Snoring feels small until it keeps you awake for the third night in a row. When you start searching for how to stop someone from snoring, you realize it’s not just a noise problem. It affects your mood, your focus, and even the way you interact with the person beside you. A study published in Sleep Health found that partners of frequent snorers lose an average of one full hour of sleep each night, which adds up fast.
Most people think snoring is something you just deal with, but simple changes can make nights a lot quieter. You don’t need extreme solutions. You need practical steps you can use right away and a few habits that help reduce the problem over time.
If you’re ready to sleep without frustration or constant interruptions, these tips will help you understand what causes the noise and what you can do about it.
1. Help Them Switch to Side Sleeping
Back sleeping is one of the biggest causes of snoring. When someone lies flat on their back, their tongue and soft tissues slide toward the airway. This narrows the space and creates that loud vibrating sound. Switching them to a side position opens the airway and reduces the noise immediately.
You can guide them into side sleeping by placing a body pillow behind their back so they naturally stay in position. You can also get a side-sleeping pillow shaped to support shoulder, neck, and head alignment. If you want to stop someone snoring without waking them up, a gentle nudge or shifting the pillow can sometimes adjust their body enough to quiet the sound.
2. Elevate Their Head and Upper Body
A slight elevation reduces pressure on the airway. This works because raising the head prevents the throat from collapsing inward. The trick is subtle height, not a steep angle.
Good options:
- A wedge pillow designed for elevated sleep
- An adjustable bed frame
- Stacking two medium firm pillows
- A pillow that maintains shape and does not flatten overnight
This small shift improves airflow, reduces vibration, and helps you sleep better without having to move them constantly.
3. Clear Their Nasal Passages Before Bed
Congestion turns quiet breathing into loud mouth breathing, and mouth breathing increases snoring. Clearing the nose makes a huge difference, even for people who do not realize their nose is blocked.
Try these simple nighttime habits:
- A warm shower to loosen mucus
- Steam inhalation using a bowl of hot water
- A saline rinse to remove allergens
- Nasal strips to lift the nasal passages physically
- A nasal gel that prevents dryness
A clear airway supports calmer breathing and helps you sleep with someone who snores.
4. Keep the Bedroom Low Allergen
Allergies cause swelling in the nose and throat. Swelling makes the airway narrower, which leads to louder snoring. Even mild allergies make snoring worse.
You can reduce allergens by:
- Washing pillowcases weekly in hot water
- Cleaning the mattress and vacuuming often
- Using an air purifier with a HEPA filter
- Keeping pets away from the pillows
- Dusting bedroom surfaces every few days
Controlling allergens helps address snoring at the source and improves your ability to fall asleep when someone is snoring.
5. Run a Humidifier at Night
Dry air irritates the throat, especially if your partner uses air conditioning or sleeps with a fan blowing directly at them. A dry airway vibrates louder. Moist air helps reduce friction in the throat so breathing stays quiet.
Use a cool mist humidifier to add gentle moisture to the room. If the person often wakes up with dry mouth or dry throat, this is one of the easiest fixes. Keep the tank clean so it stays hygienic and effective.
6. Reduce Alcohol Before Bed
Alcohol relaxes the throat muscles more than usual. When those muscles collapse, the airway narrows. That narrowing is what turns soft breathing into loud snoring.
Set a simple rule: no alcohol at least two to three hours before lying down. They do not need to stop drinking altogether. Just timing it earlier makes snoring less intense and sometimes completely unnoticeable.
7. Encourage a More Consistent Sleep Routine
When someone goes to bed exhausted, their muscles relax more deeply. That deep relaxation makes snoring worse. A consistent sleep schedule keeps the body running on a predictable rhythm, which helps regulate nighttime breathing.
You can support this by picking a stable bedtime, avoiding heavy meals late at night, and cutting screen time an hour before bed. Your partner may not see the change right away, but the improvement becomes clear within a few weeks.
8. Try Anti Snoring Devices That Have Real Proof
Some devices are gimmicky, but others have solid science behind them.
Useful options:
Mandibular advancement devices
These mouthpieces gently move the jaw forward to keep the airway open. They are one of the most effective non medical snoring solutions.
