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Ancient Shankh Blowing Practice Found to Improve Sleep and Alertness in OSA Patients
JAIPUR, INDIA, AUG 10 – A small trial showed shankh blowing reduced daytime sleepiness by 34% and decreased breathing interruptions by four to five apneas per hour, offering a low-cost alternative to CPAP.
- Between May 2022 and January 2024, Dr. Krishna K Sharma from Jaipur's Eternal Heart Care Centre conducted a small randomized controlled trial involving 30 individuals aged 19 to 65 who had moderate OSA.
- The study followed previous observations that shankh blowing, a traditional yogic breathing exercise, might reduce OSA symptoms by strengthening upper airway muscles through deep inhalation and forceful exhalation.
- Participants who practiced shankh blowing experienced improved sleep quality, felt significantly less fatigued during the day—showing a 34% reduction in daytime sleepiness—demonstrated four to five fewer apnea events per hour, and maintained higher overnight blood oxygen levels compared to those who performed deep breathing exercises.
- Dr. Sharma stated, "The way the shankh is blown is quite distinctive," involving deep inhalation and sustained exhalation, creating vibrations and airflow resistance that likely tone the soft palate and throat muscles.
- The findings suggest shankh blowing could offer a simple, low-cost alternative or adjunct to CPAP for selected OSA patients, especially where CPAP use is uncomfortable or inaccessible, with larger trials planned to validate these results.
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MedPage Today
Anti-Aging, Acupuncture and Health NewsCould a Conch Shell Be a Competitor for CPAP?
(MedPage Today) -- The forceful breathing involved in the traditional Hindu practice of blowing a conch shell, or shankh, improved moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) symptoms, a small randomized trial showed. Regular practice of the yogic...
Blowing in a Conch Shell Helps Treat Dangerous Snoring Symptoms for Folks With Sleep Apnea, Says Study
Blowing through a conch shell could help treat a potentially deadly snoring condition, according to new research from India. Patients who took part in the ancient practice regularly for six months experienced a significant reduction in their symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common sleep disorder where breathing stops repeatedly during the night due […] The post Blowing in a Conch Shell Helps Treat Dangerous Snoring Symptoms for Folks…
ABC FOX Montana
Conch shell blowing could help treat common snoring disease
Conch blowing is a simple, low-cost intervention that could help reduce symptoms without medication or machines.
Could Blowing A Conch Shell Help Sleep Apnea Patients Get Through The Day And Night?
Blowing into a conch shell for just 15 minutes a day helped people with moderate sleep apnea feel less sleepy during the day, sleep better at night, and even improve some measures of breathing in a small clinical trial from India. The post Could Blowing A Conch Shell Help Sleep Apnea Patients Get Through The Day And Night? appeared first on Study Finds.
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