REMEDIES
Chin straps
Simple and cheap, but the evidence that they help is weak.
- Best for
- Possibly, mouth breathers with a clear nose
- Evidence
- Weak: one small study found no benefit
- Cost
- Low
- Time to work
- The first night, if at all
What a chin strap does
A chin strap is a band of soft fabric that goes under the chin and over the top of the head. It holds the lower jaw up and the mouth closed, with the idea of keeping you breathing through your nose and stopping the jaw dropping back.
What the research found
Key study
A chin strap in the sleep lab
- 26 adults
- Sleep apnea
- Same night, with CPAP after
Adults with sleep apnea slept the first two hours of a night with only a chin strap, then with CPAP for the rest. With the chin strap, breathing pauses, oxygen levels and snoring didn't improve compared with their diagnostic night, even in those with mild sleep apnea. With CPAP, they all did. The researchers concluded that a chin strap alone is not an effective treatment for sleep apnea or snoring.
There is little research in people with simple snoring. A strap can't stop the tongue from falling back, and it doesn't move the jaw forward the way an anti-snore mouthguard does, which may be why it does so little.
Better-supported options
- If you breathe through your mouth because your nose is blocked: treat the nose or try nasal strips.
- If you snore with your jaw dropping back: an anti-snore mouthguard, which moves the jaw forward.
- If you snore mostly on your back: side sleeping.
Do chin straps work for snoring?
There is little evidence that they do. In people with sleep apnea, a chin strap didn't reduce snoring 1.
Is a chin strap better than mouth tape?
Neither has strong evidence. Both require a clear nose. See mouth taping.
Can a chin strap help with CPAP?
Some people use one to keep their mouth closed with a nasal CPAP mask. That's a different use; ask your sleep clinic.
What works better than a chin strap?
An anti-snore mouthguard has the best evidence of any device for snoring 2.
Sources
- Bhat S, Gushway-Henry N, Polos PG, et al. The efficacy of a chinstrap in treating sleep disordered breathing and snoring. J Clin Sleep Med. 2014;10(8):887-892. doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.3962
- Ramar K, Dort LC, Katz SG, et al. Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring with oral appliance therapy: an update for 2015. J Clin Sleep Med. 2015;11(7):773-827. doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.4858
COMING SOON
Find out
how you snore.
Snores listens through the night on your iPhone and shows you in the morning how much and how loudly you snored, with clips of the loudest moments. Tag what you tried and see what goes with quieter nights. The sound stays on your iPhone.
Meet Snores
This page is general information, not medical advice. Snores is not a medical device and does not diagnose sleep apnea or any other condition. If you are worried about your sleep or your breathing, talk to a doctor.