Most people are probably convinced that when we breathe through our nose, we are breathing through both nostrils at the same time, though this is not entirely true. In reality, when we are sleeping, our nasal breathing is controlled by a process known as the nasal cycle, which alternates breathing from primarily one nostril to the other for a period of two to three hours at a time.
Choosing the Best Nasal Dilators
This is because each nostril requires a period of “rest,” so the other nostril takes control of breathing for a time. This alternating of nasal airflow is what is primarily responsible for the collapsing of the nostrils while sleeping.Enter your text here...
To show the full effect, try to plug one nostril and breathe in through the other while looking in a mirror. You will soon see that when breathing in, the nostril slightly collapses or closes itself due to the effect of trying to force air through it. This same effect is precisely what happens when we breathe through one nostril while sleeping due to the nasal cycle.
So you may be asking yourself what this has to do with snoring. Well, the answer is quite simple. When we sleep and cannot get enough oxygen in through our nostrils due to their constant collapsing on the in-breath, our body automatically switches to mouth breathing to provide the required oxygen to the bloodstream, which results in increased snoring, especially if we happen to be sleeping on our back.
This is also precisely why nasal dilators are so useful at stopping snoring because they allow us to breathe freely through our nostrils by ensuring that they remain fully open.
If you snore due to constricted nasal passages, then an anti-snoring device such as this might just be the perfect solution for you. Nonetheless, it probably goes without saying that it may take some time to get used to sleeping with a device shoved into each nostril.
Still, the best products on the market are made from soft, medical grade silicone which shouldn’t be too uncomfortable, and most people get used to sleeping with the device within a few nights. However, if you find that this type of device works to reduce or eliminate your snoring, you should know that this is not a temporary fix.
It will be necessary for you to sleep with the device inside your nose every night for the rest of your life if you wish to continue not snoring, but most prefer this to keeping their partner awake every night with their incessant snoring.
When choosing this type of anti-snoring device, there are a few things to pay attention to. The first is that each person’s nostrils are of a different size and shape, which is why most products are available in multiple sizes, so it may be necessary to try out a few sizes to find the one which fits your nostrils best.
Another thing to consider is the material that the dilator is made of. You should steer clear of any dilators made from plastic or rubber, and instead only choose one made of surgical grade silicone, as these are easiest to keep clean and free from bacteria, plus the most comfortable to wear. To make your choice easier, below we have presented two different products which are sure to work for most.