The 3 Best Humidifiers for Snoring
Is your partner’s snoring keeping you up at night (or vice versa)? You don’t have to break up with your boo or even stock up on the nasal strips. The solution? Use a humidifier for snoring problems instead.
Why Use a Humidifier?
Humidifiers work by dispersing water particles into a room or even an entire building. The primary reason people use these machines is to increase a room’s humidity when they feel that the air is too dry. Now, there are two primary types of humidifier: cool mist and warm mist. The difference? You probably guessed it: cool mist humidifiers disperse cool water while warm mist humidifiers heat water before dispersing it.
A humidifier won’t be the best choice for everyone, but it can be a handy device for many people. Plenty of reasons to use a humidifier include:
Improves Allergy, Cold, and Flu Symptoms
Allergies, cold, and flu—oh my. These conditions may result in unpleasant symptoms like dry nose, mouth, and throat. While medications like DayQuil or NyQuil may help, in these cases, a humidifier may work even better. This is because a humidifier adds a little moisture to your environment, thereby alleviating these symptoms.
Reduces Snoring
People with allergies know that snoring can get dreadfully worse during allergy season; the same is true if you suffer from a cold or the flu. In these cases, if dryness is worsening your allergies or illness, a humidifier may alleviate your symptoms, in turn potentially lessening the severity of your snoring.
Moistens Mucous Membranes
Mucous membranes are thin, mucus-producing barriers that line and protect various parts of your body. When they dry out, you can suffer from side effects that range from unpleasant (like bloody noses) to downright dangerous (like increased risk of lung infections). While drinking water is the best way to keep these membranes nice and moist, the occasional use of a humidifier may also help.
So.. What Are The Best Humidifiers for Sleep?
There are thousands of humidifiers on the market. Fortunately, we’ve made the task of finding the best humidifier for you simple by selecting 10 top-notch devices based on factors like functionality, efficiency, and price.
Editor’s Choice
Objecto H5 Spiral Hybrid Humidifier
The H5 Spiral Hybrid Humidifier features all the elements you need to get rid of uncomfortable dry air from your sleeping environment. This machine is not only highly functional, but it also has a sleek, compact design to add to your living space.
With easy access to view the water level to effortless shut off settings, this humidifier transforms the feel of your sleeping sanctuary. There’s even an option night light setting as well as an optional aroma therapy add-on.
Key Features
- Side Window Panel for Water Level View
- Automatic Shut Off Settings
- Optional Night Light Feature
- Optional Aroma Therapy Add-on
- Vegan and Cruelty-free
Specifications
- Made by Objecto
- Available on Amazon
- 2.6 L Tank Capacity
- 4 lb Weight
- 6 ½” x 7” x 14” Dimensions
Most Versatile
Taotronics 5.5L Quiet Warm and Cool Mist Bedroom Humidifier
This next humidifier not only has a large capacity, but it’s also multifunctional for cold winters and hot summers. No matter the outside temperature, this machine includes three mist levels and three mist strengths for customizing that can reach up to 60°C / 140°F.
With a capacity of 5.5 liters, the humidifier works up to 45 hours with just one fill. Plus, you won’t have to worry about the machine disturbing your sleep, as all sounds and lights are deactivated in sleep mode. The refill of this product is also effortless, as it the top has a wide opening and detachable tank with a built-in handle for spill-free refilling.
Key Features
- Warm and cool mist options
- Smart humidity control
- Three level temperature
- Two 360° Nozzles
- Auto Timer & Sleep Mode
Specifications
- Made by TaoTronics
- Available on Amazon
- 5.5 L Tank Capacity
- 200-450 ft² Applicable Area
- 280W Power
Best Value
Everlasting Comfort Humidifiers for Bedroom
This sleek machine has it all: high mist output, large water tank, auto shut-off, a nightlight, and an essential oil tray. That’s right; this device also effectively works as an oil diffuser! Unlike other humidifiers, you won’t have to worry about constantly replacing filters on this humidifier since it boasts a filterless design. Best of all, it’s practically whisper quiet, so you won’t notice it at night when you’re trying to fall asleep. What more could you ask for from one easy-to-use machine?
Key Features
- High Mist Output
- Included Essential Oil Tray
- Large Water Tank
- Automatic Shut-off
- Blue LED Nightlight
- No Filter Replacements Necessary
Specifications
- Made by Everlasting Comfort
- Available on Amazon
- Available in Black or White
- 6 L / 1.6 Gal. Tank
- For Rooms Up to 500 Sq. Ft.
Best Design
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
If you’re looking for a simple humidifier with a beautiful design, this sleek device from Pure Enrichment could be to your liking. Not only is this machine attractive, but it’s easy to use to boot. Throw in the fact that it’s reasonably priced and comes with an industry-leading 5-year warranty, and you have a humidifier that you can be confident in.
