In short
- Nasal strips have been studied since the 1990s, including several placebo-controlled trials.
- The clearest results are that strips widen the nasal valve, lower nasal resistance and reduce snoring in some groups, such as people with chronic rhinitis.
- Trials in people with nighttime congestion found better ease of breathing and some sleep measures with strips, though two larger 2019 trials found no difference from placebo strips.
- Two meta-analyses, in 2016 and 2026, found strips don't improve sleep apnea measures, so strips aren't a sleep apnea treatment.
- A 2020 meta-analysis found strips didn't change oxygen uptake, heart rate or perceived effort during exercise in healthy people.
Nasal strip research goes back to the 1990s and includes several placebo-controlled trials. The studies agree that strips open the front of the nose, and several found less snoring or easier breathing at night, especially when the nose is part of the problem. They don't improve sleep apnea, and results on sleep quality are mixed. Here are the key trials in order, with what each one found.
Research: moderate (what this means)Which nasal strip studies matter most?
This table lists each nasal strip trial and review covered below, with who took part, what was measured and the main result.
| Study (year, journal) | Who took part (n) | What was measured | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996, Journal of Reproductive Medicine | 24 pregnant women with nighttime congestion | Diary answers vs placebo strip | 8 of 10 questions favored the real strip |
| 1997, The Laryngoscope | 53 athletes, 30 of them exercising | Nasal valve area and exercise response | Larger nasal valve area at rest |
| 1998, European Journal of Medical Research | 30 habitual snorers | Peak snoring intensity | Fell in 22 of 30 |
| 1999, Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology | 9 healthy adults | Breathing route during exercise | Nose-only breathing lasted 15.2% longer |
| 2000, European Respiratory Journal | 12 people with chronic rhinitis | Snoring vs placebo strip | 173 snores an hour against 258 |
| 2001, American Journal of Rhinology | 18 heavy snorers | Snoring vs placebo strip | Nose widened; snoring didn't change |
| 2004, Rhinology | 27 healthy adults | Nasal valve area and resistance | Wider valve, lower resistance |
| 2016 meta-analysis, Pulmonary Medicine | 14 studies of people with sleep apnea | Sleep apnea measures | No significant change |
| 2018, Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology | 59 people with chronic congestion | Sleep satisfaction vs placebo | Better at day 7 |
| 2019, Advances in Therapy | 70 people with chronic nighttime congestion | Nasal resistance and sleep over 28 nights | Resistance 39.1% lower during sleep |
| 2019 pair of trials, Advances in Therapy | 140 and 130 people with congestion | Sleep vs placebo strip | Not better than placebo |
| 2020 meta-analysis, European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology | 19 studies of healthy exercisers | Oxygen uptake, heart rate, effort | No significant difference |
| 2026 meta-analysis, Cureus | 17 studies, 496 people | Snoring and sleep apnea measures | No significant differences |
The first wave of trials
The 1996 pregnancy congestion trial
What it tested: a spring-loaded nasal strip against a placebo strip with no spring, worn during sleep.
Who took part: pregnant women with nighttime nasal congestion not caused by allergies or colds. Of 34 enrolled, 24 finished, 12 in each group.
What it found: answers to 8 of 10 diary questions favored the real strip, and women using it rated their breathing through the night as easier. Our article on nasal strips during pregnancy covers it in more detail.
Limits: a small group and only three nights of treatment.
The 1997 athlete study
What it tested: whether a strip widens the nasal valve, the narrowest part of the nose, and whether it changes the body's response to exercise.
Who took part: 53 athletes had their nasal valve measured, and 30 of them exercised on a bike with a real or placebo strip in random order.
What it found: the strip increased nasal valve area at rest in every group measured. During moderate exercise it lowered perceived exertion, heart rate, breathing volume and oxygen use compared with placebo.
Limits: later research on exercise didn't confirm the performance effects, as the 2020 review below shows.
The 1998 snoring study
What it tested: a nasal strip's effect on snoring, measured overnight in a sleep lab.
Who took part: 30 adults with habitual snoring.
What it found: peak snoring intensity fell during the second night with the strip in 22 of the 30, and the number of snores louder than 20 decibels per hour also fell. People rated their sleep as better, though sleep structure barely changed. Seventeen of the 30 needed some time to get used to the strip, after which they said they breathed easily and slept well. Our guide to the best nasal strips for snoring builds on it.