Nasal dilators
Soft silicone inserts that widen the nasal passages and improve airflow.
Chin straps
Helpful for people who snore because they sleep with their mouth open.
Positional belts
These encourage side sleeping by making it uncomfortable to roll onto the back.
Trying a combination of these often works better than relying on one device.
9. Support Gradual, Healthy Weight Loss
Excess weight, especially around the neck and upper body, increases pressure on the airway. Even mild weight loss reduces snoring in many people. This is not about extreme diets. It is about small, steady improvements.
You can suggest simple changes:
- After dinner walks
- Smaller late night snacks
- More whole foods during the week
- Drinking more water daily
Weight loss reduces snoring because it reduces tissue pressure on the throat. It is a long term fix but one of the most effective ones.
10. Use White Noise So You Can Sleep Even When They Snore
This is where you consider how to sleep with someone who snores in a practical way. Some nights the snoring will still happen no matter what. A white noise machine or app helps your brain tune out irregular sounds like snoring. White noise gives your brain something steady to follow so you can fall asleep instead of staying alert.
This trick is especially helpful when you want to fall asleep before your partner or when the snoring starts after you are already half asleep.
11. Replace Old Pillows and Fix Neck Alignment
Flat, old pillows force the neck into awkward angles. When the neck bends too far backward or forward, the airway tightens. A supportive pillow keeps the neck in a natural position so airflow stays open.
Choose pillows that:
- Hold their shape
- Support the natural curve of the neck
- Do not tilt the head too high
- Work well for side sleeping
A pillow swap sounds simple, but neck alignment is one of the biggest factors in nighttime breathing.
12. Add Gentle Exercise and Movement to Their Day
Daily movement strengthens the muscles in the throat, tongue, and chest. When these muscles are stronger, the airway collapses less during sleep, which reduces snoring over time.
Helpful activities include:
- Walking
- Light jogging
- Yoga
- Cycling
- Swimming
These are not intense workouts. The goal is to keep the body active so breathing muscles stay firm and reliable at night.
13. Support Nasal Breathing Instead of Mouth Breathing
Mouth breathing is one of the loudest forms of snoring. It dries the throat, irritates the tissues, and causes strong vibration. Nasal breathing is quieter and more efficient.
To encourage nasal breathing:
- Use nasal strips to open the nose
- Try nasal dilators to widen the airway
- Use a moisturizing nasal spray
- Add a chin strap if they sleep with an open mouth
- Elevate the head slightly for easier airflow
These tools train the person to keep their mouth closed naturally.
14. Try Airway Strengthening Exercises
Airway exercises target the tongue, soft palate, and throat muscles. Over time, these muscles firm up and vibrate less during sleep.
Examples:
- Press the tongue firmly against the roof of the mouth for 10 seconds
- Slide the tongue backward while keeping it flat against the roof
- Repeat long vowel sounds for several minutes
- Hold the tongue against the bottom teeth while raising the soft palate
These exercises feel odd at first, but after a few weeks many couples notice quieter nights.
15. Know When Snoring Needs Medical Attention
Some snoring is harmless. But if you notice choking, gasping, or pauses in breathing, it may be sleep apnea. This is a medical issue that requires evaluation.
A doctor may recommend:
- A sleep study
- A CPAP machine
- Oral appliances
- Nasal or throat treatments
- Treatment for allergies or sinus problems
Professional help can dramatically improve sleep quality for both of you.
Rest Comes Easier When You Work Together
Snoring feels like a small problem, but when it shows up every night, it shapes how you sleep, how you think, and how you deal with each other. Once you understand the simple fixes that relieve the noise, you stop reacting out of frustration and start acting with intention.
You now have practical ways to stop someone from snoring, along with tips for how to sleep with someone who snores and how to fall asleep when someone is snoring. These changes are small but powerful. One adjustment encourages the next until your nights feel calmer and more predictable.
If the snoring keeps getting louder or comes with gasping or daytime exhaustion, take it seriously and recommend a checkup. Sometimes the noise is more than a habit. Most nights, though, a few steady habits make all the difference.
Good sleep is a team effort. Keep noticing what helps, talk openly, and fine tune things together. Small progress still counts, and every quiet night feels like a win.