Easier breathing isn’t the whole story.
“I can breathe through my nose more easily” can be true without “I snore less” being true.
One night. Several different questions.
How open does the nose feel? How often does someone snore? How loud is it? Are they sleeping better? Is their breathing repeatedly interrupted? These are separate questions, and a study usually answers only one.
Two 2019 trials in people with a blocked nose found nasal strips didn’t improve sleep more than placebo strips. A small earlier study found strips made snoring less frequent but not quieter.
Read the claim, then ask what was measured
An airflow measurement, a partner’s impression and a sleep-lab recording tell us different things. The 2015 trial that measured snoring in a lab found no change with nasal strips plus breathing exercises.
When you’re shopping
Don’t let “opens the nose” quietly turn into “fixes snoring”. Look for the exact outcome, the people studied and the limitations. If those details are missing, that’s worth knowing.
Original sources & their limits
- Report on two placebo-controlled nasal-strip trials (AJMC, on Advances in Therapy 2019) ↗
News report read. Two manufacturer-funded trials (140 and 130 adults with chronic night-time nasal congestion, 14 days). Strips did not improve sleep problems more than placebo strips. They measured sleep in congested people, not snoring.
- Mouth and throat exercises for snoring: randomised trial (Chest, 2015) ↗
Trial record read. 39 people with primary snoring or mild-to-moderate sleep apnoea, three months. Exercises reduced snoring measured in a sleep lab. The comparison group used nasal strips plus breathing exercises and showed no significant change.
- Small trial in people with chronic rhinitis ↗
English abstract read. Twelve selected participants; snoring frequency and loudness gave different results.
- Controlled crossover study of external nasal dilation ↗
English abstract read. Eighteen participants; opening the nose did not reduce snoring duration or intensity.
- Nasal dilators for sleep apnoea: systematic review (2016) ↗
Read. 14 studies, 147 people with sleep apnoea. No significant change in breathing events, oxygen levels or snoring index. Small, varied studies.
Sources checked 26 Oct 2026.