Improve your sleep with the didgeridoo

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A study shows that playing a didgeridoo can help with sleep apnea.
Snoring is a major symptom of sleep apnea, a condition in which the soft tissue of the palate impedes the free flow of air into the upper respiratory tract. As a result, the individual actually stops breathing many times during the night.

Now researchers in Switzerland reveal that the upper airways can be toned up by regular practise with an instrument called the didgeridoo. Individuals in a group of 25 patients with obstructive sleep apnea either took didgeridoo lessons or were assigned to a waiting list, effectively acting as controls. Among the former, daytime sleepiness and apnea scores improved compared to the controls. Their partners also reported less disturbance of sleep. Larger trials are needed, but it looks as if playing the didgeridoo is a novel, yet effective, approach towards improving sleep apnea.

Source
British Medical Journal 24th December 2005

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