Snoring
The Best Sleeping Position to Stop Snoring (and How to Stay in It)
Side-sleeping reduces snoring for 70% of people. Here's the exact position to use, why your back is the worst, and three tricks to stop rolling over at night.
The short answer
Sleep on your left side with your head slightly elevated. Back-sleeping is the worst — it lets the tongue fall back and obstruct the airway. To stop rolling onto your back at night, use the tennis-ball trick, a body pillow, or a positional vibration device.
The verdict: left side, slightly elevated
Side-sleeping keeps the tongue and soft palate from collapsing backward into the airway. Left-side specifically improves digestion and may reduce reflux, another snoring trigger.
Why back-sleeping is the worst
Gravity pulls the tongue, soft palate and uvula backward, narrowing the airway by up to 50%. About 30% of snorers are 'positional snorers' — they only snore on their back.
Stomach-sleeping isn't the answer either
It does prevent tongue collapse but causes neck strain and limits chest expansion, so it's a trade you don't want to make long-term.
How to stay on your side all night
- Tennis-ball trick: a tennis ball in the back-pocket of a t-shirt worn back-to-front.
- Body pillow: hug a long pillow that physically prevents you from rolling.
- Positional vibration device: a small belt-worn gadget that buzzes when you roll onto your back.
- Wedge pillow: 30-degree elevation reduces palatal vibration even on your back if side-sleeping fails.
Position alone isn't always enough
If you have nasal-origin snoring (whistling, blocked nose, allergies), side-sleeping helps a little — but a nasal strip helps a lot. For mixed snorers, do both.
Ready to put this into practice?
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About this article
Written by the RhinoGear Editorial Team — sleep, breathing and recovery writers based in Robina, QLD. Every article is fact-checked against Australian therapeutic-goods guidance and current peer-reviewed literature on nasal breathing and sleep. RhinoGear products referenced are TGA-listed (ARTG 508285), drug-free and latex-free.
Published 14 May 2026 · Last updated 14 May 2026. This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. If you suspect sleep apnea or another medical condition, see your GP.
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