Anti snore pillows: Do they work?
Anti snore pillows seem ideal: an easy and comfy way to return peace and quiet to your bedroom…
But:
Do they really stop you snoring?
If you’re thinking of buying an anti snore pillow, then read this independent (no advertisements or affiliate links!) sleep-industry expert review.
I examine:
- How anti snore pillows claim to work
- What the clinical evidence tells us
- What the experts say
Adrian Zacher MBA
Author, Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Care Navigator
I teach healthcare professionals how to help their patients stop snoring; sleep and breathe at the same time.
Tired of the sleepiness and the snoring?
Then read our free, definitive step-by-step how to stop snoring Guide.
This comprehensive Guide walks you through self-help, signposting, screening, professional assessment and diagnosis, the three categories of prescription treatment, follow-up and rounds off with a substantial FAQ.
CAUTION: Snoring may be a symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea / Apnea (OSA)
Without first being screened for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) your purchase of an anti-snore pillow could be delaying your diagnosis and effective treatment (should your snoring be a symptom of OSA.)
A treatment that will prolong your healthy life!
Get signposted to the most appropriate professional
The professional will screen you for OSA and decide if you’re ‘just’ a snorer or if your snoring needs investigating.
Your GP may be able to help you. Or if you live the UK, you can also find sleep-trained dentists who can screen you and recognise Obstructive Sleep Apnoea/Apnea (OSA) symptoms. These dentists can also provide you with a custom-made anti-snoring device.
Anti snore pillows (How they claim to work)
Various anti snore pillows are available, yet they share design similarities:
They’re either ‘door-wedge’ shaped or double-curved with the hollow being where you place your head.
In this independent review, I look past the marketing ‘hype’ and examine the science (if there is any) behind their claims:
So, we have 3 claims to review:
No. 1. Anti Snore Pillows make you sleep on your side
Why? Why is sleeping on your side an aim? And how does that help stop snoring?
Think First Aid.
Are you familiar with the ‘Recovery Position’? Perhaps you should be!
This is when the unconscious individual is moved by a first-aider off their back into a semi-prone position known as the ‘Recovery Position’ to help them breathe.
We’ll come back to how this relates to snoring and anti snore pillows, later in this post (it’s called positional therapy).
Now check out the video below about the Recovery Position by the St John’s Ambulance. It’s all about ensuring you can breathe when unconscious (hint):
Here’s an authentic and less than favourable review of an anti snore pillow in the Huffington Post ↗
Anti Snore Pillows (What I'm not including in this review)
They’re the expensive (circa 300 USD) ‘high tech nudge’ pillows that don’t treat your snoring – they merely disturb your sleep in some way when a snore is detected. They wake you up enough to regain muscle tone in your throat.
Some manufacturers claim that after a while you will get used to this pillow movement and regain tone in your throat without waking up.
The jury is out on this.
What about anti-snoring devices. Which is best? Read my comparison of custom-made vs. Over-the-Counter mandibular advancement devices.
Fads.
Lately, I’ve seen lots of search activity for ‘CBD oil’ that supposedly helps with insomnia (the evidence is a little thin). Pillows are being sold with this oil somehow incorporated. My advice: look for the clinical evidence.
And then there are ‘ergonomic’ pillows:
‘Ergonomic’ may be defined as: relating to or designed for efficiency and comfort in the working environment.
Make of that what you will!
The Recovery Position (YouTube video) by the St John’s Ambulance. No affiliation.
No.2. Anti Snore Pillows support your neck
According to the NHS ↗, the most common cause of neck pain is when your neck has become locked in an awkward position while sleeping.
But what’s neck pain got to do with snoring?
Allow me to explain:
If your pillow inadequately supports your neck while you sleep, and your head is on your shoulder. Then the airway in your twisted neck may become restricted.
And you guessed it:
You snore.
Could you ‘cure the snore’ with snore-relief sprays or nasal strips? Do they work?
So, there is merit in supporting your neck while you sleep:
- From both a neck pain perspective
- And if your current pillow could be improved upon, it seems reasonable it could improve your breathing while you sleep
But unless your pillow is truly terrible and you routinely wake-up with neck pain from a strange sleeping position;
I would not expect it to stop you snoring.
But what do the experts say?
What do the experts say about anti snore pillows?
Clinical experts research products or theories to establish if it does or doesn’t work. You can think of it as proof or as close as possible to ‘fact’.
