Researchers say the practice might provide a simpler and low-cost alternative to the standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, though trials with more participants are needed

A small study out of India suggests that blowing into a conch shell—a practice rooted in Indian tradition—may provide relief for people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, the most common sleep-tied breathing disorder.

Regularly blowing through a conch shell for six months significantly improved sleep among a small group of people with sleep apnea, researchers in India found.