These exercises to stop snoring target the tongue, throat, and jaw muscles that relax and narrow your airway during sleep, causing the vibration you hear as snoring. Research on myofunctional therapy suggests that regularly strengthening these muscles can help keep the airway more open and reduce snoring for some people. Yale Medicine estimates that roughly 90 million Americans snore at least occasionally, so if you or a partner are dealing with it, you’re far from alone.
These exercises are free, need no equipment, and take about 10–15 minutes a day. Below are 10 of the most-recommended exercises, how to do each one correctly, how often to practice, and the warning signs that mean it’s time to talk to a doctor instead of just working through a routine.
What Causes Snoring?
Snoring can come from several overlapping factors, and the right fix often depends on which one applies to you:
Sleep position — sleeping on your back lets the tongue and soft tissue fall backward into the throat.
Nasal congestion — allergies, colds, or a deviated septum force you to breathe through your mouth, which is noisier.
Alcohol and sedatives — these relax throat muscles further, making collapse more likely.
Excess weight — extra tissue around the neck and throat can narrow the airway, though people of any body size can snore.
Airway anatomy and aging — a larger tongue base, enlarged tonsils, or naturally looser tissue with age can all play a role.
Because the cause is different for everyone, no single exercise or trick works for every case — which is part of why a fuller routine, rather than one isolated exercise, tends to perform better.
Can Exercises Really Help Stop Snoring?
Exercise-based therapy for snoring is sometimes called myofunctional therapy or oropharyngeal exercise, and it’s also used in speech therapy and by singers and actors for breath and muscle control. The idea isn’t to “cure” snoring in one session — it’s to gradually improve the tone and coordination of the tongue, soft palate, throat, and jaw muscles so they’re less likely to go slack and collapse during sleep. It tends to help most with mild-to-moderate snoring related to muscle tone, and works best alongside — not instead of — addressing other causes like sleep position, weight, alcohol, or nasal congestion.
10 Exercises to Stop Snoring
1. Tongue Slide
Purpose: Strengthens the tongue and throat muscles that support the airway.
1. Rest the tip of your tongue against the back of your upper front teeth.
2. Slowly slide your tongue backward along the roof of your mouth as far as is comfortable.
3. Slide it forward again to the starting position.
Suggested dose: 5 slow reps, twice a day.
2. Tongue Stretch
Purpose: Increases tongue tone and flexibility, and engages deeper throat muscles.
1. Stick your tongue straight out as far as comfortably possible.
2. Try to reach toward your chin while tilting your head slightly back and looking up.
3. Hold, then relax your tongue back into your mouth.
Suggested dose: Hold 10–15 seconds, 5 reps.
3. Tongue Press
Purpose: Builds overall tongue strength; can be done almost anywhere, including at a desk.
1. Press your entire tongue flat against the roof of your mouth.
2. Hold the pressure steadily.
3. Release and relax the tongue completely.
Suggested dose: Hold 5–10 seconds, 5–10 reps.
4. Tongue Push-Down
Purpose: Targets the middle and back of the tongue, which play a large role in airway narrowing.
1. Open your mouth comfortably and rest the tip of your tongue behind your lower front teeth.
2. Press the middle and back of your tongue firmly downward, keeping the tip in place.
3. Hold, then relax.
Suggested dose: Hold 10 seconds, 5 reps.
5. Vowel Sounds (Throat Exercise)
Purpose: Engages and tones the muscles around the throat and soft palate through controlled vocalization.
1. Open your mouth slightly and relax your jaw.
2. Say the vowel sounds A, E, I, O, U slowly and clearly, slightly exaggerating each one.
3. Repeat the full sequence, keeping your throat relaxed rather than strained.
Suggested dose: 3–5 full sequences, once or twice a day.
6. Soft Palate Lift (“Ah” Hold)
Purpose: Improves control of the soft palate — the soft tissue at the back of the roof of the mouth.
1. Open your mouth comfortably.
2. Say “ah” while focusing on lifting the back of your mouth and throat.
3. Hold the sound for several seconds, then relax.
Suggested dose: Hold 5–10 seconds, 5 reps.
7. Jaw Release
Purpose: Loosens and strengthens the muscles that control jaw position, which affects how much space is available in the airway.
1. Keep your lips closed and your face relaxed.
2. Gently open and close your mouth, feeling a light stretch without discomfort.
3. Move slowly and avoid forcing the range of motion.
Suggested dose: 10 reps, once a day.
8. Chin-Up Jaw Hold
Purpose: Trains the muscles that hold the lower jaw forward, reducing the chance it falls open or back during sleep.
1. With your mouth closed, gently push your lower jaw forward.
2. Hold the position, keeping the movement gentle rather than strained.
3. Return to a neutral position and relax.
Suggested dose: Hold 5–10 seconds, 5 reps. Stop if you feel jaw pain.
