In short
- In a sleep lab study of 72 habitual snorers, most snorers without sleep apnea snored less on their side, but people with sleep apnea often kept snoring on their side.
- In that study, people with sleep apnea who had more breathing problems on their back tended to snore more, not less, when they lay on their side.
- Cleveland Clinic says a partly blocked nose forces extra effort to move air, which can pull together the soft tissue in the throat and cause snoring.
- In a small trial of men who already slept on their side and used a decongestant spray, those who lost at least 3 kg cut their snoring from about 320 to 176 snores an hour.
- In a randomized trial of 12 people with chronic rhinitis, nasal strips cut snoring from about 258 to 173 snores an hour, though loudness didn't change.
- The NHS says to see a GP if you feel sleepy in the day, your breathing stops and starts in your sleep, or you gasp or choke, as these can be signs of sleep apnea.
If you still snore on your side, something other than your tongue falling back is narrowing your airway. The usual suspects are a blocked nose, alcohol or sedatives, extra weight, the shape of your palate or jaw, and a mouth that falls open in sleep. Snoring that stays loud whatever position you're in can also be a sign of sleep apnea, so it's worth ruling that out first.
Side sleeping does help most snorers. Our guide to sleep position and snoring explains why, and how to stop sleeping on your back covers the devices that keep you there. This article is for the people it didn't fix.
Why do some people still snore on their side?
Research: limited (what this means)Some people still snore on their side because side sleeping fixes only one cause of snoring. Cleveland Clinic explains that lying on your back can let your tongue relax toward the back of your throat. Turning onto your side takes that away. It doesn't change a blocked nose, a long soft palate, relaxed throat muscles after a drink or extra tissue around the airway.
The NHS lists several separate causes of snoring and matches each to its own fix. A tongue blocking the back of the throat calls for a mouthpiece that brings it forward. A mouth falling open calls for something that keeps it closed. Blocked or narrow nasal airways call for strips, dilators or treatment for the swelling. If you've dealt with position and you're still snoring, one of the others is probably at work.
The research specifically on side snorers is thin. Most of what follows comes from studies of snoring in general, which is why we rate the evidence as limited.
Could snoring on your side be a sign of sleep apnea?
Snoring on your side can be a sign of sleep apnea, and this is the most important thing to check. A 2003 sleep lab study looked at 72 people who complained of habitual snoring. Among those without sleep apnea, most snored less on their side, both in time and in loudness. Among those with sleep apnea, the results were mixed, and many kept snoring on their side.
One detail stands out. In the sleep apnea group, people with more breathing problems on their back tended to snore more, not less, when they lay on their side. The authors concluded that snorers without sleep apnea mostly snore less on their side, while people with sleep apnea often don't.
So if side sleeping made no difference to your snoring, take that seriously. The NHS says to see a GP if you feel sleepy during the day, your breathing stops and starts while you sleep, or you make gasping or choking noises. Our guide to snoring vs. sleep apnea lists the warning signs.
Is a blocked nose keeping you snoring on your side?
A blocked nose is one of the most common reasons people keep snoring on their side. Cleveland Clinic explains that when your nasal passages are partly blocked, you have to make an extra effort to move air through them, and that can pull together or collapse the soft, dangling tissue in your throat. It names a deviated septum and nasal polyps as structural causes, and allergies and colds as temporary ones.
Opening the nose can help. In a small randomized trial, 12 people with chronic rhinitis wore either real or placebo nasal strips during an overnight sleep study. With real strips, snoring fell from about 258 to 173 snores an hour. Loudness didn't change, so strips may make you snore less often rather than more quietly. Cleveland Clinic lists nasal strips and nasal dilators among its snoring remedies, and also suggests antihistamines or steroid nasal sprays for people with ongoing congestion.
If your nose is often blocked, see why is my nose stuffy at night.
Do alcohol and sedatives make you snore on your side?
Alcohol and sedatives can make you snore in any position, including on your side, because they relax the muscles that hold your airway open. Cleveland Clinic says having too much to drink before bed can relax those muscles, and its sleep specialist describes alcohol as a central nervous system depressant that can make your airway more floppy. It suggests avoiding alcohol for several hours before bed.
Sedatives work the same way. Cleveland Clinic warns that too much melatonin or other sleep medications can leave your nasal passages and throat muscles too relaxed, so you snore more often. If you take sleep medication regularly, talk to the prescriber rather than stopping on your own. Our article on alcohol and snoring has more on timing.
Does weight make you snore on your side?
Weight can keep you snoring on your side, because it affects the airway itself rather than how it's positioned. Cleveland Clinic explains that during sleep, fatty tissue in your neck can press on your throat and block your airway when your throat muscles relax. It says snoring is more common in people with overweight or obesity.
A small 1995 study in Chest is unusually relevant here. Twenty men who snored heavily had already been tested sleeping on their side and using a decongestant nasal spray, which didn't improve how often they snored. Nineteen then completed a six-month weight loss program. The nine who lost at least 3 kg cut their snoring from 320 to 176 snores an hour, and three who lost an average of 7.6 kg almost stopped snoring altogether. The authors concluded the main effect came from the weight loss. Our guide to weight loss and snoring has more.
Could your jaw, palate or open mouth be the cause?
Your jaw, palate or open mouth can be the cause when nose, alcohol and weight aren't. Cleveland Clinic says a longer or softer roof of the mouth, or a longer uvula, narrows the opening from your nose to your throat, and these tissues can vibrate and bump against each other. It also lists big tonsils and a large tongue as features that restrict airflow. Our article on how snoring happens explains which parts vibrate.
