Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Didgeridoo playing as alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (2006)

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 184 posts

Re: Didgeridoo playing as alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (2006)

#32

Post by pegasus »

jimmcslim wrote: post #2

Didgeridoo specifically?, or any instrument that requires circular breathing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_breathing

Circular breathing is easiest to accomplish on the didgeridoo. This is because of several reasons: optimal back-pressure (hits the sweet spot between lack of resistance on a flute and too much of it on an oboe, for example), loose embouchure (relaxed lips make it easier to puff up the cheeks) and single drone focus (no distracting fingerings required).

I also suspect the intense vibrations have a similar effect (probably stronger) to humming, which is known to dramatically (15-20x) increase the release of beneficial nitrous oxide in the nasal passages.

Re: Didgeridoo playing as alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (2006)

#34

Post by sigmoid10 »

hks0 wrote: post #26
hks0 wrote: post #25

A friend of mine started "blowing air into water with an straw" (making bubbles) very seriously. I was very skeptical to say the least; but after a couple of months the effects have been very eye opening. Not only it has helped sleep apnea and snoring but also helped with reducing their weight. They had an online group and most participants reported the same. The wight loss was reverted when they stopped for some per…

Just learned from comments here it's called "circular breathing"!

Just read how this works and tried it. A bit tricky at first but actually quite easy once you get the hang of it. And it's kind of a fun exercise. Now I'm wondering if I should get a Didgeridoo too.

Re: Didgeridoo playing as alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (2006)

#35

Post by sigmoid10 »

Darmani wrote: post #21

I started playing didgeridoo 10 years ago for precisely this reason. Sleep apnea already cured by weight loss, but I knew by air pathways were prone to it, and I never wanted it to come back. It worked It took me 1-2 years to learn circular breathing, but even just learning to play for 15 seconds on one breath can give the "oxygen high" from breathing so much.

You can't get "oxygen high" from breathing normal air. The O2 levels will always stay the same unless you stop breathing for a while. What will make you feel weird in the head when breathing too fast is the reduction of CO2 in your blood.

Re: Didgeridoo playing as alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (2006)

#38

Post by LPisGood »

hks0 wrote: post #25

A friend of mine started "blowing air into water with an straw" (making bubbles) very seriously. I was very skeptical to say the least; but after a couple of months the effects have been very eye opening. Not only it has helped sleep apnea and snoring but also helped with reducing their weight. They had an online group and most participants reported the same. The wight loss was reverted when they stopped for some per…

I don’t mean to be rude, but what kind of personal reasons might stop a person from breathing into a straw at night

Re: Didgeridoo playing as alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (2006)

#39

Post by KellyCriterion »

baddash wrote: post #29
Traubenfuchs wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you please expand on that? How many times and minutes a day? Full power? Got a link?

same, my fat ass is ultra curious

I just made a test with one of the AI: It seems there is some evidence in there, sounds like mainly you are strengthening the muscles around your throat with that technique and this then can reduce sleap apnea a little bit.
Post reply on HN