Key Features
- 360º Mist Nozzle
- Auto Shut-off
- Built-in Nightlight
- Disk-cleaning Brush and AC Power Adapter Included
Specifications
- Made by Pure Enrichment
- Available on Amazon
- 1.5 L / ~0.4 Gal. Tank
- For Rooms up to 250 Sq. Ft.
- 5-year Warranty
- 8″ x 6″ x 9″
Multifunctional Design
HuPro Top-filling Humidifier for Bedroom
Want a device that truly does it all? It would be hard to go wrong with this beast from HuPro. It not only functions as a humidifier, but also as an oil diffuser, air ionizer, and air filter. But that’s not all. You can also pick from 3 separate mist outputs or even a constant humidity option; in other words, you have plenty of options when it comes to adjusting the humidity of your room.
Fortunately, this can-do-all device isn’t hard to use, as it comes with an intuitive remote control and top-filling design.
Key Features
- Easy-fill Design
- Humidifier + Ionizer + Diffuser + Air Filter
- Remote Control Included
- Auto Shut-off
- 3 Mist Output Levels + Constant Humidity Option
Specifications
- Made by HuPro
- Available on Amazon
- 3 L / ~0.8 Gal. Tank
- For Rooms Up to 377 Sq. Ft.
- 1-year Warranty
Cool & Warm Mist
HuPro Premium Ultrasonic Cool & Warm Mist Humidifier
If you can’t decide between a cool or warm mist humidifier, get the best of both worlds by choosing this device from HuPro—it has both cool and warm misting abilities. That’s not all this smart machine can do, either. This device also works as an air purifier and essential oil diffuser, so you’re getting multiple top-notch appliances in one advanced package.
With the easy top-fill design, large control screen, and included remote, this humidifier is simple to operate, too. While this option isn’t cheap, we think it’s well worth the price tag considering all that it can do.
Key Features
- Cool & Warm Mist Functionality
- Air Purifier + Humidifier + Oil Diffuser
- Easy Top-fill Design
- Remote Control Included
Specifications
- Made by HuPro
- Available on Amazon
- 4 L / ~1 Gal. Tank
- For Rooms Up to 500 Sq. Ft.
- 1-year Warranty
Best Bang for the Buck
BAYKA Cool Mist Ultrasonic Desk Humidifier
This device from BAYKA strikes a great balance between functionality, efficiency, and price. What’s so great about this humidifier? For one, it comes with 3 different mist output levels, so you can easily adjust how humid you want your room. Furthermore, the top-fill design of this humidifier makes it easy to refill the water tank. Cleaning everything up is just as simple, so you know you can easily care for and maintain your machine at all times.
Key Features
- 360º Mist Nozzle
- Easy Top-fill Design
- 3 Mist Levels
- Auto Shut-off
- Built-in Nightlight
- Aromatherapy Box Included
Specifications
- Made by BAYKA
- Available on Amazon
- 4 L / ~ 1 Gal. Tank
- For Rooms Up to 322 Sq. Ft.
Powerful Output
LEVOIT Warm and Cool Mist Ultrasonic Air Humidifier
When you have an extra-large space, not just any humidifier will do. Fortunately, this LEVOIT device is up to task: it can cover an area up to 753 square feet! For comparison, that’s 200 more square feet than our Editor’s Choice is capable of covering.
This mighty machine does more than just cover a massive area, though. For starters, it comes with an aroma box so you can diffuse all of your favorite essential oils. Even better, you don’t have to worry about choosing the right humidity levels for your living space. Why? Because this smart device will take care of that task for you by sensing its environment’s humidity levels and adjusting its output based on those readings.
Key Features
- Auto Shut-off
- Diffuser + Cool & Warm Mist Humidifier
- Remote Control included
- Filterless Design
Specifications
- Made by LEVOIT
- Available on Amazon
- 6 L / 1.5 Gal. Tank
- For Rooms Up to 753 Sq. Ft.
- 1-year Assurance
Child Lock Functionality
Elechomes SH8820 Ultrasonic Top Fill Humidifier
Parents, rejoice! There’s finally a humidifier with a child lock feature: the Elechomes SH8820. You can use this smart machine all year round since it has both cool and warm misting modes. Perhaps best of all is the fact that you don’t have to worry about deciding the right humidity for your home or apartment. Like the LEVOIT, this machine automatically gauges its environment’s humidity and adjusts itself based on these readings.
The result?
A hassle-free humidifying experience.
Key Features
- Child Lock Feature
- Warm + Cool Mist
- Easy-to-Read LED Display
- Easy Top-fill Design
- Adjustable Mist Strength & Humidity
Specifications
- Made by Elechomes
- Available on Amazon
- 5.5 L / ~1.4 Gal. Tank
- For Rooms Up to 755 Sq. Ft.
