Is Your Snoring Driving People Crazy?

Reuters, LONDON: Researchers have discovered that playing the didgeridoo (an ancient wind instrument of the Australian Aborigines) reduces snoring and daytime sleepiness for those with obstructive sleep apnea. The condition occurs when the airway is obstructed during sleep, and results in the sufferer gasping for breath, snoring loudly, snorting and constantly waking up. It carries an increased risk of stroke, heart attacks and high blood pressure. Swiss experts, after hearing anecdotal reports of how playing the didgeridoo reduced snoring, decided to study how it could be applied clinically. They studied 25 patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea and two with a snoring problem. Half the group were given didgeridoo lessons and asked to practice playing daily at home for four months. The other half were told they were on a waiting list for lessons.

Daytime sleepiness and apnea scores improved significantly in the didgeridoo group, the British Medical Journal reported. Partners of patients playing the didgeridoo also reported much less sleep disturbance. "Our results may give hope to the many people with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and snoring, as well as to their partners," said the researchers. Playing the didgeridoo
requires a controlled breathing pattern, and researchers believe it helps to train the upper airways to combat the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea.