The Fixes

By now you know two important things: that your snoring is the simple kind, not a warning sign, and roughly where it starts. That's more than most people know when they buy their first anti-snoring gadget. It means you can skip the guesswork.

Start with the free fixes. They cost nothing and sometimes they're enough. Skip alcohol for three or four hours before bed. Try sleeping on your side, propped with a pillow behind your back so you don't roll over. Raise the head of your bed a little. If your nose is often blocked, deal with that first: allergies, dust and dry air are all worth looking at. Give each change a week before you judge it.

If those aren't enough, here's what each kind of device actually does.

For nose snorers: nasal strips and nasal dilators. Strips, like Breathe Right, stick across the bridge of your nose and lift the nostrils open from the outside. They're cheap and make a good first test. Dilators, like Mute, are small soft frames that sit just inside the nostrils and hold them open from within. Neither will help if your snoring starts in your jaw or throat.

For jaw and mouth snorers: mandibular advancement mouthpieces. These are the most common anti-snoring devices, and for jaw snorers they're often the most effective. They hold your lower jaw slightly forward while you sleep, which keeps the back of your throat more open. They come in a few styles. Some, like ZQuiet, are soft and hinged, need no moulding, and can be used the first night. Boil-and-bite designs, like VitalSleep and SnoreMeds, are softened in hot water and pressed to your teeth for a closer fit, and some let you adjust how far forward your jaw sits. Smaller adjustable designs, like the Somnofit-S, aim for comfort over bulk.

Be honest with yourself about the trade-offs. Most people need a week or two to get used to a mouthpiece. Jaw soreness and extra saliva in the first few mornings are common. If you have crowns, implants, loose teeth, gum disease or jaw joint problems, check with a dentist before using one, and stop if anything hurts.

For tongue snorers: tongue-retaining devices. Instead of moving your jaw, these hold the tip of your tongue forward with gentle suction. The Good Morning Snore Solution is one example. They suit people whose dental work makes jaw devices uncomfortable, but you need to breathe easily through your nose to use one, and the feeling takes some getting used to.

For back sleepers: positional aids. Anything that keeps you off your back can help, from a wedge pillow to a backpack-style sleep belt. At the expensive end, Smart Nora is a pillow insert that listens for snoring and gently moves your head to prompt your throat to reopen, with nothing to wear.

A word on how this site is paid for. Our product guide links to the sellers, and when you buy through those links we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we tell you, including when the right answer is a doctor rather than a device.

Whatever you choose, change one thing at a time and give it two or three weeks. Record yourself again, or ask your partner. That's how you'll know.