When to use nasal strips, and how long they take to work

Use a nasal strip whenever the front of your nose feels too narrow to breathe through comfortably: at night if you snore or feel stuffy, during exercise if you like the feel of a more open nose, and alongside mouth tape to make nose breathing at night easier. Strips work the moment they go on, because they open the nose with a spring rather than a drug. They do less when the blockage sits deeper in the nose or the snoring starts in the throat.

How long does it take for nasal strips to work?

Nasal strips work immediately. A strip is a flexible band that sticks to the outside of your nose and tries to spring back flat, which lifts the sides of the nose outward and widens the passage as soon as it's pressed on. There's no drug that needs time to absorb, so the effect is there from the first breath.

Studies that measure the nose show this directly. A 1998 study in The Laryngoscope tested a strip in three groups: 33 people with a congested nose, 28 with a deviated septum in the narrow front part of the nose, and 51 people with healthy noses. With the strip on, the narrowest part of the nasal passage got wider and nasal resistance fell significantly in all three groups, with the biggest effect in the people with a deviated septum.

Breathe Right describes the same thing on its FAQ page, saying the bands lift the sides of the nose and open it for relief you can feel right away.

Feeling the difference can take a little longer than the mechanics. In the same 1998 study, people whose blockage came from swollen nasal lining had a measurably wider nose with the strip, but they didn't report feeling much clearer. And a strip on your face is a new sensation. If the first night feels odd, give it a few nights before you decide.

When is a nasal strip most useful?

Nasal strips are most useful when the narrow spot in your nose is near the nostrils. That's the nasal valve, the tightest part of the airway, and it's the part a strip pulls open. A 2021 review in the European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology sums up the measured effects: a wider nasal valve, lower nasal resistance, and side walls that are steadier and less likely to collapse inward on a strong breath in. Here is how the common occasions compare.

Should you wear a nasal strip for snoring?

A nasal strip is worth trying for snoring if your nose feels blocked or narrow at night. The NHS lists strips and nasal dilators that hold the nose open as a treatment option when snoring is caused by blocked or narrow airways in the nose.

The best evidence comes from people with stuffy noses. In a 2000 randomized, placebo-controlled trial in the European Respiratory Journal, 12 snorers with chronic rhinitis wore either a real strip or a placebo strip during an overnight sleep study. Snoring frequency was significantly lower with the real strip, at 173 snores per hour compared with 258 on placebo. Snoring loudness didn't change.

If your snoring comes from the back of the throat, a strip will do less. Our guide to how nasal strips work goes deeper into who responds best.

Should you wear one when your nose is congested?

Yes, a strip can make a congested night easier, especially when the stuffiness is ongoing. A 2019 study in Advances in Therapy followed 70 people with chronic nighttime nasal congestion who wore a strip with stronger springs at bedtime for 28 days. They reported easier breathing, better sleep quality and feeling more refreshed in the morning. When researchers measured nasal resistance during sleep, it was about 39% lower with the strip on.

A strip works differently from a decongestant. A 2007 study of 89 people compared a strip with a decongestant spray. The strip widened the first 3 cm of the nose and gave a similar boost in airflow and in how clear people felt, but it had no effect further back, where the spray worked. That makes strips a useful drug-free option for colds and allergy season, and a natural partner for saline rinses. See nasal strips for a cold for more.

Can you use nasal strips during pregnancy?

Many people do, because strips contain no medicine. A small 1996 randomized trial of pregnant women with nighttime nasal congestion found the spring-loaded strip improved ease of breathing compared with a placebo strip. It's a single small study, and anything during pregnancy is worth running past your midwife or doctor. Our article on nasal strips during pregnancy covers the research in full.

Should you wear nasal strips with mouth tape?

Wearing a strip with mouth tape is one of the most practical reasons to own them. Mouth tape keeps your lips closed so you breathe through your nose, and that only works if your nose is open enough to carry all your breathing for the night. A strip widens the front of the nose, which can make the switch to nose breathing feel easier.

The strip is a support, not a workaround for a blocked nose. Cleveland Clinic's sleep specialist says mouth tape should never be used with nasal obstruction, nasal congestion, chronic allergies, a sinus infection, enlarged tonsils, a deviated septum or heart issues. If your nose is blocked tonight, skip the tape. We don't recommend mouth tape for children. Our guide to using mouth tape and nasal strips together has the step-by-step routine.

Do nasal strips help during exercise?

Nasal strips can make nose breathing during exercise feel more comfortable, but they don't make you fitter or faster. A 2021 meta-analysis in the European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology pooled studies of strips during physical activity. It found no improvement in VO2max, heart rate or rating of perceived exertion in healthy people.

So wear one for sport if you like the feel of a more open nose, especially if you're working on nose breathing during easy sessions. Just don't expect it to change your numbers. Nasal strips for exercise has more.

Are nasal strips worth packing for travel?

Nasal strips are worth packing, because they take up almost no space and work the same way in a hotel bed or on a plane as at home. No study has tested strips while traveling specifically. The same rules apply: a clean, dry nose, one fresh strip, and no more than the 12 hours a day Breathe Right gives as its limit.

When won't a nasal strip help?

A nasal strip won't help much when the problem isn't at the front of the nose. The 2007 study found no effect on the nasal passage more than 3 cm behind the nostrils, so swollen turbinates, nasal polyps or enlarged adenoids are out of its reach. Snoring that comes from the tongue or soft palate won't change much either.

Strips also aren't a treatment for sleep apnea. A 2016 meta-analysis in Pulmonary Medicine found that nasal dilators improved nasal breathing but didn't improve sleep apnea, with no significant change in AHI, oxygen levels or snoring index in people with the condition. The NHS advises seeing a GP if your breathing stops and starts in your sleep or you make gasping or choking noises. Our guide to snoring vs sleep apnea explains the difference.

If a strip seems to do nothing, fit is usually the first thing to check. Why nasal strips don't work for some people walks through the fixes.

How do you get the most from a strip?

Getting the most from a nasal strip comes down to placement and skin prep. Breathe Right says the adhesive won't stick properly to wet, oily or moisturized skin, so wash and dry your nose first. Place the strip just above the flare of your nostrils and press the ends down. Take it off gently, using warm water to loosen it.

Breathe Right says its strips may be used daily for up to 12 hours a day, and to stop if a rash or skin irritation appears. That makes nightly use simple, with one fresh strip each time.

Our pick (paid partner): TitanAir Nasal Strips

Our pick for everyday use is TitanAir Nasal Strips. This is our recommendation, not the result of testing or ranking strips ourselves.

Titan says TitanAir strips are drug-free external nasal dilators with flexible spring-loaded bands. Its placement instructions match the advice above: clean, dry skin with no moisturizer, and the strip just above the flare of the nostrils on the soft part of the nose, not the bony bridge. To remove one, Titan says to loosen it with warm water and peel slowly from the ends inward.

Titan says the strips are designed to pair with its mouth tape, and that they're third-party tested and certified PFAS-free. They come with a 30-night guarantee and in 30, 90, 180 or 360-night supplies.

Read next

• How nasal strips work, and when they help most
• How long can you wear a nasal strip?
• Mouth tape and nasal strips together

* 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.