Limits: no placebo strip, and the effect was mostly during lighter sleep.
The 1999 breathing route study
What it tested: whether a strip keeps you breathing through your nose longer as exercise gets harder.
Who took part: 4 healthy men and 5 healthy women.
What it found: nasal resistance at rest fell from 0.33 to 0.22 units with the strip. People stayed on nose-only breathing 15.2% longer before switching to mouth and nose breathing.
Limits: nine people, and the authors called the delay relatively small. More in nasal strips for exercise.
The 2000 chronic rhinitis trial
What it tested: a real strip against a placebo strip, with snoring measured by overnight sleep studies.
Who took part: 12 people with chronic rhinitis who snored and didn't have sleep apnea.
What it found: snoring frequency was 173 snores an hour with the real strip compared with 258 with the placebo. Snoring loudness and sleep quality didn't change.
Limits: only 12 people, but it's one of the few placebo-controlled snoring trials.
The 2001 heavy snorer study
What it tested: a real strip against a placebo strip in people who snored heavily and reported a blocked nose at night.
Who took part: 18 heavy snorers without severe sleep apnea.
What it found: the strip widened the nose compared with placebo. In 6 people with marked morning blockage, average oxygen levels during sleep rose from 92.4 to 96.7. Snoring didn't change, and in the 12 with roomier noses one breathing measure got worse.
Limits: small subgroups. Its lesson is that strips help most when the front of the nose is the bottleneck, which our article on why nasal strips don't work for some people explains.
The 2004 healthy volunteer study
What it tested: how much a strip and an internal nasal dilator, a small device worn inside the nostrils, change the nose.
Who took part: 27 healthy adults.
What it found: both devices widened the nasal valve and lowered nasal resistance, and the internal dilator lowered resistance more. Our comparison of nasal strips vs. nasal dilators covers the trade-offs.
Limits: healthy noses only, measured while awake.
The recent trials and reviews
The 2016 sleep apnea meta-analysis
What it tested: 14 studies of internal and external nasal dilators in people with obstructive sleep apnea.
What it found: there was no significant change in apnea-hypopnea index, lowest oxygen level or snoring index in people with sleep apnea. The authors said dilators improve nasal breathing but haven't improved sleep apnea outcomes.
Limits: it looked only at sleep apnea, so it says little about simple snoring.
The 2018 congestion trial
What it tested: two spring strips against a placebo strip, used nightly for 2 weeks.
Who took part: 59 people with chronic nasal congestion and trouble sleeping.
What it found: both real strips improved satisfaction with sleep at day 7 compared with placebo, along with symptoms on waking. All strips were well tolerated.
Limits: the measures were questionnaires, and only the prototype strip still beat placebo on sleep satisfaction at day 14.
The 2019 prototype strip study
What it tested: a strip with stronger springs, worn nightly for 28 days.
Who took part: 70 people with chronic nighttime congestion.
What it found: people reported easier breathing, better sleep quality, staying asleep and feeling refreshed. Nasal resistance during sleep was 39.1% lower with the strip, and spontaneous arousals fell by about 37%, though most sleep lab measures were similar.
Limits: no placebo in the main phase, industry funding, and the authors said a larger study is needed.
The 2019 pair of placebo trials
What it tested: a strip against a placebo strip for 14 nights, in two separate trials.
Who took part: 140 and 130 people with chronic nighttime congestion who reported trouble sleeping.
What it found: both groups improved, but the real strip wasn't better than the placebo on the main sleep measures. The authors suggested a strong placebo effect may be one reason. The strips were well tolerated.
Limits: both trials were industry funded. Our article on whether nasal strips improve sleep weighs this against the positive trials.
The 2020 sports meta-analysis
What it tested: 19 studies of nasal strips during exercise.
What it found: in healthy people, strips made no significant difference to maximal oxygen uptake, heart rate or perceived exertion.
Limits: it covers healthy exercisers, not sleep or snoring.
The 2026 sleep-disordered breathing meta-analysis
What it tested: 17 studies with 496 people using internal or external nasal dilators for snoring or sleep apnea.
