The best snoring remedies for allergy sufferers: calm your nose, then open it

The best snoring remedy for allergy sufferers works in two layers: calm the allergic swelling in your nose, then hold the nose open while you sleep. Allergy control at night, such as a steroid nasal spray, a saline rinse and a cleaner bedroom, tackles the first part. A nasal strip tackles the second. Mouth tape can help some people too, but only on nights when your nose is clear.

Why do allergies make you snore?

Allergies make you snore mainly by blocking your nose. Cleveland Clinic says nasal congestion from allergies can block airflow, and that people with allergies are more likely to sleep with their mouth open and, in turn, snore more often.

Bedtime makes things worse. A 2022 meta-analysis in The Laryngoscope pooled nine studies with 291 people and found that lying down raises nasal resistance compared with sitting up. The effect was larger in people who snore or have sleep apnea than in healthy volunteers. So a nose that feels fine on the sofa can feel blocked an hour after you lie down. Our guide to why allergies feel worse at night explains the body clock side of this too.

What are the best snoring remedies for allergy sufferers?

The best snoring remedies for allergy sufferers combine allergy control with something that opens the nose. The table below lays out a nightly routine with the evidence for each step.

How do you control allergies at night?

You control allergies at night by treating the swelling and reducing what you breathe in while you sleep. Cleveland Clinic suggests seeing an allergist or primary care provider to find the right over-the-counter or prescription medicine, and says antihistamines or steroid nasal sprays can help people with chronic congestion breathe more easily.

The NHS lists antihistamines, steroid nasal sprays and salt water rinses as pharmacy options for allergic rhinitis. It also warns that decongestant sprays shouldn't be used for more than 5 days, because they can make a blocked nose worse. Our guide to decongestant spray rebound explains why.

Steroid nasal sprays

Steroid nasal sprays have good evidence for sleep in allergy sufferers. A 2024 meta-analysis of 18 randomized trials with 6,019 people found they significantly improved sleep quality in allergic rhinitis, for both seasonal and year-round allergies. Ask a pharmacist or doctor which one suits you and how to use it.

Saline rinses

A saline rinse is a drug-free way to clear your nose before bed. A 2018 Cochrane review of 14 studies found saline irrigation may reduce allergy symptom severity for up to three months compared with no saline, though the evidence was low quality. Our guide on how to use a saline rinse covers the technique.

A cleaner bedroom

Your bedroom is where allergen control pays off most for snoring. The American Lung Association says dust mites live in bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpets and curtains, and that about 4 out of 5 US homes have dust mite allergen in at least one bed. Because people spend so many hours in bed, it says most exposure to dust mite allergen happens while sleeping.

Its advice for the bedroom is practical. Cover mattresses and pillows with allergen encasements, wash bedding in hot water of at least 120 degrees F once a week, and cut down on clutter, curtains and stuffed animals where mites collect. If you keep carpet, vacuum weekly with a HEPA filter. Our bedroom allergy checklist turns this into a list you can work through.

Humidity, and a word on humidifiers

Humidity is the biggest factor in dust mite levels, according to the American Lung Association, because mites absorb moisture from the air and can't survive when it's very dry. It recommends keeping your home below 50% humidity and suggests a cheap hygrometer to check. That matters if you've read that a humidifier helps snoring. If you run one, keep an eye on the reading and keep it under 50%, or you may feed the mites that are blocking your nose.

Does your sleeping position matter with allergies?

Your sleeping position matters more when your nose is already swollen. The 2022 meta-analysis found that lying down raises nasal resistance, and the rise was bigger in people who snore or have sleep apnea. Cleveland Clinic suggests propping up the head of your bed or sleeping on your side to help keep your airway open, and avoiding alcohol for several hours before bed, since it may relax the muscles of your airway.

Put together, an allergy-season bedtime might look like this:

• Take your allergy medicine as your pharmacist or doctor advised.
• Rinse your nose with saline before bed.
• Put on a nasal strip once the skin on your nose is clean and dry.
• Check how your nose feels lying down before deciding on mouth tape.
• Settle on your side with the head of the bed slightly raised.

Do nasal strips help allergy-related snoring?

Nasal strips can help allergy-related snoring because they hold the front of the nose open while you sleep. They don't treat the allergy itself, which is why they work best alongside the steps above.

The most relevant trial was in people with chronic rhinitis. In a 2000 randomized, placebo-controlled study of 12 patients, snoring frequency dropped from about 258 snores an hour with a placebo strip to 173 with a real strip. Loudness and overall sleep quality didn't change.

Trials on sleep comfort in congested people are mixed. In a 2018 trial of 59 people with chronic nighttime congestion, strips beat a placebo strip on satisfaction with sleep and symptoms on waking at day 7. Two larger 2019 trials found no clear difference from placebo strips, possibly because of a strong placebo effect. So strips are worth trying, but they're one layer, not the whole answer. Our guide to nasal strips for allergies covers fit and routine.

When is mouth tape safe for allergy sufferers?

Mouth tape is only safe for allergy sufferers on nights when the nose is clear. Cleveland Clinic says never to use mouth tape if you have nasal obstruction, nasal congestion, chronic allergies or a sinus infection. On a good night, when you can breathe easily through your nose lying down, tape can help keep your mouth closed so the air goes through your nose.

The practical rule is simple. Clear nose, tape. Blocked nose, skip the night and use the strip on its own. Take our nose test before taping, and see mouth tape in allergy season for a fuller guide. If your allergies keep your nose blocked most nights, talk to a doctor before taping at all. We don't recommend mouth tape for children.

Who should see a doctor about allergy snoring?

See a doctor if your allergies keep your nose blocked most nights, or if pharmacy treatments aren't working. The NHS says to see a GP if your symptoms are affecting your sleep and everyday life or treatments from a pharmacist aren't helping. It also says to go if your allergic rhinitis is getting worse, if you have asthma and it's getting worse, or if you're not sure what's causing your symptoms. A GP can prescribe a different medicine, such as a prescription steroid nasal spray or antihistamine, if pharmacy options haven't worked. Snoring with gasping, choking or pauses in your breathing, or heavy daytime sleepiness, can be a sign of sleep apnea, which strips and tape don't treat. If you're pregnant, ask your midwife or doctor before trying strips or tape.

Our pick (paid partner): TitanAir Nasal Strips

For the nose-opening layer, our pick is TitanAir Nasal Strips. We haven't tested or ranked strips ourselves, no published study used Titan's products, and strips don't treat allergies. This is our recommendation, based on what Titan says about them.

Titan describes them as drug-free external nasal dilators with flexible spring-loaded bands, which matters if you'd rather not add another medicine to your allergy routine. It suggests placing them just above the flare of the nostrils on the soft part of the nose, on clean, dry skin without moisturizer, and loosening them with warm water to peel slowly from the ends in the morning. Titan says every batch is third-party tested and certified PFAS-free, and its 30-night guarantee refunds you if your sleep isn't better after 30 nights.

On clear nights, the strips are designed to pair with Titan's tape. The Titan Sleep System combines both.

Read next

• The best nasal strips for congestion
• Pet allergies and sleep
• Using mouth tape and nasal strips together

* 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.