Latest news with #ERJOpenResearch
New York Post
3 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
Ancient Indian seashell trick can help with sleep apnea: study
Shell shock! Nearly 54 million US adults are believed to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which occurs when muscles in your throat relax and repeatedly block your airway, causing you to stop breathing as you sleep. Besides disrupted sleep and snoring, OSA can raise the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, stroke and car crashes. Advertisement 4 Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when muscles in your throat relax and repeatedly block your airway, causing you to stop breathing as you sleep. A CPAP machine (seen here) is a common treatment. Hope – 'The standard treatment for OSA is a continuous positive airway pressure machine, or CPAP, which keeps the patient's airway open by blowing air through a facemask throughout the night,' said Dr. Krishna K. Sharma from the Eternal Heart Care Centre and Research Institute in Jaipur, India. 'While effective, many patients find it uncomfortable and struggle to use it consistently.' Advertisement 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 led a small study that reported that OSA patients who regularly blew into a conch for six months had fewer breathing interruptions at night and more alertness during the day. 4 The theory is that shankh blowing strengthens muscles crucial to maintaining an open airway during sleep. Kitreel – '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. Advertisement '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. Advertisement 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. 4 The conch group experienced better sleep than the deep breathing group, the study found. weyo – 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. Advertisement '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.' Advertisement 4 Further studies are planned to explore the effectiveness of shankh blowing. robcartorres – '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. Advertisement 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.
Euronews
4 days ago
- Health
- Euronews
Blowing a conch shell: Could this ancient practice improve your sleep?
For thousands of years, yogis across India have raised a spiralled seashell to their lips, taken a deep breath, and released a resonant, echoing note. This is known as conch or shankh blowing, an ancient ritual believed to purify the environment, boost lung power, and focus the mind. But now, modern science says it might do more than connect you with tradition – it could also help you sleep better. A new study published in ERJ Open Research found that practicing shankh blowing could ease symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a common but potentially dangerous sleep disorder in which blocked airways repeatedly interrupt breathing during the night. In a small study, people with moderate OSA who practiced the technique for six months every day not only slept better, but also felt more alert during the day and experienced fewer breathing interruptions at night. 'The way the shankh is blown is quite distinctive. It involves a deep inhalation followed by a forceful, sustained exhalation through tightly pursed lips," said Dr Krishna K Sharma, who led the study at the Eternal Heart Care Centre and Research Institute in Jaipur, India. That creates "strong vibrations and airflow resistance," he added, which may strengthen the throat and other muscles in the upper airway. In people with OSA, the upper airway often collapses overnight, leading to poor sleep. "The shankh's unique spiralling structure may also contribute to specific acoustic and mechanical effects that further stimulate and tone these muscles," Sharma said. In the trial, 30 people with moderate OSA were randomly assigned either shankh blowing or deep breathing exercises for at least 15 minutes per day, five days a week. Six months later, those in the conch-blowing group were 34 per cent less sleepy during the day. They also had four to five fewer apnoeas per hour on average and higher oxygen levels in their blood at night. How common is OSA and how else can it be treated? Obstructive sleep apnoea is far more common than many people realise. A 2019 study estimated that nearly one billion adults worldwide between the ages of 30 and 69 suffer from the condition. Symptoms can include frequent nighttime awakenings, pauses in breathing during sleep, unusual breathing patterns, daytime fatigue, and loud snoring. For many, the current standard treatment – a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine – works well but can be uncomfortable. That's why researchers are keen to explore non-invasive, low-cost alternatives. Some people opt for oral devices as an alternative to CPAP, especially those with mild to moderate symptoms. These mouthpieces work by keeping the airway open – often by repositioning the lower jaw or tongue – to reduce snoring and breathing interruptions. Potential shortcomings of the shankh study The study has some limitations. In a statement to Euronews Health, Dr Erika Kennington, head of research and innovation at the nonprofit Asthma + Lung UK, welcomed the findings but urged caution due to the study's small sample size. "It's too soon to say for certain that conch blowing can help people manage their obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)," she said, adding that it is not clear exactly why blowing through the shell might help improve symptoms. More studies are needed to understand how alternative treatments might help OSA patients, Kennington said. Previous research, for example, has found that playing wind instruments and singing could have a small but noticeable effect for people with sleep disorders. However, Kennington also emphasised the importance of making treatments of all kinds available to patients. 'Supporting people to manage their lung health in ways that feel accessible to them is incredibly important," she said.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Blowing through conch shell could help treat dangerous sleep condition
