Mouth tape for college students: snoring, roommates and free fixes first

Mouth tape can be a useful, low-cost tool for college students who snore with their mouths open, but it shouldn't be the first thing you try. The free fixes, like sleeping on your side, easing off alcohol and clearing your nose, often do a lot on their own, and they help your roommate sleep too. This guide is for students 18 and over. It covers why students sleep badly, what to try first, when tape makes sense, and the snoring signs that mean a trip to student health.

How much sleep are college students actually getting?

Most college students get less sleep than they need. A CDC analysis of 2014 survey data from 444,306 US adults found that more than a third reported usually sleeping less than 7 hours in 24 hours. The CDC report notes that adults aged 18 to 60 are recommended to sleep at least 7 hours a night.

Students look worse than average. A 2014 review in Nature and Science of Sleep on sleepiness among college students reports that 50% of students have daytime sleepiness, compared with 36% of adolescents and adults, and that 70.6% report getting less than 8 hours of sleep. It also notes that 60% of students say they feel dragging, tired or sleepy at least three days a week.

The reasons are familiar: late nights, irregular schedules, screens in bed, caffeine and alcohol. Snoring adds one more, for you and for whoever shares your room. Our guide to how much sleep adults need covers the recommendations in more detail.

Is it normal to snore in your late teens and 20s?

Snoring in your late teens and 20s is common, and usually harmless. A 2019 German guideline on snoring in adults cites UK data in which 20% of women and 26% of men up to age 24 report regular snoring. Cleveland Clinic says snoring is more common in males and that occasional snoring is usually harmless.

Sleep apnea isn't only a problem for older people, though. A 2020 study in Sleep gave overnight lab sleep studies to young Australian adults with a mean age of 22. It found obstructive sleep apnea, defined as five or more breathing events an hour, in 26.9% of men and 14.9% of women. The authors concluded that sleep disorders are very common in young adults.

Most of those cases will be mild, and snoring alone isn't a diagnosis. But it means loud, regular snoring in college is worth paying attention to, not just laughing off. Our page on snoring in your 20s and 30s goes deeper into causes at this age.

How does snoring affect a dorm roommate?

Snoring in a shared room affects your roommate's sleep as well as yours, and noise is one of the biggest sleep disruptors in dorms. A 2020 study of 90 college students in a residence hall in Harbin, China, found that 68.89% experienced sleep deprivation. Indoor noise was the most influential of 15 environmental disruptors. Roommates talking was the sound that most often disturbed sleep, and roommates' sleep-related activities were the most common source of activity noise.

The good news is that small agreements help. In a 2022 cluster randomized trial, 364 medical students in 106 shared dorm rooms in China were split into two groups. One got a three-month program to improve the dorm sleep environment and roommate habits; the other got nothing. Sleep quality improved more in the program group, and the students rated "making dormitory sleep rules" and "wearing eye masks" as the most effective measures.

So it's worth talking about. Agree on a lights-out time, keep the room quiet after it, and if you snore, own it and try the fixes below. The NHS suggests asking a partner to use earplugs if your snoring affects their sleep, which applies just as well to a roommate. Our guides to sleeping next to a snorer and earplugs for snoring are worth sharing with yours.

What free fixes should students try first?

The free fixes are the place to start, because several of the biggest snoring triggers are habits rather than anatomy. The NHS says you're more likely to snore if you're overweight, smoke, drink too much alcohol or sleep on your back. Here's how that maps onto student life.

Alcohol deserves a closer look in college. The 2014 review notes that about four in five college students drink, with nearly 40% reporting binge drinking in the previous two weeks. It explains that alcohol helps you fall asleep faster but fragments sleep in the second half of the night, and may increase the risk of sleep apnea. Our page on alcohol and snoring covers this.

Give the free fixes a couple of weeks. Ask your roommate whether things have changed, or record a night on your phone before and after.

When does mouth tape make sense for a student?

