The Didgeridoo For Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea, or Obstructive Sleep Apnea, is a common sleep disorder in which a person’s breathing momentarily lapses during sleep. These pauses in breath are caused by an over-relaxation of the tissue in the back of the throat, which prevents airflow from going into the trachea.
Aside from the immediate unpleasant effects of gasping and choking awake, Obstructive Sleep Apnea is also linked to high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, chronic heart failure, persistent fatigue, and even memory loss among other maladies.

Currently, the most common treatment method employs a CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure). The machine forces the patient’s airways open through use of a facial mask connected to a machine that generates air pressure. Although generally considered an effective treatment, many patients forgo the CPAP’s usage for a relatively good night’s sleep, as many report that it’s extremely uncomfortable and can make sleep prohibitive.

For those that find their CPAP machine intolerable, a surprising alternative treatment that employs one of the oldest instruments known to man has been proven effective. That’s right, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal, the use of the didgeridoo has been found to significantly aid in the reduction of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. In the Swiss Study, 25 participants afflicted with the condition practiced the didgeridoo 25 minutes per day, 6 days a week, for a period of 4 months. Compared to the control group, participants of the didgeridoo group showed a significant reduction in the amount of airway collapses per hour. The participants also reported less daytime sleepiness and their partners reported less sleep disturbance as well. The study concluded that “regular didgeridoo playing is an effective treatment alternative well accepted by patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome”.*

The reason behind the didgeridoo’s success as an alternative treatment lies in its promotion of a process known as “circular breathing.” Circular breathing occurs when you breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth at the same time. This process improves muscular tone of the upper airway and reduces the collapse of the tissue in the back of the throat associated with sleep apnea. Apparently the use of the didgeridoo strengthens the airway in a way no other instrument can because the low-frequency sound specific to the didgeridoo gives the throat a perfect massage. In essence, by practicing circular breathing through a didgeridoo, you’re giving the muscles in the back of your throat a toning work-out which prevents the collapse of air-obstructing tissue during sleep.

Youtube Video

Practice Circular Breathing

Now that we know the didgeridoo is effective in treating Sleep Apnea, let’s tackle how to “circular breathe.” For many, the idea of breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth sounds impossible. In reality, the process is actually much easier than it sounds and can be achieved through practice. The seasoned circular breather and didgeridoo player pushes the air that’s already in the mouth with the tongue and the cheeks out into the didgeridoo, thus creating the vibration which leads to the “drone.” At the same time, the player intermittently takes in a very quick sniff of air; this completes the circular breathing process.

For someone just starting off, the above may seem somewhat challenging. That’s why the following simple practice steps can be helpful precursors to playing the didgeridoo:

1. Puff your cheeks up with air so they are full but you can still breathe in with your nose.

2. Plug your nose and let the air out of your mouth

3. Complete steps 1 & 2 until you get a good feel for it. Next, try doing the same thing without plugging your nose.

4. Push the air out of your mouth while breathing in through your nose until you achieve a rhythm. Strength in your breathing will follow!

Good Didgeridoos for Sleep Apnea

You may see “medical grade” didgeridoos on the market available at higher-than-normal prices. There’s actually nothing special or above-and-beyond about these that will help you improve your sleep apnea faster. We suggest avoiding the bells and whistles and simply going for a standard didgeridoo recommended for beginners. After all, playing the didgeridoo for your sleep apnea shouldn’t involve too much of an investment and should mostly be about having fun! For the beginning didgeridoo player, we generally suggest a PVC didgeridoo, as they’re widely considered to be the easiest to play. They come in a variety of bell shapes (bigger bottom bells produce a slightly louder drone) and designs for those who have a particular motif in mind. Here are a couple great and inexpensive suggestions for the beginner (each one also ships for free):

PVC Big Bell Swirl Didgeridoo

Standard Painted PVC Didgeridoo

*http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16377643