Jaw and tongue position can matter in any position. The AASM guideline describes oral appliances as devices that move the lower jaw forward and hold it there to keep the airway open, and it recommends them for adults who want treatment for snoring without sleep apnea. A sleep doctor should rule out sleep apnea first, and a dentist should fit the device. See anti-snoring mouthpieces for who they suit.
An open mouth is the other piece. The NHS matches a mouth falling open during sleep to a chin strap or a device that helps you breathe through your nose. If your nose is clear and your partner says your mouth hangs open, mouth tape is a simple option to try. In a 2022 study of 20 mouth breathers with mild sleep apnea, the median snoring index fell from about 304 to 121 an hour after a week of taping, and 13 of the 20 cut their snoring by at least half.
The research is still small. A 2025 systematic review in PLOS One looked at 10 studies with 213 patients and concluded the existing data doesn't support mouth taping as a sound clinical treatment for people with sleep-disordered breathing in general. It also flagged asphyxiation as a possible risk when the nose is blocked. So tape is for adults with a clear nose and no signs of sleep apnea, and never a substitute for testing. Check your nose with our nose test first. We don't recommend mouth tape for children.
Check this first. Skip mouth tape and see a doctor if you snore loudly, wake up gasping, have been told you stop breathing in your sleep, or can't breathe comfortably through your nose. More on safety
What should you try next?
What you should try next depends on which cause fits you best. This checklist matches the common patterns to a sensible first step.
| If you snore on your side and... | Likely factor | What to try next |
|---|---|---|
| You also gasp, choke, pause breathing or feel sleepy in the day | Possible sleep apnea | See a doctor before trying anything else |
| Your nose feels blocked at night | Nasal obstruction | Nasal strips or dilators; treat allergies or congestion |
| It's worse after drinks or sleep medication | Relaxed airway muscles | Skip alcohol for several hours before bed; review sedatives with a doctor |
| Your weight has gone up | Tissue around the airway | Gradual weight loss |
| Your mouth hangs open but your nose is clear | Mouth breathing | Mouth tape or a chin strap |
| None of these fit | Palate, tonsils or jaw | A doctor or dentist exam; possibly a mouthpiece |
Change one thing at a time and give it a week or two so you can tell what helped. A bed partner or a recording app makes the comparison easier. If nothing changes, Cleveland Clinic says that when at-home remedies aren't helping, it may be time to get checked out.
Our pick (paid partner): Titan Sleep System
If a stuffy nose or an open mouth is keeping you snoring on your side, our pick is the Titan Sleep System. Titan says it brings TitanAir Nasal Strips and Titan Mouth Tape together as one nightly system.
Titan describes the strips as drug-free external nasal dilators with flexible spring-loaded bands, placed just above the flare of the nostrils, and the tape as a bamboo silk strip worn across the lips. Titan says every batch is third-party tested and certified PFAS-free, and it refunds you if your sleep isn't better after 30 nights. We haven't tested or ranked these products ourselves; this is our recommendation for ordinary snoring, not for anyone with signs of sleep apnea.
Read next
- Side sleeping and mouth tape: using them together
- Why did I start snoring suddenly?
- How to stop snoring
Common questions
Why do I snore when I sleep on my side?
Because something other than your tongue falling back is narrowing your airway. Common culprits are a blocked nose, alcohol or sedatives, extra weight around the neck, a long soft palate and a mouth that falls open. Snoring that stays loud on your side can also be a sign of sleep apnea, so it's worth getting checked.
Can you snore on your side and have sleep apnea?
Yes. In a sleep lab study of 72 snorers, people with sleep apnea often kept snoring on their side, and those with more breathing problems on their back tended to snore even more on their side. If side sleeping doesn't quiet you, and you have daytime sleepiness or pauses in breathing, see a doctor.
How do I stop snoring when sleeping on my side?
Work out what's still narrowing your airway. Clear a blocked nose, skip alcohol and sedatives before bed, and look at weight if it has crept up. Nasal strips help some people with a stuffy nose, and mouth tape may help adults whose mouth falls open while their nose is clear. A mouthpiece fitted by a dentist is another option.
Do nasal strips help side sleepers who snore?
They can if a stuffy nose is part of the problem. In a randomized trial of people with chronic rhinitis, real nasal strips cut how often they snored by about a third compared with placebo strips, though they didn't make the snoring quieter. Cleveland Clinic lists nasal strips among its snoring remedies.
Does mouth tape help if you snore on your side?
It may if your mouth falls open and you breathe comfortably through your nose. In a 2022 study of 20 mouth breathers with mild sleep apnea, the median snoring index fell by about half after a week of mouth taping. The evidence is limited, and tape isn't for anyone with a blocked nose or signs of sleep apnea.
Does losing weight stop snoring on your side?
It helps some people. Cleveland Clinic says fatty tissue in the neck can press on the throat during sleep. In a small trial of heavy snorers already sleeping on their side, those who lost at least 3 kg nearly halved their snores per hour, and three who lost an average of 7.6 kg almost stopped snoring.
Sources
- Effects of body position on snoring in apneic and nonapneic snorers
- Wondering why you snore? 5 possible causes
- Snoring: causes and complications
- Snoring? Try these 12 remedies so you can sleep peacefully
- Snoring
- Treatment for snoring. Combined weight loss, sleeping on side, and nasal spray
- External nasal dilation reduces snoring in chronic rhinitis patients: a randomized controlled trial
- Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring with oral appliance therapy: an update for 2015
- The impact of mouth-taping in mouth-breathers with mild obstructive sleep apnea: a preliminary study
- Breaking social media fads and uncovering the safety and efficacy of mouth taping in patients with mouth breathing, sleep disordered breathing, or obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review
About this article
- Research
- 10 published sources, listed above.
- Evidence
- Limited. How we rate it
- Last checked
- October 18, 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.
