Words by Sanjay Jha, ITV News Journalist in New Delhi

A centuries-old Indian ritual may hold surprising modern health benefits.

New research suggests that blowing a conch shell - a practice known in India as Shankh blowing - could improve sleep and breathing in people with moderate obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), according to research conducted by Indian doctors.

“This simple practice strengthens the breathing muscles and improves airway tone, helping keep passages open during sleep,” Dr Krishna K Sharma, director of pulmonology at Eternal Hospital, Jaipur, and lead researcher of the study, told ITV News.

“Many participants slept better, snored less, and felt more energetic during the day.”

What did the study find?

The randomised controlled trial, conducted at Eternal Heart Care

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