Musical therapy for sounder sleeping
By Janet Raloff
Among the most distinctive sounds of Australian aboriginal music are the low drones of didgeridoos—long instruments made from termite-hollowed tree limbs. Alex Suarez, a Swiss didgeridoo instructor, noticed that since taking up the instrument, he and his students experienced less daytime sleepiness and nighttime snoring. A study by Suarez and Swiss sleep scientists now concludes that playing such wind instruments may be therapeutic to individuals plagued by sleep problems.
In people with obstructive sleep apnea, breathing repeatedly stops for 10 or more seconds throughout the night. This can foster snoring, reduce sleep quality, and double the risk of stroke or premature death (SN: 11/26/05, p. 349: Available to subscribers at Sleep apnea could signal greater danger).