Nasal strips vs humidifier: which helps you breathe better at night?

Nasal strips and humidifiers help with different problems, so the right choice depends on what's bothering you at night. A nasal strip is a mechanical fix: its springy band lifts the sides of your nose to widen the nasal passages at the front. A humidifier changes the air instead, adding moisture so a dry nose, throat and lips feel more comfortable. If your nose feels narrow or blocked at the front, start with strips. If the air is dry and you wake up parched, try a humidifier. Plenty of people end up using both.

What does a nasal strip actually do?

A nasal strip holds the sides of your nose open from the outside. It's an adhesive band with a springy strip inside, applied across the nasal valve area.

The research backs up that mechanical effect. In a 1997 study in Laryngoscope, researchers measured the nasal valve with acoustic rhinometry in 53 athletes and found an external nasal dilator significantly increased the valve's area at rest in every group they measured. A 1998 study in the same journal found that dilators increased the minimum cross-sectional area of the nose and lowered nasal resistance in healthy people, in people with congestion and in people with a deviated septum near the nasal valve. The effect was most marked in the deviated septum group.

There was a catch. The people whose stuffiness came from swollen nasal linings showed improvement on the measurements but didn't report feeling much clearer. A strip works on the outside of the nose; it doesn't reduce swelling inside it. Our guide to how nasal strips work goes into more detail.

What does a humidifier actually do?

A humidifier adds water vapor to the air, which mainly helps with dryness. The EPA says people use home humidifiers to relieve the discomfort of a dry nose, throat, lips and skin, and that the added moisture also helps with winter heating nuisances such as static.

Cleveland Clinic adds that a humidifier helps thin mucus, which makes coughing or blowing your nose more effective. It says that when your airways are dried out, you're more likely to snore, and more at risk of waking up coughing or having your sleep interrupted by nosebleeds and dry mouth.

What a humidifier doesn't do is change the shape of your nose. If air can't get through because the nasal valve is narrow or collapses as you breathe in, moist air won't open it.

What does the research say about each for sleep?

The research on nasal strips and sleep is small but more direct than the research on humidifiers. In a 2018 randomized trial published in Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology, 59 people with chronic nasal congestion and sleep difficulties used a nasal strip or a placebo strip without springs every night for two weeks. Both spring strips improved some self-reported measures of congestion and sleep compared with the placebo, including satisfaction with sleep at day 7 and symptoms on waking.

For humidifiers, direct evidence is thin. We couldn't find a published randomized trial on room humidifiers and sleep in ordinary bedrooms. So the case for a humidifier rests on expert guidance about comfort in dry air, which is reasonable but not the same as proof of better sleep. Our earlier guide to humidifiers for sleep covers that side.

Neither is a sleep apnea treatment. A 2016 meta-analysis in Pulmonary Medicine found that nasal dilators improved nasal breathing but didn't improve sleep apnea measures such as the apnea-hypopnea index. See nasal strips and sleep apnea for more.

How do nasal strips and humidifiers compare?

Here's how the two compare side by side.

Who should choose nasal strips?

Nasal strips suit people whose nose feels tight or blocked at the front. They also suit people who breathe through their mouth because their nose can't keep up. Cleveland Clinic says most people who breathe through their mouth do so because they can't get enough air through their nose, and lists dry mouth, snoring and feeling tired all the time among the common signs.

Strips are also practical for travel, hotel rooms and shared bedrooms where a humidifier isn't an option. For a nose that blocks with colds and allergies, see how to sleep with a stuffy nose. Our pick is TitanAir Nasal Strips, covered below.

Who should choose a humidifier?

A humidifier suits people whose bedroom air is genuinely dry, often in winter with the heating on, and who wake up with a dry nose, throat or lips. The EPA says to use a humidifier only when conditions require it, which makes a cheap hygrometer worth having to check.

It's less suited to people with dust mite or mold allergies who might overdo it. The EPA says excess moisture encourages dust mites and molds, and the CPSC says humidity above 60% may let moisture build up and condense on surfaces where bacteria and fungi grow. It also asks more of you, because it only stays safe if you keep it clean. Our guide to the best humidifier for snoring explains how the main types differ.