What it found: no significant differences in apnea-hypopnea index, snoring index, sleep time or oxygen levels compared with controls. The authors said dilators can't be recommended on their own for sleep-disordered breathing, but may help alongside other care in people with mild symptoms or nasal congestion.
Limits: it pooled very different devices and groups.
What does the research add up to?
The nasal strip research adds up to this: strips do what they're designed to do, which is to lift the sides of the nose and make nasal breathing easier. Snoring results are encouraging in people with a congested or narrow nose, and the lesson from the mixed trials is that the right person matters. Strips aren't a sleep apnea treatment. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says snoring is likely to be a sign of sleep apnea when it comes with silent breathing pauses and choking or gasping sounds, so see a doctor if that sounds familiar. More on how they work is in how nasal strips work and our nasal strips topic page.
Our pick (paid partner)
Our pick is TitanAir Nasal Strips from Titan Recovery. This is our recommendation, not the result of testing or ranking products ourselves.
Titan says the strips are drug-free external nasal dilators with flexible spring-loaded bands, designed to sit just above the flare of the nostrils and to pair with mouth tape. Titan says they're third-party tested and PFAS-free, with a 30-night guarantee.
Read next
Common questions
Do studies show nasal strips work?
For opening the nose, yes. Studies from 1997 and 2004 found strips increased the area of the nasal valve, and a 2019 study measured 39.1% lower nasal resistance during sleep with a strip on. Results for snoring and sleep quality are more mixed and depend on who is studied.
What's the best study on nasal strips for snoring?
A 2000 randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 12 people with chronic rhinitis is the most cited. Snoring frequency was 173 snores an hour with a real strip compared with 258 with a placebo strip.
Do nasal strips help sleep apnea?
No. A 2016 meta-analysis found no significant change in apnea-hypopnea index, lowest oxygen level or snoring index in people with sleep apnea using nasal dilators, and a 2026 meta-analysis of 17 studies reached a similar conclusion.
Have nasal strips been tested against a placebo?
Yes, several times. Placebo strips have no spring. Trials in 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2018 and 2019 all used them.
Do nasal dilators help with sports?
They open the nose during exercise, and a 1999 study found they delayed the switch to mouth breathing. A 2020 meta-analysis found no change in oxygen uptake, heart rate or perceived effort in healthy people.
Are nasal strips safe according to the studies?
The trials report them as well tolerated. In a 1998 study of 30 snorers, the only reported reaction was one person who briefly felt the urge to sneeze after the first application.
What do reviews of the nasal strip research conclude?
They agree that nasal dilators make nasal breathing easier but don't treat sleep apnea. Meta-analyses in 2016 and 2026 found no significant change in sleep apnea measures, though the 2026 authors said dilators may help alongside other care in people with mild symptoms or nasal congestion. A 2020 meta-analysis found no change in oxygen uptake, heart rate or perceived effort during exercise in healthy people.
Sources
- Managing pregnancy-related nocturnal nasal congestion: the external nasal dilator
- Physiologic effects of an external nasal dilator
- Effect of the external nasal dilator Breathe Right on snoring
- Nasal dilator strips delay the onset of oral route breathing during exercise
- External nasal dilation reduces snoring in chronic rhinitis patients: a randomized controlled trial
- Dichotomous physiological effects of nocturnal external nasal dilation in heavy snorers: the answer to a rhinologic controversy?
- Effects of the nasal strip and dilator on nasal breathing: a study with healthy subjects
- Nasal dilators (Breathe Right strips and NoZovent) for snoring and OSA: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Effects of nasal dilator strips on subjective measures of sleep in subjects with chronic nocturnal nasal congestion: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial
- Objective and subjective effects of a prototype nasal dilator strip on sleep in subjects with chronic nocturnal nasal congestion
- Sleep quality and congestion with Breathe Right nasal strips: two randomized controlled trials
- Does the external nasal dilator strip help in sports activity? A systematic review and meta-analysis
- Clinical effectiveness of nasal dilators in sleep-disordered breathing: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- TitanAir Nasal Strips
About this article
- Research
- 15 published sources, listed above.
- Evidence
- Moderate. How we rate it
- Last checked
- October 10, 2026
- Funding
- Paid partner of Titan Recovery. Their ads are labeled.
- Found an error?
- Tell us. We log fixes on the corrections page.
* 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.
