Key Takeaways
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While nasal strips don’t “treat” sleep apnea, they can help to reduce snoring, which is a common symptom associated with the disorder.
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Nasal strips work to open up your nasal passages to improve airflow, making them useful for congestion and to reduce mouth breathing (both of which can worsen sleep apnea).
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Sleep apnea is a serious health issue that requires a medical diagnosis and treatment, like CPAP or other approved therapies, as recommended by a healthcare professional.
Struggling With Snoring or Sleep Apnea? Here’s What Actually Works
Snoring isn’t just annoying, it can often be associated with something more serious, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which results in temporary lapses in breathing called apnea episodes.
Nasal strips are a great tool for improving breathing, however, they are not a medical treatment for sleep apnea.
The good news? They do help with some of the common symptoms of sleep apnea, such as snoring, while reducing the issues that can make the disorder worse, like congestion and mouth breathing.
In this article, we’ll break down what sleep apnea is and how it's diagnosed, how nasal strips work, and some of the available treatment options for sleep apnea.
What is Sleep Apnea? Symptoms, Causes, and Diagnosis
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious condition where breathing stops repeatedly while you sleep due to blockages in your throat or airway.
Some of the causes include:
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Relaxed throat muscles that block airflow
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Obesity or a large neck size
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Nasal obstruction or deviated septum
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Sleeping on your back
Some of the common symptoms include:
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Loud snoring and choking sounds while you sleep
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Excessive daytime fatigue
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Difficulty focusing
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Waking up gasping
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Headaches
How sleep apnea is diagnosed:
A proper sleep study is needed to monitor your breathing patterns and to confirm sleep apnea. It’s not possible to self-diagnose, so you’ll need to speak to a sleep specialist if you’re showing some of the above symptoms.
Nasal Strips Explained and How They Work
Nasal strips are small adhesive bands placed across the outside bridge of your nose. They have a spring-like action that gently pulls open your nostrils to allow more air through your nasal passages, making it easier to breathe instantly.
These strips are great for:
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People with nasal congestion from allergies, sinusitis, or colds
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Those who snore due to a blocked nose
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Anyone wanting to reduce mouth breathing and improve nasal airflow
While they help airflow through your nose, they’re not a fix for deeper nasal breathing problems stemming from things like nasal polyps.
Take a look at some of the best nasal strips for snoring.
Do Nasal Strips Help Treat OSA? Exploring the Potential Benefits
Nasal strips do not treat OSA, but they may improve airflow through your nose and reduce mouth breathing (a bad habit that can worsen the symptoms of sleep apnea). They also may ease snoring and improve your overall sleep comfort.
Here’s a more in-depth breakdown of the benefits of nasal strips below:
1. May Reduce Snoring and Apnea Severity
If your snoring is mainly from a nasal blockage rather than issues with relaxed/collapsed throat tissues, nasal strips are one of the best natural remedies to stop snoring.
By pulling open the nasal valve area, they can lower the volume and intensity of snoring, increase oxygen intake, and improve sleep quality, especially for people with congestion or those who sleep on their backs.
Scientific research shows that when study participants with mild sleep apnea used mouth tape, they saw improvements in both their snoring and the severity of their sleep apnea.
2. Improve Sleep Comfort During Congestion
Congestion from colds or allergies can force you to start mouth breathing, which usually leads to louder snoring and waking up with a dry mouth.
Since nasal strips lift the sides of the nose to make nasal breathing easier, you can breathe more freely even when you’re partially congested. This can bring some much-needed relief and comfort while you sleep, especially during allergy season or when battling a cold.
3. May Support CPAP Use in Sleep Apnea Patients
Some patients with OSA struggle to tolerate CPAP machines due to nasal congestion or restricted airflow. The great news is that nasal strips can work alongside CPAP treatment in order to help open up the nasal passages and make the therapy more comfortable to use.
Keep learning more in our guide on the benefits of using CPAP for snoring problems.
Can Nasal Strips Support Sleep Apnea Management and Treatment?
Nasal strips can help to support comfort and airflow, especially when used with other treatments, but they do not treat sleep apnea directly since they can’t address a collapsed airway in the throat, which causes most apnea events.
If you're using them regularly and still feeling tired or snoring heavily, speak to a healthcare provider for testing and proper treatment options like CPAP, oral appliances, or sleep position therapy.
Exploring Other Sleep Apnea Treatment Support Options
If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, nasal strips might help, but they won’t be enough on their own. Here are some of the evidence-based support options you should know about:
1. CPAP Machines (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure)
CPAP therapy is considered the gold standard of treatment for moderate to severe OSA. The device works by blowing pressurised air through a mask to keep your airway open while you sleep.
CPAP is very effective in reducing apnea events and improving oxygen flow, but it can take some time to adjust to wearing the mask.
If you're new to CPAP or struggling with it, try adjusting the type of mask you’re using or adding some of the best CPAP accessories to make the process more comfortable and effective.
2. Mouth Taping for Better Nasal Breathing
Mouth taping may be an effective way to encourage nasal breathing during sleep, especially for snorers or those using CPAP.
By keeping your mouth closed, mouth tape can help to prevent issues that worsen sleep apnea, like mouth breathing, while also reducing some of the negative side effects of CPAP therapy, such as dry mouth.
It’s essential to always use safe, skin-friendly tape such as Dream Recovery, which is considered one of the best mouth tapes for sleep apnea, thanks to the use of luxuriously soft organic bamboo silk and a hypoallergenic adhesive that’s been proven to stay put all night long.
Transform your sleep and overall well-being with Dream Recovery Mouth Tape.
3. Anti-Snoring Devices and Nasal Dilators
There are many CPAP alternatives for sleep apnea designed to reduce snoring and support the health of your airway. Internal nasal dilators, mouthpieces, or positional sleep devices that keep you sleeping on your side can help mild cases of snoring or apnea.
Explore the best anti-snoring devices and learn more about the difference between nasal strips vs. nasal dilators.
Explore the Dream Recovery Nasal Strip Collection for Improved Sleep Comfort
If you’re looking for a natural way to breathe easier at night, Dream Recovery’s Second Wind Nasal Strips are designed to improve nasal breathing by up to 33% right away for deeper sleep.
They’re easy to apply, non-invasive, gentle on your skin, recyclable, and come in two different colors and strengths for your unique preferences.
While they don’t treat sleep apnea, they’re an effective tool for improving nasal breathing and short-term relief from congestion.
Remember to always speak to a healthcare professional to ensure the most accurate diagnosis and treatment options.
Breathe easier instantly with Dream Recovery Second Wind Nasal Strips.