Sleeping next to a snorer is one of the most common sleep disruptions, and there are practical ways to handle it tonight and long-term. Snoring typically ranges from 60 to 70 decibels, roughly the volume of a loud conversation, and it’s enough to repeatedly pull you out of deeper sleep stages even if you don’t fully wake up. The good news: a combination of noise-blocking, environment changes, and addressing the snoring itself can make a real difference.
Block the Noise With Earplugs
Earplugs are the fastest fix. Foam earplugs offer the highest noise reduction, blocking around 30 to 33 decibels, which can cut 60-decibel snoring down to the level of a quiet whisper. Silicone earplugs block slightly less (24 to 27 decibels) but are softer, more comfortable for side sleepers, and less likely to feel bulky in your ear canal. For most snoring, silicone is enough to reduce the noise to a level where you can drift off.
Foam plugs only work well if you roll them tightly and insert them correctly. If you just push them in without compressing them first, they’ll let most of the sound through. Silicone plugs mold over the ear canal opening instead, which makes them simpler to use and gentler on sensitive ears.
If you’re using earplugs every night, hygiene matters. Wash reusable plugs with mild soap and warm water, dry them completely, and store them in a clean case. Earplugs block the natural movement of earwax out of your ear canal, and that wax contains bacteria. Without regular cleaning, this can lead to ear infections over time. Don’t push any earplug deep into the canal. Too much pressure can cause pain or, in extreme cases, damage your eardrum. Replace foam plugs regularly since they lose their shape and harbor bacteria faster than silicone.
Use Sound to Mask Sound
White noise machines or apps work on a different principle than earplugs. Instead of blocking snoring, they layer a consistent background sound over it. Your brain is wired to react to sudden or irregular noise, which is exactly what snoring is. A steady hum, fan sound, or rainfall track makes the snoring less noticeable by reducing the contrast between silence and the next snore.
You can combine white noise with earplugs for especially loud snoring. Some people also use sleep headphones, which are thin fabric headbands with flat speakers inside, so you can play audio without the discomfort of earbuds pressing into your pillow.
Adjust Your Sleep Environment
Your sensitivity to noise changes depending on how well your body is set up to sleep in the first place. A room that’s too warm makes you sleep lighter and more prone to waking from disturbances. Keeping the bedroom at a cool, consistent temperature (most people sleep best around 65 to 68°F) helps you stay in deeper sleep where noise is less likely to rouse you.
Caffeine and alcohol both play a role here, though from opposite directions. Caffeine consumed within six hours of bedtime keeps your sleep shallow and fragile, making you more reactive to noise. Alcohol, meanwhile, relaxes the muscles in the snorer’s throat and often makes their snoring louder and more irregular. If your partner drinks in the evening, their snoring is likely worse on those nights.
Help the Snorer Reduce the Noise
Addressing the snoring at its source is the most effective long-term solution. Most snoring happens when someone sleeps on their back, because gravity pulls the tongue and soft tissue backward, partially blocking the airway.
A body pillow placed along the snorer’s spine can keep them from rolling onto their back during the night. Anti-snore pillows are designed with a lower center and higher sides, sometimes with a cutout that discourages back sleeping. These work by keeping the head and shoulders aligned to hold the airway open. If your partner insists on sleeping on their back, a wedge pillow that elevates their upper body to about a 45-degree angle can reduce snoring by keeping the airway from collapsing under its own weight.
Nasal strips, which stick across the bridge of the nose and pull the nostrils open, have mixed results in studies. Some people find they help, particularly if congestion is part of the problem. They’re inexpensive enough to be worth trying, but don’t expect a dramatic change. Mouth tape, which encourages nose breathing by keeping the lips closed, has gained popularity but has limited clinical evidence behind it so far.
Fall Asleep Before the Snoring Starts
One surprisingly effective strategy is simply getting to bed before your partner does. Snoring disrupts you most during the transition from wakefulness to sleep. Once you’re already in a deeper stage of sleep, your brain filters out more background noise naturally. If you can fall asleep 20 to 30 minutes before the snorer comes to bed, you may sleep through what would otherwise keep you awake.
This works best when paired with a consistent wind-down routine. Dimming lights, putting screens away, and doing something calming for 15 to 20 minutes before bed all lower your arousal level, helping you fall asleep faster and reach deeper sleep more quickly.
When Snoring Signals Something Bigger
Not all snoring is harmless. If you notice your partner stops breathing for several seconds during sleep, gasps or chokes before resuming, or is excessively tired during the day despite a full night’s rest, those are signs of obstructive sleep apnea. This is a condition where the airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, and it carries real cardiovascular risks for the snorer.
Loud, irregular snoring that varies in pitch and includes silent pauses is the pattern to watch for. Simple, steady snoring (the kind that sounds like a lawnmower running at one speed) is usually just snoring. The stop-start pattern, where you find yourself listening and waiting for the next breath, is the one worth bringing up with a doctor. A sleep study can confirm the diagnosis, and treatment often eliminates the snoring entirely, solving the problem for both of you.