Blowing a conch shell regularly could help reduce the symptoms of a dangerous sleep condition, according to new research. Shankh blowing is an ancient Indian practice used by yogis for thousands of years, and involves deep inhalation followed by forceful exhalation through a conch shell. But scientists now believe the technique could have huge benefits for those suffering from obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) - a relatively common condition where airways become blocked at night, interrupting peaceful breathing. A study published in ERJ Open Research on Monday shows that people with moderate OSA who practised shankh blowing slept better, felt more alert during the day and had fewer breathing interruptions at night. Researchers are now arguing the ancient method could be a simple and cheap way to reduce symptoms without the need for medication or machines. Around 1.5 million adults in the UK are estimated to have OSA. As well as loud snoring and daytime sleepiness, the condition can also increase the risk of serious health issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes. In the study, a group of 30 people with moderate OSA were randomly assigned either shankh blowing or deep breathing exercises, which each group encouraged to practice at least 15 minutes per day for five days a week. Researchers said when the groups were reassessed six months later, the people who practised shankh blowing were 34 per cent less sleepy during the daytime. The study found they also reported sleeping better, and monitoring of their sleep revealed that they had four to five fewer apnoeas (where breathing stops during sleep) per hour on average. They also had higher levels of oxygen in their blood during the night. The study was led by Dr Krishna K Sharma from the Eternal Heart Care Centre and Research Institute in Jaipur, India. He said their research showed potential for an alternative to the current treatment of a continuous positive airway pressure machine, or CPAP, which patients can find 'uncomfortable'. Dr Sharma said: 'The way the shankh is blown is quite distinctive. It involves a deep inhalation followed by a forceful, sustained exhalation through tightly pursed lips. 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. The shankh's unique spiralling structure may also contribute to specific acoustic and mechanical effects that further stimulate and tone these muscles. 'For people living with OSA, especially those who find CPAP uncomfortable, unaffordable, or inaccessible, our findings offer a promising alternative. Shankh blowing is a simple low-cost, breathing technique that could help improve sleep and reduce symptoms without the need for machines or medication. He added the study was 'small', but researchers are now planning a larger trial involving several hospitals.
The Hindu
27-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Decoding the findings of a study linking night shifts with asthma problems in women
A recent study has found a correlation between working night shifts and asthma, especially in women. The study, 'Increased risk of asthma in female night shift workers' published in ERJ Open Research, based its findings on cross-sectional data from over 2,80,000 U.K. Biobank participants. The study builds on previous research that had found a higher risk of moderate or severe asthma in night shift employees. Researchers found that 5.3 per cent of the workers had asthma, with 1.9 per cent suffering from moderate or severe asthma (taking an asthma-preventer inhaler and at least one other asthma treatment, such as an oral steroid). The study's findings Led by Robert Maidstone of the University of Manchester, U.K., the study found that women who worked night shifts were more prone to moderate to severe asthma. Women who only worked night shifts were found to be around 50 per cent more likely to suffer from moderate or severe asthma compared to women who only worked in the daytime. Although it has been established that more adult women than men are prone to asthma the reason for this has been elusive. The researchers believe that testosterone, the male sex hormone, has a protective effect that prevents asthma triggers in men, and suggested that post-menopausal women could opt for hormone replacement therapy as it appears to have a protective effect. What is asthma? Asthma is a major noncommunicable disease (NCD), affecting both children and adults, and is the most common chronic disease among children. Inflammation and narrowing of the small airways in the lungs cause asthma symptoms, which can be any combination of cough, wheeze, shortness of breath and chest tightness. Inhaled medication can control asthma symptoms and allow people with asthma to lead a normal, active life. Avoiding asthma triggers can also help to reduce asthma symptoms. Asthma is often under-diagnosed and under-treated, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Source: WHO R. Sridharan, a Chennai-based specialist in treating allergies, concurs with the findings of the study. He explains that our body is regulated by the circadian rhythm (the internal clock managing the sleep-wake process). When a person's circadian rhythm changes as in the case of those working night shifts, they end up suffering from a number of health issues which could include acid reflux, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), obesity, obstructive sleep apnoea, besides hormonal changes. This can have a number of effects including increasing the chances of getting asthma, Dr. Sridharan said. While asthma can be triggered by allergies and pollution, obesity too, is linked with an increased risk of developing for asthma according to the United States National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. 