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ITV News
4 days ago
- Health
- ITV News
What is conch blowing? The ancient ritual that could help improve your sleep
Words by Sanjay Jha, ITV News Journalist in New Delhi A centuries-old Indian ritual may hold surprising modern health benefits. New research suggests that blowing a conch shell - a practice known in India as Shankh blowing - could improve sleep and breathing in people with moderate obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), according to research conducted by Indian doctors. 'This simple practice strengthens the breathing muscles and improves airway tone, helping keep passages open during sleep,' Dr Krishna K Sharma, director of pulmonology at Eternal Hospital, Jaipur, and lead researcher of the study, told ITV News. 'Many participants slept better, snored less, and felt more energetic during the day.' What did the study find? The randomised controlled trial, conducted at Eternal Heart Care Centre and Research Institute in Rajasthan, involved 30 adults newly diagnosed with moderate OSA. Fourteen participants were trained to blow a conch shell for 15 minutes a day, five days a week, over six months. The remaining 16 performed deep breathing exercises as a placebo control. After six months, the conch-blowing group showed a 34% reduction in daytime sleepiness, improved sleep quality scores, and four to five fewer apnoea events per hour of sleep. Their nighttime oxygen levels rose by an average of 7%, and their neck circumference decreased, suggesting structural changes in the airway. By contrast, the control group saw no significant improvements - and in some cases, slightly worsened readings. 'For many participants, the experience was both culturally familiar and physically beneficial,' Dr Sharma added. 'Several reported not only better sleep and reduced snoring, but also a sense of calm and improved daytime energy.' What is conch blowing and how could it help with sleep apnea? Conch blowing involves deep inhalation followed by forceful exhalation through the shell's narrow opening, producing a resonant sound. This action engages the diaphragm, intercostal muscles, and upper airway muscles, providing resistance training for the respiratory system. Researchers believe this muscle engagement helps prevent airway collapse during sleep, which is the hallmark of OSA. Rooted in Hindu rituals and ceremonies, conch blowing has been practised in India for centuries. Its spiritual symbolism is now being explored for therapeutic potential - especially in treating sleep apnoea, a condition that affects millions worldwide and is typically managed with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. While CPAP is highly effective, many patients - particularly those with milder symptoms - find it uncomfortable or difficult to maintain. 'While CPAP remains the gold standard, not everyone can tolerate it,' said study co-author Dr Rajeev Gupta. 'For such patients, conch blowing might become an accessible and culturally acceptable option.' The study, published in ERJ Open Research, is already paving the way for broader trials. Researchers caution that the findings, while promising, stem from a small, single-centre study and must be validated through larger, multi-centre research before widespread adoption. If confirmed, the ancient sound of the conch shell may soon echo not just in temples - but in bedrooms, as a tool for better sleep and respiratory health.
Wall Street Journal
08-08-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
A Guaranteed Annual Income Flop
Progressives and a growing faction of Republicans support cash handouts as an important answer to America's social ills. So readers might want to know about a study published as a working paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research that finds $1,000 monthly payments have few long-term benefits. Researchers with the nonprofit OpenResearch and several universities ran a randomized controlled trial to test the impact of a cash transfer on lower-income, working-age Americans. One group received $1,000 every month for three years—$36,000 total—no strings attached. The other were paid $50 a month to participate as a control group.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mini pill linked to ‘elevated' asthma attack risk among certain women
Researchers from Imperial College London found that taking the progesterone-only contraceptive pill was linked to an increased risk of asthma attacks in some women – including those under the age of 35 (Reuters) Younger women with asthma who use the progesterone-only contraceptive pill, often referred to as the mini pill, may face a heightened risk of severe asthma attacks, a new study suggests. Researchers at Imperial College London discovered a link between the mini pill and an increased risk of asthma exacerbations in women under 35. However, no such increased risk was observed in women using the combined oral contraceptive pill, which contains both oestrogen and progesterone. The study, published in ERJ Open Research, analysed data from a substantial cohort of women. Researchers examined records of 261,827 women aged 18 to 50 diagnosed with asthma and currently using oral contraceptives. This data was compared against a control group of 127,502 women with asthma who were not taking any oral contraceptive. The team specifically focused on recorded asthma attacks within both groups between 2004 and 2020. They found that women under the age of 35 who used the mini pill had a 39 per cent increased risk of asthma attacks compared to never users. But there was no link among asthma attacks and older progesterone-only contraceptive pill users. Women taking fewer asthma treatments, such as inhaled or oral steroids, who were taking the progesterone-only contraceptive pill appeared to have a 20 per cent increased risk, they found. The mini pill has been linked to an increased risk of asthma attacks in certain women, according to a new study (Alamy/PA) And women with eosinophilic asthma – those who have high levels of blood cells called eosinophils that cause inflammation – had a 24 per cent increased risk of asthma attacks if they were taking the mini pill, but the research team said this finding was 'not statistically significant'. Study lead Dr Chloe Bloom, a clinical senior lecturer in respiratory epidemiology at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, said: 'Asthma is common in women of reproductive age, many of whom are taking the pill. 'This study helps women and healthcare professionals make more informed decisions about which contraceptive pill might be best for them. 'The findings also add another piece to the puzzle of why women may be more likely to have severe asthma than men.' Researchers have called for more work to examine the link between progesterone and asthma. Commenting on the study, Dr Erika Kennington, from Asthma and Lung UK, which funded the study, said: 'This study is an important first step for women with asthma to better understand what lifestyle risks could increase their likelihood of an asthma attack. 'But much more research is needed to provide them with enough information to make more informed decisions on the best contraception choice for them. In the future, it would be beneficial for women to have the risk of an asthma attack considered alongside other health risks, such as heart disease and cancer. 'However, this research is still too early stage to change treatment decisions or prescribing guidelines and doesn't provide enough evidence for a prescriber to suggest to someone that they change their contraception pill. 'Historically little has been understood about why asthma is worse for women, because funding for lung health research is on life support. This research highlights yet again the need for urgent action to increase investment into lung research to give everyone fighting for breath improved treatment options and a better quality of life.' Professor Apostolos Bossios, head of the European Respiratory Society's group on airway diseases, asthma, COPD, and chronic cough, said: 'We need much more research to understand why asthma is worse for women than men so we can begin to reduce the risk. This major study in an important step towards that aim.'