There is good evidence that positional therapy i.e. training the individual NOT to sleep on their back (No. 1 in this review) can help stop snoring1.
No. 3. Anti Snore Pillows stop snoring by encouraging 'Better Body Alignment'
Encouraging better ‘body alignment’ (as in sleeping with your head and body straight and your neck not bent) would on the face of it seem reasonable.
Perhaps if you were to sleep with your neck at an acute angle (as I mentioned in my review of claim No. 2) then yes the airway in your throat would be restricted and it could make you snore.
However, marketing a pillow with a supposed anti snore feature being improved ‘body alignment’, is I think reaching a little.
The Real Question
So if positional therapy has some validity as a way to stop snoring, the real question is:
Are anti snore pillows the most effective positional therapy device?
And to answer that I will:
- Look a little closer at positional therapy
- Provide a rough cost/benefit analysis
- Review what the experts advise
Unless your pillow is truly terrible, I would not expect a new one to stop you snoring.
Positional therapy for snoring and sleep apnoea
Turn over you're snoring!
Positional therapy for snoring is ‘as old as the hills‘. Think tennis ball in the breast pocket of a t-shirt worn back to front.
Position dependent snoring1 is the technical name for when snoring either stops or lessens in different (not on your back) sleep positions.
Fortunately things have moved on some from tennis balls and anti snore pillows.
I’m not going to review the various high tech ways or my experience of them here.
Suffice to say positional therapy may be useful IN ADDITION to:
- A prescription, custom-made anti-snoring device
- Positive Airway Pressure therapy
To get either of these you’ll need to know what you’re trying to ‘fix’. As in not self-diagnose yourself.
Keep reading:
My personal experience of an anti snore pillow
When I rolled over and tried to sleep prone (on my front) my wife reported that the part of the pillow designed to support my neck when I slept on my side, pushed against my throat.
It appeared to be collapsing my airway!
She said I was making some very strange noises…
However, I continue to use an orthopaedic neck support pillow (remarkably similar shape!) and wouldn’t used anything else. I’ve learnt not to sleep quite so flat on my face!
Chinstraps for snoring are all over the internet. Are they any good? Are they safe and effective? What if you have sleep apnoea and use CPAP? All this and more.
Anti Snore Pillows (Cost/Benefit Analysis)
Are anti snore pillows worth the money?
From a financial perspective, its hard to beat the tennis ball in the breast pocket of the t-shirt, worn back-to-front.
But with anti snore pillows on the market from as low as 5 GBP they may well be worth a punt.
However, you need to be aware of these limitations:
- The tennis ball or anti snore pillow might not be enough to stop the snorer sleeping on their back (they just ignore it)
- You have no evidence of effect throughout the night (other than the lack of a partner’s elbow in the ribs!)
Anti Snore Pillow: Costs
Anti snore pillow prices online and in the shops range from as little as 5 GBP to 25 GBP.
As a first-line and relatively harmless way to stop snoring they probably make financial sense.
However (and it’s a big HOWEVER) if they don’t stop the snoring problem then you need to seek the advice of a professional.Pretty much everything is going to cost more than a tennis ball or a stop snoring pillow, but if you’re serious about no longer snoring, then consult a professional. There are considerable drawbacks to self-diagnosis.
- If you have mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and you’re using an oral appliance then some data to show you turned over and your sleep has improved would be worthwhile.
- If you’re on an auto-titrating PAP then getting off your back may reduce pressure and make PAP more tolerable.
Are you trying to ‘cure the snore?‘
(Before you know what’s wrong?)
Trying to ‘cure the snore’ before you know why you snore – is like driving a car before you’ve passed your test.
You might think you can drive – but you could be on the wrong side of the road!
Treatment (the ‘cure’ for the snore) follows diagnosis i.e. find out if your snoring is more than just anti-social before trying to ‘cure’ it – for this you need signposting.
What about anti-snoring devices?
If anti snore pillows aren’t helping then you might wonder what else is available. Enter anti snoring devices.
Anti-snoring devices are commonly oral appliances you wear in your mouth at night.
They work by holding your lower jaw in a more forward position. This keeps your tongue away from the back of your throat so you don’t snore.
Example of an anti-snoring device. Image courtesy of SomnoMed and used with permission.
What about surgery?
A long way from an anti snore pillow…
Surgery for snoring is divided into whether hard and soft tissue is involved.
