Benefits include reduced daytime sleepiness, improved subjective sleep quality, and decreased apnea-hypopnea index<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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MONDAY, Aug. 11, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Respiratory muscle training through shankh (conch shell) blowing improves outcomes in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a study published online Aug. 10 in ERJ Open Research<\/em>.<\/p>\n Krishna K. Sharma, M.D., from Eternal Heart Care Centre and Research Institute in Jaipur, India, and colleagues randomly assigned individuals with moderate OSA to a sham procedure group (deep breathing exercise; 16 patients) or to a shankh-blowing group (14 patients) for six months.<\/p>\n The researchers found that participants in the intervention group showed greater improvement in sleepiness, with a 34 percent reduction in the Epworth Sleepiness scale (ESS; change, \u22125.0 points), as well as a significant change in the mean difference of the ESS score (\u22124.69 points) between the groups. At six months, sleep quality (Pittsburgh Quality of Sleep Index score [PSQI]; change, \u22121.8 points) and the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI; change, \u22124.4 events\/hour) were improved in the intervention group. The mean between-group difference was \u22123.1 points for the PSQI score and \u22125.62 events\/hour for the AHI.<\/p>\n “The way the shankh is blown is quite distinctive. It involves a deep inhalation followed by a forceful, sustained exhalation through tightly pursed lips,” Sharma said in a statement. “This action creates strong vibrations and airflow resistance, which likely strengthens the muscles of the upper airway, including the throat and soft palate — areas that often collapse during sleep in people with OSA.”<\/p>\n