Shell shock!

It’s estimated that around 54 million adults in the United States experience obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This is a condition characterized by the relaxation of throat muscles, which repeatedly block the airway and cause interruptions in breathing during sleep.

Besides disrupted sleep and snoring, OSA can raise the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, stroke and car crashes.

“Typically, OSA is treated using a device known as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. This machine works by delivering a steady stream of air through a facemask, keeping the airway open throughout the night,” explained Dr. Krishna K. Sharma, associated with the Eternal Heart Care Centre and Research Institute in Jaipur, India.

“While effective, many patients find it uncomfortable and struggle to use it consistently.”

Sharma is conch-fident that an ancient Indian practice known as shankh blowing can ease OSA symptoms without the hassle of a costly machine.

He conducted a small study that found OSA patients who spent six months regularly blowing into a conch experienced fewer breathing disruptions at night and felt more awake during the day.

“In my clinical practice, several patients reported feeling more rested and experiencing fewer symptoms after regularly practicing shankh blowing — a traditional yogic breathing exercise involving exhaling through a conch shell,” Sharma said.

“These observations led us to design a scientific study to rigorously test whether this simple, ancient practice could serve as a meaningful therapy for people with OSA.”

Thirty people between 19 and 65 years old were divided into two groups — 16 blew through a conch shell while 14 engaged in a deep breathing exercise.

The conch group underwent training and daily practice sessions at home before the study commenced.

Eternal Heart tracked the participants, who had moderate OSA, from May 2022 to January 2024.

They were monitored while sleeping and asked about their sleep quality and daytime sleepiness.

After six months, the conch group was 34% less sleepy during the daytime than the deep breathing group.

Medical testing showed that the conch group participants had an average of four or five fewer episodes where their breathing stopped during sleep. They also had higher levels of oxygen in their blood at night.

The conch-lusions were published this week in the ERJ Open Research journal.

“For people living with OSA, especially those who find CPAP uncomfortable, unaffordable or inaccessible, our findings offer a promising alternative,” Sharma said.

“Shankh blowing is a simple, low-cost breathing technique that could help improve sleep and reduce symptoms without the need for machines or medication.”

Blowing shankhs can cost anywhere from $20 to over $100.

The theory is that shankh blowing strengthens muscles crucial to maintaining an open airway during sleep.

Dr. Sophia Schiza — a professor of respiratory and sleep medicine at the University of Crete in Greece and head of the European Respiratory Society group on sleep-disordered breathing — called it an “intriguing study.”

“A larger study will help provide more evidence for this intervention, which could be of benefit as a treatment option or in combination with other treatments in selected OSA patients,” said Schiza, who was not involved in this research.

Sharma is planning a larger trial involving several hospitals, a longer study period and more severe forms of OSA.

The team wants to further explore how shankh blowing affects airway muscle tone, oxygen levels and sleep and compare it against treatments like CPAP.

Losing weight, exercising and abstaining from alcohol can also help OSA, along with oral devices, a different sleep position and surgery in severe cases.