Can you use nasal strips and a humidifier together?

You can use nasal strips and a humidifier together, and for many people the combination makes sense. They don't overlap: the strip changes the shape of your nostrils, and the humidifier changes the air passing through them. If you have both a narrow-feeling nose and a dry bedroom, using one leaves the other problem untouched.

If your mouth also falls open at night, a third piece is mouth tape, which keeps your lips gently closed once your nose is clear enough to breathe through all night. Titan says its TitanAir Nasal Strips are designed to pair with its mouth tape. Read mouth tape and nasal strips together and try our nose test first. We don't recommend mouth tape for children.

How do you keep a humidifier safe?

Keeping a humidifier safe mostly means keeping it clean and not running the room too humid. The CPSC says bacteria and fungi often grow in room humidifier tanks and can be released in the mist, and that breathing dirty mist may cause lung problems ranging from flu-like symptoms to serious infection. The EPA says ultrasonic and impeller (cool mist) models generally disperse the most microorganisms and minerals into the air.

The EPA and CPSC recommend:

1. Unplug the unit before you empty or clean it.
2. Empty the tank, wipe all surfaces dry and refill portable humidifiers with fresh water every day.
3. Clean portable humidifiers every third day, scrubbing off any scale, film or deposits.
4. Follow the maker's advice on cleaning products. If there isn't any, the EPA suggests a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution on every surface that touches water.
5. Rinse thoroughly after any cleaner so chemicals don't get into the air.
6. Use low-mineral water. The EPA says distillation is the most effective way to remove minerals, and the CPSC recommends distilled or demineralized water over tap water.
7. Keep humidity at or below 50%. The CPSC recommends 30% to 50%, and the EPA says to move the unit or turn it down if water condenses on windows or walls.
8. Keep steam vaporizers out of children's reach, since the EPA says steam and boiling water can cause burns.

Cleveland Clinic adds a few cautions: don't put a humidifier in a confined space, don't add essential oils unless it's designed for them, and replace it once mineral deposits won't come off.

How do you get the most from nasal strips?

You get the most from nasal strips by putting them in the right place on clean skin. Titan's instructions are to wash and dry your nose and skip moisturizer, then place the strip just above the flare of your nostrils on the soft part of the nose and press both ends down. To take it off, loosen it with warm water and peel slowly from the ends inward. Our step-by-step guide to applying nasal strips has more tips.

When should you see a doctor?

See a doctor if your nose is blocked most nights, if one side is always blocked, or if strips and a humidifier don't make a difference. The NHS says to see a GP if your breathing stops and starts while you sleep, you make gasping, snorting or choking noises, or you always feel very tired during the day, since these can be signs of sleep apnoea.

The EPA says to stop using your humidifier and contact your doctor if you have breathing symptoms you think are linked to it, even if you're following the cleaning directions. If you're pregnant and your nose feels stuffy at night, ask your midwife or doctor before trying new products.

Our pick (paid partner): TitanAir Nasal Strips

For the nose side of this comparison, our pick is TitanAir Nasal Strips. We don't recommend a humidifier brand, and we haven't tested or ranked nasal strips ourselves. This is our recommendation, based on how Titan describes its strips.

Titan describes them as drug-free external nasal dilators with flexible spring-loaded bands. They go just above the flare of the nostrils, on the soft part of the nose rather than the bony bridge, on clean, dry skin without moisturizer. Titan says they're designed to pair with its mouth tape, which suits anyone whose mouth falls open once their nose is clearer.

Titan says its products are third-party tested and certified PFAS-free, and the strips come with a 30-night guarantee that refunds you if your sleep isn't better after 30 nights. They sit happily alongside a clean humidifier if your bedroom air is dry too.

Read next

• Does a humidifier help you breathe better at night?
• How nasal strips work, and when they help most
• 9 tips for breathing easier at night when the air is dry

* 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.