Soft tissue surgery is intended to improve the effect of an anti-snoring device or PAP therapy (more about what PAP is in a moment).
Whereas hard tissue surgery (that changes the way you look) is intended to eliminate the need for any other treatment.
Image representing a soft tissue operation: radio-frequency palatal surgery.
Image representing a hard tissue operation: bi-maxillary osteotomy (both jaws operated on).
What about CPAP?
There are pillows especially designed for PAP users. Keep reading:
CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy. Today, it is referred to as just PAP.
PAP works by providing low pressure air (through a mask worn over your nose and sometimes both your nose and mouth) to the airway in your throat. This pneumatically holds open your airway.
While an arduous therapy, it is highly effective if snoring is actually a symptom of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
Do’s
- Read the definitive how to stop snoring Guide
- Download self-help ways to stop snoring
- Download our award-winning Overview Guide
- Get signposted to the right professional when self-help fails
Don’ts
- Don’t self-diagnose yourself as ‘just’ snoring
- Don’t buy over-the-counter stop snoring gadgets
- Don’t ignore drowsiness or sleepiness during your normal awake time (consult your GP)
Signposting to the right professional
When self-help and pillows aren’t helping it’s time to get serious.
Signposting is when you’re directed to the most appropriate expert to help you stop snoring.
The expert professional (your GP, additionally if you’re in the UK a sleep-trained dentist2) will screen you for sleep apnoea and decide if you need further investigation i.e. a sleep study.
If you don’t need a sleep study a custom-made anti-snoring device (available from the sleep-trained dentist) is the first way to stop snoring and treat mild to moderate OSA3, 4.
Summary
My final verdict is that anti-snore pillows are a relatively low-cost way to try to stop snoring.
But don’t get your hopes up.
You need to be comfortable to sleep well, so find a pillow that helps you sleep comfortably on your side and supports your neck. Consider orthopaedic pillows in addition to the big headline grabbing brands.
When snoring is a problem consult a professional. If you’re in the UK you can get signposted to the right type.
Otherwise consult your GP/primary care physician. They have your medical history and want you to be well (they’re not trying to sell you something!)
Let me know what you think by entering a comment below. I read every one.
Glossary
Anti-Snoring Device – generally considered a product worn in your mouth to stop you snoring.
Custom-made – a bespoke device made specifically for you by a registered dental technician, working to prescription, using CE marked materials. In Europe working to the Medical Devices Directive 
OSA Obstructive Sleep Apnoea – (also spelt apnea) When an individual is unable to sleep and breathe at the same time. Visually, a repetitive pattern of breathing interruptions (apnoeas) occurring while the individual sleeps, due to a physical obstruction in the airway.
OTC – Over-the-Counter product sold over the pharmacy counter or on-line without prescription, medical or dental assessment and without a review of medical/dental history.
Signposting – Is the medical term for directing people to the most appropriate professional to help them based upon their answers to some high-level questions.
Sleep-trained Dentist – A dentist that has undergone special interest training in sleep. As such they are able to obtain professional indemnity insurance.
References
- Benoist LB, Morong S, van Maanen JP, et al. Evaluation of position dependency in non-apneic snorers. Eur Arch Otohinolaryngol. 2013;271(1):189–94. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00405-013-2570-5
- Stradling, J. and Dookun, R. 2009, Snoring and the role of the GDP: British Society of Dental Sleep Medicine (BSDSM) pre-treatment screening protocol, British Dental Journal, 206, 307 – 312. Available here: http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v206/n6/abs/sj.bdj.2009.214.html
- The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has approved oral appliance therapy (OAT) as a first line treatment for patients diagnosed with mild to moderate OSA. https://www.sleepapnea.org/treat/sleep-apnea-treatment-options/
- NICE Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome https://cks.nice.org.uk/obstructive-sleep-apnoea-syndrome#!scenario
Created by Adrian Zacher | Page last updated 4th June 2020
To to toooo long winded!! got bored! I was just looking for some straight facts, the saying ‘to much information’ comes to mind, or should that be ‘to much chit-chat’ give me the fact without the chit -chat and get straight to the pillow review…….sorry
Hi Peter. Thanks for taking a moment to comment. While I respect your viewpoint, I would like to point out that the aim of this post was to answer the question “Do anti-snore pillows work?” And it’s not a yes/no answer. So, (sorry if it bored you – other web pages are available!) I tried to examine and explain the theories behind them to enable you to make an informed choice.