Mouth tape makes sense when the free fixes haven't fully worked and your snoring seems to come from an open mouth. Signs include waking with a dry mouth or sore throat, drool on the pillow, or a roommate telling you your mouth hangs open. Our list of signs you mouth breathe at night will help you check.

Tape is also one of the cheaper options once you're past the free stuff. It doesn't need a fitting, a prescription or a device to clean, and it fits in a desk drawer. If you want to try it, our pick is Titan Bamboo Silk Mouth Tape, which Titan sells in 30, 90, 180 or 360-night supplies.

It's a less good fit if your nose is often blocked, if your snoring is mostly after nights out, or if your roommate has noticed gasping or pauses in your breathing. Those need a different approach.

What does the research show for mouth tape?

The research on mouth tape is small but encouraging for people whose mouths fall open at night. The best-known study, published in Healthcare in 2022, followed 20 mouth breathers with mild sleep apnea aged 20 to 60. Each had a baseline home sleep test, then a second home sleep test a week later on a night with their mouths taped.

With tape, the median snoring index fell by 47%, from 303.8 to 121.1 events an hour, and 13 of the 20 cut their snoring index by at least half. The study had no control group and only a short follow-up, and it didn't include students specifically. Still, it's the clearest sign that keeping the lips together can quiet snoring that comes from an open mouth.

How should a student start mouth taping?

Starting mouth tape is simple, and doing it carefully the first few times makes it much more comfortable. Sleep Foundation suggests three basic steps: test the tape during the day to make sure you can breathe easily through your nose, avoid taping if your nose is blocked by allergies, a cold or a structural issue, and fold over one corner so it's easy to remove in the morning.

A few student-specific points help too:

• Practice while you study or watch something. Titan suggests 20 to 30 minutes of daytime practice before the first night.
• Use it only on sober nights. Sleep Foundation lists anyone at risk of vomiting during sleep among the people who shouldn't use mouth tape.
• Keep it for nights your nose is clear. Dorm colds spread fast, and tape isn't for congested nights.
• Tell your roommate. If they know what it is, they won't be alarmed, and they can tell you whether the snoring has changed.

Our first-week guide walks through the steps. If you're trying Titan's tape, Titan says its 30-night guarantee refunds you if your sleep isn't better after 30 nights, which covers a full trial.

Sleep Foundation also lists people with asthma or COPD, unless a doctor advises otherwise, and people with anxiety or panic disorders among those who shouldn't use mouth tape. This guide is for adults 18 and over. We don't recommend mouth tape for children.

When should a student see a doctor about snoring?

See a doctor, or your campus health service, if your snoring comes with signs of sleep apnea. The NHS advises seeing a GP if you feel sleepy during the day, your breathing stops and starts while you sleep, or you make gasping or choking noises, because you may have sleep apnoea. A roommate is often the first to notice those night-time signs, so take it seriously if they mention them.

Also get checked if lifestyle changes aren't helping, if your snoring is having a big impact on you or your roommate, or if your nose is blocked most nights. Cleveland Clinic says loud, disruptive or frequent snoring may be a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea. If you're pregnant, ask your clinician before trying mouth tape. Our guide to mild sleep apnea explains what a diagnosis at this age usually looks like.

Our pick (paid partner): Titan Bamboo Silk Mouth Tape

Our pick for college students is Titan Bamboo Silk Mouth Tape. We haven't tested or ranked tapes ourselves; this is our recommendation, and it's a tool to try after the free fixes, not a cure for snoring.

Titan says the strip is bamboo silk rather than kinesiology tape, which it describes as soft, breathable and moisture-wicking. It's one oval size, 76 by 38 mm, worn horizontally across the lips, with a SilkSeal adhesive that Titan says is made to grip through stubble and full beards without tugging hair or leaving residue. Titan says every batch is third-party tested and certified PFAS-free, ships free in the US and offers a subscribe-and-save option alongside its 30-night guarantee.

Read next

• Snoring in your 20s and 30s: why it happens and what to try
• How to start mouth taping
• Sleeping next to a snorer

* 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.