To aid in your quest to stop snoring the marketplace is booming with stop snoring products that claim to offer immediate relief. Snoring is a very common problem and about 87 million people in the US alone suffer from this sleep-depriving nuisance. Thousands of consumers around the globe fall for the marketing gimmicks that promise a for sure stop snoring remedy. In reality most of the stop snoring products you see in the marketplace are useless.

A first useless stop snoring product you might be considering is pills – in  most cases herbal blends. These snoring products claim to decrease nasal congestion but very few users have ever gained  relief from using this type of over-the-counter snoring remedy.

Snore pillows might also work for some people who only snore when they sleep on their back.  But if you find that you still snore, even when you have tried sleeping with your head elevated, a snore pillow will never be able to help you because the snoring is not sleep position-induced.

Reaching for that throat spray then? Well don’t. The idea behind the throat sprays is that the lubrication might lessen the vibrations, loudness and severity of the snoring. While it makes sense, it doesn’t make sense waking up four times every night to lubricate that uvula – you’ll be more sleep deprived than with the snoring!

Another useless snoring product is the cheap snoring mouthpiece. It has been scientifically proven that a decent anti snoring mouthpiece can assist in stopping the snore, but cheap rip-offs only cost you money – and in some cases tooth movement, a change in bite and severe pain. Beware of the one-size-fits all mouthpieces since they are not customized for your bite and jaw position. If you have a moderate to severe overbite or an underbite, these devices will not be set in the correct position and not only be ineffective but may cause pain in the jaw muscles and jaw joint.

Most importantly, one-size-fits-all mouthpieces are not adjustable and are set in only one position which move your lower jaw forward 50% of its maximum forward position. But to effectively eliminate snoring, especially if it is loud or involves sleep apnea, the lower jaw usually must be moved forward 60% to 80%. Only an adjustable anti snoring device can be positioned to totally eliminate snoring or effectively control sleep apnea.

Some stop snoring products make sense and may be able to help a few people, but you’ll never find the right cure for your snoring if you don’t know what’s causing it. Determining the cause of the snoring should be your first step. Sometimes snoring is caused by allergies or nasal congestion. But most of the time snoring is caused by the lower jaw over-relaxing and allowing the tongue to fall back against the palate, uvula and back wall of the airway, causing a blockage of airflow in the thoat.

In summary, some stop snoring products do work – but only in the right cases – so beware before spending your money on cheap rip-off snoring remedies promising you a good night’s sleep.