'Obesity is common due to loss of normal sleep patterns,' said Dr. Sridharan, adding: 'What I am seeing is night duty people have more asthma and less controlled asthma and are prone for many asthma triggers,' he adds. Allergies, he says, are linked to low levels of immunity, again caused by disruptions to sleep and inadequate sleep, which could then trigger asthma. Dr. Sridharan however points out that as a specialist, of 30 patients in a day, he sees 25 with asthma, and both men and women and equally prone to the condition. Pulmonologist M. Koushik Muthu Raja said he had treated a few persons who work night shifts and presented with severe asthma. 'We have not understood the correlation in India because we don't have that many cases presented to our clinic so far,' he says. Asthma cannot be directly linked to night shifts, he explains, as there may be other reasons -- pollen allergies, colds and humidity -- with some individuals having more episodes in summer, while some others have increased episodes in winter. Besides, the standard guidelines for asthma have not listed night shifts as a risk factor as yet, he points out. 'We need to wait for larger studies from India in order to establish such a link. We need in-depth, robust randomised studies to find a direct correlation. A similar, large-scale study in India would help to understand the correlation between asthma and night shifts,' he says. According to the WHO, asthma cannot be cured but there are several treatments available. The most common treatment is to use an inhaler, which delivers medication directly to the lungs. Inhalers can help control the disease and enable people with asthma to enjoy a normal, active life, it says.
Gizmodo
17-06-2025
- Health
- Gizmodo
Night Shifts May Raise Your Asthma Risk—If You're a Woman
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that often causes sudden and intense shortness of breath. The disease impacts around 339 million people worldwide, and in the U.S. nine people on average die from asthma every day. Researchers in the U.K. have found that women who work night shifts are more likely to have moderate or severe asthma than women who work during the day. The study, published Monday in the journal ERJ Open Research, does not reveal any such tendency in men working nightshifts, and could hold important implications for public health guidance. The team had previously shown that permanent night shift workers in general are more likely to suffer from moderate-severe asthma compared to day workers. Scientists also know that asthma is more prevalent and severe in adult women than adult men. 'Since increasing numbers of females are becoming shift workers it is important to determine if shift work-associated asthma risk is higher in females,' the researchers wrote in the study. Shift work refers to scheduled working periods that fall outside of traditional daytime hours. 'Our main aim was to investigate sex differences in the association between shift work and asthma.' The researchers did so by analyzing data belonging to over 274,541 working people from the U.K. Biobank, a biomedical database open to health researchers. From this initial pool, they found that 5.3% had asthma, and 1.9% of those had moderate or severe asthma. The team then looked into whether the people in these categories worked during the day, during nightshifts, or a mix of both. The researchers found that female shift workers in general are more likely to suffer from asthma, and women who only work nightshifts have 50% higher likelihood of developing moderate or severe asthma than female daytime workers. Furthermore, the risk increases 'with both number of monthly night shifts and longer lifetime duration of night shift work,' they explained. Interestingly, the data did not reveal any differences in the prevalence of asthma in men based on their work schedule. 'This type of research cannot explain why shift work and asthma are linked,' Robert Maidstone, a co-author of the study and a researcher at the University of Manchester's School of Biological Sciences, said in a university statement. 'However, it could be because shift work disrupts the body clock, including the levels of male and female sex hormones. High testosterone has previously been shown to be protective against asthma, and so lower testosterone in women could play a role. Alternatively, men and women work different types of shift jobs, and this could be a factor.' Among women not taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT, a treatment for menopausal symptoms), postmenopausal women working only night shifts were almost twice as likely to have moderate-severe asthma than female day workers. This suggests that HRT might protect nightshift workers from asthma, though the researchers admit that more studies are needed to confirm this. 'This research suggests that working nightshifts could be a risk factor for asthma in women, but not in men. The majority of workers will not have an easy option of switching their shift pattern, so we need further research to verify and understand this link and find out what could be done to reduce the risk for women who work shifts,' explained Florence Schleich from the European Respiratory Society, who was not involved in the study. Moving forward, the researchers aim to investigate how sex hormones might influence asthma prevalence among shift workers. Perhaps this line of research will also shed light on what drives the respiratory disease, given that the exact cause remains a mystery.
