Nose snoring vs mouth snoring: how to tell which you are

You can get a good idea of whether you're a nose snorer or a mouth snorer with a few simple self-tests at home. If you can only make a snoring sound with your mouth open, your snoring is likely linked to mouth breathing. If you can snore with your mouth closed, or your nostrils collapse when you breathe in, your nose may be involved. Many people turn out to be a bit of both, and that's useful to know, because each type has a different fix.

Why does it matter which type of snorer you are?

It matters because snoring treatments work on specific causes. The NHS says treatment for snoring depends on the cause, and it matches them up: for a mouth that falls open during sleep, a chin strap or a device worn in the mouth to make you breathe through your nose; for blocked or narrow airways in the nose, nasal strips or dilators that hold the nose open, or decongestants or sprays to reduce swelling; and for a tongue partly blocking the back of the throat, a device that brings the tongue forward.

If you pick a fix that doesn't match your snoring, it's easy to decide nothing works. A nasal strip won't do much for someone whose jaw drops open with a clear nose, and keeping the mouth closed won't fully help someone whose nose is the bottleneck. Our guide to 10 reasons you snore covers the wider list of causes.

How do you test whether you're a mouth snorer?

The mouth test is the simplest place to start. The British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association (BSSAA), a UK organization focused on snoring, describes it like this. Open your mouth and make a snoring noise. Then close your mouth and try to make the same noise. If you can only snore with your mouth open, it says you're a mouth breather.

The BSSAA explains why this matters: air drawn in through the nose flows gently over the soft palate, while air drawn in through the mouth hits the back of the throat head on and can create large vibrations in the soft tissue. Real-life clues back up the test. A partner may see your mouth hanging open, or you may wake with a dry mouth. Our guide on why your mouth falls open when you sleep explains what's going on with your jaw.

How do you test whether your nose is involved?

The BSSAA's nose test looks for nostrils that collapse when you breathe in. Looking in a mirror, press the side of one nostril to close it. With your mouth closed, breathe in through the other nostril. If it tends to collapse, the BSSAA suggests propping it gently open and breathing in again. If breathing is easier with the nostril held open, it says nasal dilators may help your snoring. Repeat on the other side.

That test checks the front of the nose. A stuffy nose from colds, allergies or swollen tissue inside is a different problem, and it's worth noticing too. Our nose test is a quick way to check how freely you breathe through your nose, and our guide to nasal valve collapse explains why some nostrils pull inward.

Does the nose itself make the snoring sound?

Usually not. A German medical guideline on snoring in adults says vibrations inside the nose are generally not possible because the nasal skeleton is too stable. But it adds that impaired nasal breathing can be a co-factor in snoring elsewhere, for example at the soft palate. Cleveland Clinic explains it the same way: with partly blocked nasal passages, you have to work harder to pull air through, which can pull together or collapse the soft, dangling tissue further back and cause snoring.

So "nose snoring" really means snoring that starts with the nose. A 2014 case series in Sleep and Breathing shows this clearly. Of 25 people with swollen nasal turbinates, the ridges inside the nose, 17 snored while breathing through the nose and snored less when they breathed through the mouth.

What about tongue snoring?

The BSSAA's third test checks the tongue. Stick your tongue out as far as it will go and grip it between your teeth. Now try to make a snoring noise. If the noise is reduced with your tongue held forward, it says you're probably a tongue base snorer.

Cleveland Clinic notes that sleeping on your back can let the tongue relax toward the back of the throat, partly blocking the airway. That's one reason sleep position and snoring are so closely linked. The NHS lists a mouth device that brings the tongue forward for this type of snoring; our guide to oral appliances for snoring explains how they work.

What does each result point to?

Here's how the three tests line up with the fixes the NHS and BSSAA describe. These are home checks, not a diagnosis.

What does the research say about matching the fix?

Research on matching fixes to snoring types is limited, and nobody has formally tested how accurate these home checks are. What exists is a handful of small studies on specific fixes.

For mouth snorers, the best-known study is from 2022, in Healthcare. Twenty mouth breathers with mild sleep apnea had a baseline home sleep test, then a second test a week later on a night with their mouths taped. Thirteen cut their snoring index by at least half, and the median snoring index fell by 47%. Cleveland Clinic notes that mouth taping studies are few and involve small numbers of people.

For nose snorers, a 2000 randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 12 people with chronic rhinitis found that those given an external nasal dilator strip averaged 173 snores an hour, compared with 258 for those given a placebo strip, though snoring loudness didn't change. Results aren't always positive: a 2004 trial of 40 snorers found no significant improvement from a nasal strip, an oral spray or a positioning pillow compared with no aid. Its abstract doesn't describe choosing nose snorers, which is a good reminder of why matching the fix to the cause matters.

What if you're both?

Mixed snoring is common. The BSSAA gives the example of someone who snores because their mouth falls open, but whose mouth falls open because an allergy has blocked their nose. In that case, it says, you need to tackle both the stuffiness and the mouth breathing.

Start with the nose. Cleveland Clinic says you should never use mouth tape if you have nasal obstruction or congestion, so a clear nose is the foundation. Once you can breathe comfortably through your nose with your mouth closed, adding something to keep your mouth closed makes sense. Many people pair a nasal strip with mouth tape for this reason; our guide to mouth tape and nasal strips together covers how, and how to apply nasal strips helps with placement.

When should you see a doctor?

Home tests can't rule out sleep apnea. See a GP or doctor if lifestyle changes aren't helping or if your snoring is affecting your life or your partner's. The NHS says to get checked if you feel sleepy during the day, your breathing stops and starts while you sleep, or you make gasping or choking noises, which may be signs of sleep apnoea. Our guide to snoring sounds explained covers which noises deserve attention.

It's also worth seeing a doctor if your nose is blocked most of the time, since a deviated septum, polyps or swollen turbinates may need their own treatment. If you're pregnant, ask your midwife or doctor before trying mouth tape or a new snoring product. We don't recommend mouth tape for children.

Our pick (paid partner): Titan Sleep System

If your tests point to your nose, your mouth or both, our pick is the Titan Sleep System. We haven't tested or ranked snoring products ourselves, and Titan's products weren't used in the studies above. This is our recommendation.

It covers both sides of mixed snoring in one nightly kit: TitanAir Nasal Strips for the nose and Titan Bamboo Silk Mouth Tape for the mouth. Titan describes the strips as drug-free external nasal dilators with flexible spring-loaded bands, placed just above the flare of the nostrils on the soft part of the nose, not the bony bridge. It describes the tape as a soft, breathable bamboo silk strip worn horizontally across the lips, and suggests 20 to 30 minutes of daytime practice before the first night.

Titan says every batch is third-party tested and certified PFAS-free, and offers a 30-night guarantee. Our Titan Sleep System guide has more detail.

Read next

• Does mouth breathing cause snoring?
• Why do I snore with my mouth closed?
• Mouth and tongue exercises for snoring

* 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.