High-Tech Functionality
Sharper Image Smart Sensing Digital Ultrasonic Humidifier
If only the most cutting-edge machine will do, this humidifier from Sharper Image could be for you. Automatic humidity adjustments? Of course. Ionizing air purification? You’ve got it. Water-softening design? You bet. Odor-eliminating features? Yes! You’ll get all of these features and more when you invest in this smart appliance.
Key Features
- Automatically Senses Room Humidity
- Aromatherapy + Humidifier + Ionizer
- Adjustable Mist Output
- Auto Shut-off
- Easy-read LCD Display
- Remote Control Included
Specifications
- Made by Sharper Image
- 5 L / 1.3 Gal. Tank
- For Rooms Up to 430 Sq. Ft.
FAQ
Most frequent questions
Does dry air increase snoring?
Not necessarily. Dry air alone won’t always cause snoring. However, dry air can irritate breathing passageways, which may lead to sleep-disrupting bouts of coughing. Furthermore, dry air can worsen allergies, a cold, or the flu. In these cases, someone may start snoring or snore worse than usual.
What are humidifiers good for?
Humidifiers are great for adding a little moisture to your living space. That means a humidifier may help with dry skin, nose, and/or throat. If you suffer from worsening snoring thanks to allergies, the flu, or a cold, a humidifier may also help.
Why?
Because a humidifier can help thin out mucus, which is much easier to cough out than thicker mucus. This process, therefore, alleviates some of the symptoms of these conditions.
In cases where dryness isn’t what’s causing or worsening your issues, a humidifier may not help. For example, if allergies are caused by something as simple as allergens trapped by your pillow, simply upgrading to a hypoallergenic pillow may help.
Which is better, warm or cool mist humidifier?
Many experts recommend cool mist humidifiers, as these machines are less likely to result in burns.
What is snoring a sign of?
Snoring can be a sign of any number of things, and not all of them are serious. For example, sometimes the shape of your mouth or septum (the thin wall between your nostrils) may cause snoring.
Other times snoring may be brought on or worsened by the likes of obesity, allergies, a cold, or the flu. Sometimes, though, snoring may be a sign of a serious underlying medical condition like sleep apnea, a condition where you randomly stop breathing throughout the night.
Do humidifiers help sleep apnea?
Maybe, but not always. After all, humidifiers can only help if your underlying problem is created or worsened by dryness. Now, sometimes allergies, a cold, or the flu can worsen symptoms of sleep apnea. And dry air can aggravate these conditions. In these situations, then, a humidifier may come in handy.
Furthermore, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)—the most common type of sleep apnea—can lead to open-mouthed breathing and, potentially, snoring. Why? Because OSA means that breathing stops as a result of obstructed airways. In these cases, the mouth may open as the body attempts to bring in air. Unfortunately, an open mouth while sleeping can mean dry mouth and throat. In these situations, a humidifier may also help.
That being said, a humidifier won’t always help, and a humidifier alone cannot magically fix sleep apnea. Plenty of people use CPAP machines without a humidifier and get along just fine.
Are there any risks to using a humidifier?
Improper use of a humidifier can mean potential burns, mildew in your apartment or home, worsening allergies, or even a potential respiratory infection. To reduce the risk of these issues, the EPA recommends the following:
– Use a cool-mist humidifier to reduce the risk of potential burns.
– Keep the humidifier about 6 feet (2 meters) away from your bed.
– Do not set the humidity over 50% or you drastically increase the odds of mold and mildew growing in your home or apartment.
– Do not leave the humidifier on all night long or, once again, you run the risk of mold and mildew.
– Use distilled or demineralized water rather than tap water.
– Drain and clean the water tank of your machine daily, or you risk a buildup of harmful bacteria in your humidifier.
– Fill the water tank with new water each day.
Our Verdict
The best humidifier for snoring will vary based on individual, and not every humidifier will fix everyone’s snoring problems. For example, humidifiers may help with snoring caused by allergies, cold, or the flu (if dryness exacerbates these issues).
However, a humidifier cannot magically cure snoring if it’s due to a serious underlying condition like obstructive sleep apnea. In these cases, it’s important to see a specialist and perhaps use a CPAP or BiPAP machine to alleviate symptoms of this condition. If you still wish to use a humidifier in this case, there are fortunately plenty of CPAP machines that come with built-in humidifiers.
We think you’d enjoy a humidifier if you:
- Live in an arid environment.
- Suffer frequently from allergies or colds.
- Have sleep apnea and have discussed the potential benefits of a humidifier with your doctor.
- Frequently experience nose bleeds.
A humidifier may not be the best for you if you:
- Live in a humid climate.
- Cannot commit to cleaning your device every single day.
- Do not have access to distilled or demineralized water.
Medical Disclaimer
This article is for reference purposes only. It should not replace the advice of a licensed professional. Do not use this article to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition. Any and all health concerns should be directed to a doctor or other healthcare professional.
