Blowing into a conch shell for 15 minutes every day may help with some mild forms of obstructive sleep apnoea, according to early research.
Atraditional Indian instrument used in some religious ceremonies and meditation practices may hold some clues to relieving the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea, according to a new paper in European Respiratory Society Open Research.
The prospective open-label randomised control trial looked at 30 people living in India with moderate OSA, split between a control group and an intervention group.
Participants in the control arm were given a deep breathing exercise which they were to practice for a minimum of 15 minutes per day, five days per week.
The 14 participants in the intervention group were each provided with a shankh, or conch shell, which curled counterclockwise and was about 14cm in length.
The shells themselves come from sea snails and are able to produce a range of tones with the right blowing techniques.
“Blowing shankh, a yogic breathing exercise involving forceful exhalation through a conch shell, has been considered to strengthen the oropharyngeal and respiratory muscles and improve lung function,” the researchers wrote.
“This spiral-shelled device has been used as a musical instrument or decorative piece for centuries.”
Participants in the intervention arm were instructed on proper shankh blowing and controlled breathing techniques, and were also instructed to practice for 15 minutes per day, five days a week.
“The aim was to achieve a maximum plateau and maintain it for a prolonged period as long as possible, ensuring that vibrations in the upper airway were readily transmitted to the lower airways,” the researchers said.
At six months, participants in the intervention group showed a 34% reduction in Epworth Sleepiness Score compared to baseline, along with meaningful improvements in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the apnea-hypopnea index.
According to the authors, the intervention group also lost weight.
Specifically, they wrote, the shankh blowers had a “notable reduction in neck circumference”, which they said implied that blowing shankh may induce upper airway remodelling.
The authors called for further research with larger sample sizes to confirm the findings.
Until then, thank your humble sea snail for its service.
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