Conch shells show promise for treating sleep apnea
Most people with obstructive sleep apnea have to wear masks attached to continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machines when they go to bed.Those devices blow air into their mouths to prevent them from intermittently stopping breathing while sleeping. These do the job but are uncomfortable and unpleasant to have to wear every night.However, there’s good news on the apnea from KOAT health expert Abinash Achrekar, better known as Dr. Ash.”A new study from India looks at a very different idea: blowing into a conch shell,” Dr. Ash said. “This is a traditional practice in India and part of yoga and breathing exercises. In the study, people with sleep apnea blow into the shell for 15 minutes a day, five days a week, for six months.”Symptoms of OSA are snoring loudly and not getting good rest, and are at a higher risk for heart problems, high blood pressure and stroke, Dr. Ash said. So does blowing into a big seashell actually help? He says yes.”The people who did it had fewer breathing problems at night. They felt less tired during the day and had better oxygen levels,” Dr. Ash said. “It seems this exercise helps make the muscles in the throat and chest stronger. They may help prevent the throat from closing during sleep.”
Most people with obstructive sleep apnea have to wear masks attached to continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machines when they go to bed.
Those devices blow air into their mouths to prevent them from intermittently stopping breathing while sleeping. These do the job but are uncomfortable and unpleasant to have to wear every night.
However, there’s good news on the apnea from KOAT health expert Abinash Achrekar, better known as Dr. Ash.
“A new study from India looks at a very different idea: blowing into a conch shell,” Dr. Ash said. “This is a traditional practice in India and part of yoga and breathing exercises. In the study, people with sleep apnea blow into the shell for 15 minutes a day, five days a week, for six months.”
Symptoms of OSA are snoring loudly and not getting good rest, and are at a higher risk for heart problems, high blood pressure and stroke, Dr. Ash said. So does blowing into a big seashell actually help? He says yes.
“The people who did it had fewer breathing problems at night. They felt less tired during the day and had better oxygen levels,” Dr. Ash said. “It seems this exercise helps make the muscles in the throat and chest stronger. They may help prevent the throat from closing during sleep.”
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