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.