9. Cheek Hook (Face Exercise)
Purpose: Strengthens facial and cheek muscles that support overall mouth muscle tone.
1. Hook one finger inside your mouth against the inside of your cheek.
2. Gently pull the cheek outward.
3. Use your facial muscles to pull the cheek back inward against the resistance.
Suggested dose: 10 reps per side, once a day.
10. Nasal Breathing Practice
Purpose: Encourages breathing through the nose instead of the mouth, which can help stabilize the airway and reduce vibration.
1. Close your mouth and relax your jaw.
2. Breathe in gently through your nose.
3. Close off one nostril with a finger and exhale slowly through the open side, then switch sides.
Suggested dose: 10 reps, alternating nostrils, once a day.
How Often Should You Do These Exercises — and When Will You See Results?
Consistency matters far more than intensity. A practical routine is 10–15 minutes a day, working through a handful of these exercises rather than trying to do all ten every session. Start with fewer reps and build up gradually.
Most people who see an improvement need to stick with a routine for about three months before snoring noticeably decreases — this shows up consistently across sleep-clinic guidance, similar to how it takes time to build strength anywhere else in the body. Keeping a simple sleep or snoring diary (or asking your partner to note changes) makes it easier to tell whether the routine is actually working.
Other Ways to Reduce Snoring
Sleep on Your Side
Back-sleeping lets gravity pull the tongue and soft tissue toward the back of the throat. Side-sleeping — sometimes helped by a body pillow or a tennis ball sewn into the back of a shirt — keeps the airway more open for many people.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
For people carrying excess weight around the neck and throat, losing even a modest amount can reduce snoring. That said, snoring affects people of every body size, so weight is only one possible factor.
Avoid Alcohol and Sedatives Before Bed
Alcohol and some medications relax throat muscles further, making airway collapse more likely. Avoiding them for a few hours before bed can noticeably reduce snoring for some people.
Treat Nasal Congestion
A blocked nose forces mouth breathing, which is louder and drier. Managing allergies, using a saline rinse, or treating a deviated septum can improve nighttime breathing.
Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Irregular sleep and overtiredness lead to deeper, looser muscle relaxation, which can make snoring worse. Regular sleep and wake times support better muscle tone overall.
Consider an Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece
For some people, an oral appliance that holds the jaw forward or keeps the tongue in position works alongside exercises to further reduce snoring. These are best fitted with guidance from a dentist or sleep specialist.
When Should You See a Doctor About Snoring?
Occasional, quiet snoring usually isn’t a medical concern. But loud, frequent snoring can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) — a condition where breathing repeatedly stops or is restricted during sleep. Talk to a healthcare professional if you or a partner notices any of the following:
• Pauses in breathing during sleep
• Gasping or choking sounds at night
• Very loud or persistent snoring
• Excessive sleepiness during the day
• Morning headaches
• Trouble concentrating
• Waking up feeling unrefreshed, even after a full night’s sleep
If sleep apnea is suspected, exercises are not a substitute for medical evaluation — a doctor may recommend a sleep study, a CPAP machine, or another targeted treatment.
Read More: https://flyingvoices.org/snoring-exercises/
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best exercise to stop snoring?
There isn’t one single “best” exercise — tongue, throat, jaw, and soft-palate exercises each strengthen a different part of the airway, and most people see the best results from combining a few of each rather than relying on just one.
Can tongue exercises alone reduce snoring?
They can help, especially when the tongue falling backward during sleep is a major contributor. But tongue exercises work best as part of a fuller routine that also covers the throat, jaw, and breathing.
How long do snoring exercises take to work?
Most guidance points to around three months of consistent daily practice (about 10 minutes a day) before snoring measurably improves. There’s no guaranteed timeline, and if snoring continues or worsens, it’s worth checking in with a doctor.
Can snoring be stopped completely with exercises alone?
Not always. Snoring has multiple possible causes — muscle tone, anatomy, congestion, weight, alcohol, and sleep position among them — so exercises may reduce snoring significantly without eliminating it entirely, especially if another cause is also at play.
Is snoring always a sign of sleep apnea?
No. Many people snore without having sleep apnea. But loud, habitual snoring combined with breathing pauses, gasping, or heavy daytime sleepiness is a warning sign worth getting checked out.
Final Thoughts
Adding a short daily routine of tongue, throat, jaw, and facial exercises can improve muscle tone around the airway and reduce snoring for many people — especially when it’s paired with side-sleeping, a healthy weight, less alcohol before bed, and managing nasal congestion. There’s no single fix that works for every type of snoring, though. If snoring is loud, persistent, or comes with breathing pauses or daytime sleepiness, talk to a healthcare professional to find out what’s actually causing it and what treatment fits best.
You can find more sleep and health articles like this one on Flying Voices.