (but much more convenient).  The idea is to make it uncomfortable to sleep on your back.

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BIO FEEDBACK MACHINES (range:  75 to  $175)   Very Good

We are getting into a whole different subject here, but it is worth bring up.  The biofeedback system works for the same reasons the sleep assistants work, but in a different way.  Stress can cause fitful sleep.  The problem is many people don’t know they are stressed.  One way stress can be detected is in breathing.  The biofeedback machine detects stressful breathing patterns (among its many functions) and ” feeds back” this information back to you.    In essence, you teach yourself  to relax by  being reminded when you are not relaxed.

This is way over simplified, and we don’t really classify biofeedback machines as anti-snoring.   HOWEVER (and there is always a however in life!) if stress is your problem, the biofeedback machine may very well help you.

Here’s a recommendation:  Try learning to relax with a sleep assistant.   If it works for you, you may very well want to check into a bio feedback system to help eliminate stress in other areas of your daily living.