According to a new study presented at the Sleep and Breathing Conference in Barcelona, it was revealed that playing a wind instrument helps to lower the risk of sleep apnoea.

Sleep apnoea is a sleeping disorder associated with heavy snoring where the muscles in the upper airways of the throat relax so much while a person is sleeping, they can collapse and block airflow. This condition can be dangerous for the people who use sleep apnoea masks.

To study the sleep apnoea in relating to subjects who played wind instruments, the scientists examined 64 people who played wind instruments and compared them with the results of 65 people who didn’t. Even all participants were also asked to complete a questionnaire designed to assess the risk of eventually developing sleep disorders.

The researchers analysed that people who played the wind instruments had a much lower risk of having sleep apnoea in the future. However, no difference was seen between the two groups in the lung function tests.

Responding to this Silas Daniel Raj, one of the authors of the study stated "The findings of our small study present an interesting theory on preventative measures or treatment in sleep apnoea. If the findings are confirmed in larger groups, wind instrument playing could become a cheap and non-invasive method of preventing sleep apnoea in those at risk of developing the condition”.

By Lizitha