The best nasal dilator for sleep: strips vs internal dilators vs clips, and our pick

The best nasal dilator for sleep is the one you'll actually wear all night: it opens your nose enough to notice, feels comfortable enough to forget, and is simple to keep clean. External strips, internal dilators and clips all aim at the same narrow spot in the nose. They differ mostly in comfort, fit and hygiene, and that's where the choice gets made.

What are the main types of nasal dilator?

Nasal dilators come in two families, and US rules define both. FDA's regulation on nasal dilators describes an external dilator as a layered strip with a spring and a skin adhesive that pulls the nostrils open from outside. It describes an internal dilator as a metal or plastic device placed inside the nostrils that pushes them open or presses gently on the columella, the strip of skin between the nostrils. Clips, cones and stents are all internal designs.

Both types are Class I devices, FDA's lowest-risk group, and exempt from premarket notification. Our guide to every type of nasal dilator explains how each design works in more detail.

How do strips, internal dilators and clips compare?

Here's how the three main options stack up for sleep. "Clips" here means the internal devices that grip or press on the columella, as opposed to cones or springs that sit further into each nostril.

What does the research say about each type?

Both types of dilator reliably open the nose. In a 2004 study in Rhinology, 27 healthy adults tried a strip and an internal dilator. Both widened the narrowest part of the nasal valve and lowered nasal resistance, and the internal dilator lowered resistance more. A 2010 study in the same journal found an internal dilator enlarged the external nasal valve, stopped the nostrils collapsing inward in people with that problem and improved airflow.

For sleep and snoring, the picture is more mixed. A 2019 study of 41 people who snore found both an internal dilator and a strip reduced snoring time and improved how people rated their sleep, with the internal dilator working for more people. A 2019 study of people with chronic nighttime congestion found nasal resistance during sleep was 39.1% lower with a strip on.

Neither type is a sleep apnea device. A 2016 meta-analysis found nasal dilators improve nasal breathing but haven't been shown to improve obstructive sleep apnea. A 2026 meta-analysis of 17 studies found no significant differences in apnea, snoring index or oxygen measures with nasal dilators, and concluded they may help as an add-on for people with mild symptoms or nasal congestion. The NHS lists nasal dilators or strips as an option when snoring comes from blocked or narrow airways in the nose.

What should you look for in a nasal dilator for sleep?

Whatever type you choose, the same questions decide whether it works for you night after night.

Comfort you can sleep through

A dilator that wakes you up isn't helping. With a strip, the question is how the adhesive feels on your skin. With an internal device, it's whether you can feel it inside the nostril or on the columella when you roll over. Give any new dilator a few nights, since most things feel strange at first.

A fit that stays put

An external strip has to sit on the soft part of the nose, just above the flare of the nostrils, with the pads off your cheeks. An internal dilator has to be snug enough not to slip. Our guide on how to use a nasal dilator covers sizing and inserting internal devices step by step.

Hygiene you'll keep up

Anything that sits inside your nose all night needs cleaning, so a reusable internal dilator needs washing and drying after each use, following the maker's instructions, and replacing when it loses its shape. A strip sidesteps this: you use a fresh one each night and throw it away. Our article on whether you can reuse nasal strips explains why a used strip doesn't hold up.

Safety if it comes loose

The rare but real risk with internal devices is that they move. A 2012 case report described a man who inhaled an internal dilator into his nasal cavity during sleep, where it was later found causing pain and sinusitis. That's unusual, but it's a reason to choose a size that stays put and to check the device is intact each night. A strip that comes loose ends up on your pillow.

Nothing absorbed

Both strips and internal dilators work mechanically, with no drug involved. That makes them easy to use alongside saline, a humidifier or a spray your doctor has suggested.

Which nasal dilator should you try first?

For most people, an external strip is the easiest place to start. It's quick to put on, leaves the inside of your nose alone, needs no cleaning routine and doesn't get in the way of a congested or sore nose. If a strip opens your nose enough and stays on, you may not need anything else.

An internal dilator is worth a try if strips irritate your skin, if you have facial hair or skin that makes adhesives hard, or if a strip doesn't open your nose enough. Some people also keep both and pick based on the night. Our comparison of nasal strips vs nasal dilators goes deeper on who each one suits.

Can you use a nasal dilator with mouth tape?

Yes. A dilator opens the nose and mouth tape encourages your lips to stay closed, so the two work toward the same goal. Make sure you can breathe comfortably through your nose with the dilator in place before you add tape, and skip tape on nights when your nose is blocked. We don't recommend mouth tape for children. Read mouth tape and nasal strips together before you start.

Who should skip a dilator or see a doctor first?

A dilator opens the front of the nose and nothing more. See a doctor before relying on one if:

• you snore and also feel sleepy in the day, stop breathing in your sleep or make gasping or choking noises, which the NHS says may be signs of sleep apnoea
• one side of your nose is always blocked, or your nose stays blocked for weeks
• you've had nose surgery recently, or your nostrils are sore, cracked or bleeding, before putting anything inside them
• you're pregnant and your breathing or sleep has changed, in which case ask your midwife or doctor first
• a device goes missing overnight and you have pain or one-sided symptoms

Our pick (paid partner): TitanAir Nasal Strips

Our pick for a nasal dilator for sleep is TitanAir Nasal Strips from Titan Recovery. We haven't tested or ranked dilators ourselves, and Titan's strips weren't used in any of the studies above; this is our recommendation, based on how Titan describes its strips against the checklist.

TitanAir is an external dilator, which suits the comfort and hygiene points above: nothing goes inside the nose and there's nothing to wash. Titan says the strips are drug-free external nasal dilators with flexible spring-loaded bands that lift the nasal passages open. Its instructions are to wash and dry your nose, skip moisturizer, place the strip just above the flare of your nostrils on the soft part of the nose, and in the morning loosen it with warm water and peel slowly from the ends inward.

Titan says the strips are third-party tested and certified PFAS-free, and they're designed to pair with Titan Mouth Tape. The 30-night guarantee gives you time to see whether a strip suits you better than an internal device would, and they come in 30, 90, 180 or 360-night supplies with free US shipping.

Read next

• Best nasal strips for sleep
• How nasal strips work
• Nasal valve collapse

* 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.