When it comes to tackling sleep problems, most of us think of lavender sprays, blackout curtains, or maybe a warm cup of chamomile tea. But a group of scientists in India has now suggested blowing through a conch shell. In India, blowing it has always been a sacred thing. Ladies and pundits blow the shell on auspicious occasions and at several places and times; it is also blown to kickstart something, like an event or a house-warming ritual. So, many Indians are quite adept at this ancient practice, but it turns out this could also help you sleep better. According to a new study published in the journal ERJ Open Research, this practice, also known as shankh blowing, could help people with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) breathe easier, sleep deeper, and wake up more refreshed.OSA is no ordinary snoring. It is a condition where your airway collapses repeatedly during sleep, causing brief breathing interruptions called apnoeas. Aside from leaving you exhausted, it is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, and even mood disorders.Also Read: Ozempic Users Found To Age Back By More Than 3 Years, Finds New Trial; Peer Review PendingThe most common treatment is a CPAP machine, a bedside device that blows air into your airway through a face mask, keeping it open through the night. While effective, many patients find it awkward, noisy, or downright uncomfortable. That is where the humble conch shell sounds more helpful.What Exactly Is Shankh Blowing?Besides its use in rituals and ceremonies in Indian practices, the shankh, a spiralling conch shell, is used in yoga breathing exercises. The technique for OSA therapy is surprisingly simple:Take a deep breath in.Purse your lips tightly against the shell’s mouthpiece.Blow forcefully and sustain the sound until your lungs are almost empty.The act creates strong vibrations and airflow resistance, which the researchers believe strengthens the muscles of the upper airway, particularly the throat and soft palate. These are the exact areas that tend to collapse during sleep in people with OSA.The conch’s spiral shape may also produce specific acoustic and mechanical effects that stimulate and tone these muscles even more. Inside the StudyThe research team worked with 30 people between the ages of 19 and 65, all diagnosed with OSA. They were split into two groups:Group A: Practised shankh blowing.Group B: Did standard deep breathing exercises.Each participant committed to at least 15 minutes of practice, five days a week. Six months later, the results were in and the conch shell crowd had blown away the competition.Compared to the deep-breathing group, the shankh blowers were 34 per cent less sleepy during the day and typically experienced four to five fewer apnoeas per hour. That is a significant improvement for a technique that requires no wires, no electricity, and no sleep-tech gadgets cluttering the bedside table.Why It WorksWhile more research is needed, scientists think it comes down to muscle training. Just as resistance bands tone your arms, blowing through the shankh provides resistance training for your airway. Stronger throat and palate muscles are less likely to sag and block airflow during sleep.It is also possible that the rhythmic breathing pattern and sound vibrations have a calming effect, helping to set the stage for deeper, more restorative sleep.But before you swap your CPAP machine for a seashell, the researchers caution that this was a small-scale study. While the results are promising, they are not yet strong enough to replace standard medical treatments. A larger trial involving several hospitals is already in the works to confirm the benefits.Still, for people who cannot tolerate CPAP or are looking for a complementary approach, shankh blowing could be worth a try, especially since it is inexpensive, low-risk, and does not require a power socket.How to Give It a Go 1. Get a conch shell 2. Clean it well before use. 3. Sit comfortably with your back straight. 4. Take a slow, deep inhale. 5. Seal your lips around the shell’s opening. 6. Blow with steady force until you’ve exhaled almost completely. 7. Rest for a few seconds, then repeat for 10–15 minutes.It is best to start slowly and work up to longer sessions; your throat muscles will need time to adapt. And of course, check with a healthcare provider before beginning if you have any respiratory or heart conditions.
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