Do anti-snoring sprays, drops and pills work?

Most anti-snoring sprays, drops and pills have little good evidence behind them. Controlled trials of oil-based throat sprays found no benefit over placebo, and a 2015 review found no drug with consistent results for ordinary snoring. Nasal sprays are the exception when a blocked nose is the cause, and decongestants should only be used for a few days.

What does the research say about anti-snoring sprays?

A 2019 German medical guideline on snoring in adults, written by several specialist societies, reached a short verdict. It says systemic drug treatment, or the use of oils or sprays inside the mouth, is not recommended for snoring. The same guideline does support treating a blocked nose, which is where some sprays fit in.

Sprays sold for snoring fall into two broad groups. Throat or oral sprays coat the back of the mouth and throat, usually with an oil or lubricant. Nasal sprays and drops act on the inside of the nose. They work in different ways and the evidence for each is different, so it helps to know which one you're looking at.

Do throat sprays and oral lubricants stop snoring?

Throat sprays and oral lubricants don't stop snoring, according to the two best trials we found. In a 2004 double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 20 snorers used an oil-based oral spray and a water-based placebo spray at home. The researchers concluded that the oil-based spray showed a lack of efficacy, and in more than half of the participants the percentage of time spent snoring got worse on the active spray rather than better.

A second 2004 trial tested three popular snore aids in 40 snorers over a week at home: an oral lubricant spray, a nasal strip and a head-positioning pillow. Using digital recordings and questionnaires from both patients and bed partners, it found no significant objective or subjective improvement from any of the three compared with using no aid.

Are there any pills that work for snoring?

No pill has good evidence behind it for ordinary snoring. A 2015 systematic review searched for drug trials aimed at snoring itself and found only nine randomized trials and one other study. The drugs tested included protriptyline, pseudoephedrine with domperidone, mometasone, a nasal surfactant, botulinum toxin and some homeopathic and oil-based nasal sprays. The reviewers said the studies were weak and too different from each other to compare, and that there are no consistent data to support drug treatment for primary snoring.

Two things are worth knowing before you buy a snoring pill. If the label says it is homeopathic, the FDA says homeopathic products sold in the US have not been reviewed by the agency for safety or effectiveness, and some have caused serious harm. If it is sold as a dietary supplement, the FDA says it does not have the authority to approve supplements before they are marketed.

Can a nasal spray help if your nose is blocked?

A nasal spray can help when a blocked nose is behind your snoring, and this is where sprays have a real role. The NHS matches treatments to the cause of snoring, and for blocked or narrow airways in the nose it lists nasal dilators, strips, decongestants and nasal sprays to reduce swelling. Cleveland Clinic says antihistamines or steroid nasal sprays can help people with chronic nasal congestion breathe more easily and snore less, alongside other changes.

The effect on snoring itself can be modest. In a small 2004 crossover trial of 23 snorers with rhinitis, a steroid nasal spray lowered nasal resistance and improved congestion and daytime alertness in diaries compared with placebo, but snoring noise didn't change. So a spray can make breathing through your nose easier without silencing you.

The German guideline says short-term use of a decongestant spray or drops can be considered as a test of whether opening the nose will help. That's a sensible way to think about it. If a few nights with a clear nose make your snoring quieter, a longer-term approach for your nose is worth discussing with a doctor or pharmacist. More on choosing between them is in nasal strips vs. nasal spray.

What are the side effects of snoring sprays and pills?

Decongestants are the ones with the clearest warnings. The NHS says decongestant nasal sprays and drops should not be used for more than 5 days at a time, because using them for too long can make your stuffiness worse. Our guide to decongestant spray rebound explains why.

The NHS lists possible side effects of decongestants including sleepiness, irritation of the lining of the nose, headaches, feeling sick, a dry mouth and restlessness. It also says they should not be used without advice from a pharmacist or GP if you take other medicines or have high blood pressure, diabetes, an overactive thyroid, glaucoma, an enlarged prostate, or liver, kidney, heart or circulation problems. Taking decongestants with some antidepressants can cause a dangerous rise in blood pressure.

Be careful with anything that makes you drowsy. The NHS says sleeping pills can sometimes cause snoring, and Cleveland Clinic warns that too much melatonin or other sleep medication can over-relax the muscles of the nose and throat. A product that helps you sleep may not help you snore less.

When is snoring a sign of something more serious?

Before trying any spray or pill, check for signs of sleep apnea. The NHS says to see a GP if you feel sleepy during the day, your breathing stops and starts while you sleep, or you make gasping or choking noises. No spray, pill, strip or tape treats sleep apnea. If any of that sounds familiar, read snoring vs. sleep apnea and book an appointment.

What works better for snoring?

The German guideline describes the overall evidence for snoring treatments as low, but some options have more behind them than sprays and pills. It recommends sleeping position changes and weight loss where it applies, and says mandibular advancement devices are an option in suitable cases. Cleveland Clinic suggests avoiding alcohol for several hours before bed. Our list of snoring remedies ordered by the evidence walks through each one, and there's a separate guide to mouth and tongue exercises for snoring.

If your nose is the problem, a drug-free strip is an alternative to medicine. In a randomized trial of 12 people with chronic rhinitis, snoring frequency fell from about 258 to 173 snores an hour with a real nasal strip compared with a placebo strip, although loudness didn't change. The German guideline says nasal dilators should be offered when nasal breathing is impaired at the nasal valve. How nasal strips work explains the mechanics.

If you want something you can use every night without a medicine, our pick is the Titan Sleep System, which pairs TitanAir nasal strips with Titan's bamboo silk mouth tape. Titan says the strips are drug-free with flexible spring-loaded bands and are designed to pair with the tape.

Mouth tape suits a mouth that falls open at night when your nose is clear, which the NHS lists as a separate cause of snoring. Don't use tape with a blocked nose, and see mouth tape vs. other snoring products for how the options compare.

Read next

• Why do I snore? The common reasons
• Anti-snoring mouthpieces and oral appliances
• Sleep apnea warning signs

* This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your health.