Forbes
25-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
From Code To Cash: Stack Overflow Co-Founder Jeff Atwood's Unorthodox Path To Philanthropy
Jeff Atwood's Purpose-Driven Wealth, Why Tech Entrepreneur Jeff Atwood is Giving Away More than $50 Million Jeff Atwood, known for co-founding Stack Overflow, has recently taken a bold step in philanthropy by committing to give away half his wealth within five years. In this conversation, we discuss his motivations, his call to other business leaders to utilize their resources toward solving pressing societal problems and his unique approach to community-centered giving. Nyandoro: What motivated you to commit to giving away half your wealth within five years? Atwood: You come into a lot of money suddenly, and it's like you've won the lottery. I had to think a lot about, 'what is the purpose of money?' Why do we have money, and how much money is enough? The more I looked at it, the more I thought the money should be actually out there working to make the world better in some form. I didn't see the purpose of holding on to a bunch of wealth if it's not doing anything. Nyandoro: How did you begin executing on your philanthropic commitment? Atwood: We started with immediate one million dollar donations to areas of most need and made diverse bets on different strategies. Then came the longer-term plan—how do we fix this more systemically, rather than just relying on generosity? I believe in generosity, but we also need to eventually codify it into law. Nyandoro: What inspired your focus on guaranteed income? Atwood: I kept coming back to universal basic income. The data from Open Research and GiveDirectly was really compelling. When you give people money, the outcomes are really good. It helped a lot of people very directly. I was especially struck that people in deep poverty often shared the money with others—this kind of generosity was incredible. Nyandoro: Can you share more about your planned guaranteed income experiments? Atwood: We're using $50 million of my family's wealth for guaranteed income studies in counties where my parents are from—Beaufort County, NC, and Mercer County, WV—and are finalizing a third county. We're working with members of the community directly, including churches and veterans' organizations. This isn't about setting up new power structures. Nyandoro: Was there a pivotal moment or experience that led you to focus on guaranteed income? Atwood: The data from direct cash assistance studies always stuck with me. My partner, Betsy, a biologist, helped evaluate the studies—they were solid. And that statistic from the OpenResearch study that 26% shared their cash? That was the moment. It validated everything. It's so simple—give people money and trust them. Nyandoro: How do you respond to skepticism around guaranteed income? Atwood: I rely on data. Let's talk about data, not opinions. And being around working people really helps you understand the realities. If you're isolated, you don't fully understand what people are going through. But personal stories plus data make a compelling case. Nyandoro: What are your hopes for the future of guaranteed income? Atwood: I want to run enough studies that we create an overwhelming amount of evidence that this works. Then the people get excited, they spread the word, and we—'we the people'—start making this happen together. Nyandoro: How do you describe the impact of this work on individuals receiving guaranteed income? Atwood: It's profound. People work hard and are generous. They just don't often experience open generosity themselves. Seeing people plan and use the money as a springboard—like in your Magnolia Mothers Trust—gives me so much hope and optimism. Nyandoro: What shaped your philosophy of working with communities instead of over them when it comes to your giving? Atwood: It goes back to my work on Stack Overflow—essentially Wikipedia for programmers in Q&A format. The community did all the work in answering those questions, while I coordinated facilitating. We signed a Creative Commons contract, ensuring the content remains freely available. And that's the same approach I take in my giving. I believe in collaborative, sustainable engagement where both sides benefit and are respected. Nyandoro: Why do you think connection to community matters so much, especially when someone becomes wealthy? Atwood: Community is a source of tremendous power. I've learned so much from people using our software and talking to Lyft drivers. Listening is hard, but worth it. The more wealth I amassed, the more disconnected I felt. That's why I make an effort to stay grounded—because without people, what do you have? Nyandoro: Why do you think generosity and trust aren't built into our social safety nets? Atwood: There's a long history—some great ideas in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence—but we haven't written down clearly what we're trying to do as a country. I'm steeped in Jeffersonian ideals and I believe in "we the people." Sustainable programs, like democracy or guaranteed income, require that we listen to and work with people. Nyandoro: What do you think is missing from traditional philanthropy? Atwood: Trust. If you start from a place of mistrust, you design guardrails and bureaucracy that actually hurt people. I prefer to start from trust. For example, I tip Lyft drivers in cash at the start of a ride—it's a gesture of trust and respect. That mindset carries over into my giving.
