First, take one deep breath in through your nose. Notice how that felt, how the air flows through your nostrils to fill your lungs.
Next, place your index and middle fingers on your cheeks at the spot where your nose meets your face, gently pull the skin toward your cheekbones, and take another deep breath in through your nose.
Did you notice air rushing in more freely, allowing a more fulfilling inhale?
If so, there’s a good chance you’ve been breathing through your mouth while you sleep. It’s an incredibly common problem and one that a surprisingly simple device can often help.
Why Nasal Breathing Matters for Sleep
Your nose is purpose-built for breathing. It filters, warms, and humidifies incoming air before it reaches your lungs. It also produces nitric oxide, a molecule that helps dilate blood vessels and improve oxygen delivery throughout the body. None of this happens when you breathe through your mouth.
Mouth breathing during sleep tends to dry out the throat and airways, increasing the vibration of soft tissue that produces snoring. It can also disrupt the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood, causing your body to move into lighter stages of sleep more often than it should. Over time, chronic mouth breathing has been linked to poorer sleep quality, increased daytime fatigue, and even changes in blood pressure.
Nasal breathing, by contrast, promotes slower, more efficient respiration. For many people, the problem isn’t that they prefer to breathe through their mouths. Just as you discovered in our quick experiment, it’s that their nasal passages are partially obstructed, making nose breathing feel like too much work.
This is where nose cones come in.
What Are Nose Cones?
Nose cones, also called nasal dilators or nasal vents, are small, soft devices that you insert into your nostrils before bed. They gently prop open the nasal passages from the inside, increasing the volume of air that can flow through with each breath. Most are made from medical-grade silicone or soft polymer and are nearly invisible once in place.
They are not a treatment for sleep apnea. If you have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, your CPAP or other prescribed therapy remains essential. But for people who snore due to nasal congestion, narrow nasal passages, or seasonal allergies, nose cones can make a meaningful difference in how easily you breathe, and how well you sleep.
They’re also drug-free, non-invasive, reusable, and inexpensive. For patients who aren’t yet ready for more involved interventions, or who want to supplement their existing sleep hygiene routine, they’re worth trying.
How to Use Nose Cones
Using a nose cone is straightforward. You simply squeeze the device slightly, insert it so that each arm sits inside a nostril, and let it gently expand. Most people feel an immediate difference in airflow. The key is finding the right size. Most brands offer small, medium, and large options, and a good fit means the device stays put through the night without causing discomfort.
It typically takes a few nights to get used to the sensation. Start by wearing one for an hour or two before you fall asleep, then progress to wearing it through the night.
Recommended Products on Amazon
Here are several well-regarded options across different styles and price points:
The Mute is one of the most clinically supported options on the market. It has been shown in trials to increase nasal airflow by up to 38%, and it’s FDA-listed. What sets it apart is its adjustable design, each side can be fine-tuned independently to fit the natural contours of your nose. It comes in three sizes, and the Starter Pack includes one of each so you can find your fit before committing. Each dilator is reusable for up to 10 nights. A solid first choice for most patients.
A great option if you’re not sure which size or shape will work best for you. The Snore Bastion 12-piece set includes four sizes (S, M, L, XL) and three shape variations, making it easy to experiment. The soft, hypoallergenic medical-grade silicone is gentle enough for nightly use, and the set comes with a travel case for easy storage. An excellent value for first-time users.
Made in the USA, Max-Air products are precision-engineered to support the entire nasal airway with multiple points of contact rather than just the front of the nostril. They come in two product lines: the softer Nose Cones for milder obstruction, and the sturdier Sinus Cones for more significant congestion or nasal collapse. Published research on the NIH website shows they outperform adhesive nasal strips in airflow volume, a meaningful distinction for patients with structural nasal issues.
If you want to try nose cones before spending more, the CINWAUVO set offers four pairs in four sizes at a very low price point. The soft silicone is comfortable and the ergonomic shape helps keep them from slipping. A reasonable starting point for patients who aren’t sure whether nasal dilators will work for them.
A Note from Sleep Matters
Nose cones are not a substitute for a proper sleep evaluation, and they won’t address the underlying cause of nasal obstruction if one exists. This article is intended for general educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Individual sleep difficulties vary significantly in their causes and appropriate treatments. If you are experiencing chronic insomnia or other sleep disorders, please consult a qualified sleep medicine physician for personalized guidance.
Dr. Silver and the Sleep Matters team are committed to improving lives by restoring quality sleep to patients through the latest advances in dental sleep medicine. If you’re in the Kansas City area, reach out today to learn more.