The National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) week is held in the first full week of July (runs from the 3rd to the 10th of July). It’s a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements and is an opportunity to recognise the contributions that Indigenous Australians make to our country and our society. Did you know that one of the most iconic aboriginal musical instruments can help treat sleep disorders?
In 2006 Puhan et al. published a randomised control trial in the British Medical Journal titled: Didgeridoo playing as alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome: randomised controlled trial. They sought to assess the effects of didgeridoo playing on daytime sleepiness and other outcomes related to sleep (by reducing collapsibility of the upper airways in patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and snoring). 25 participants took part in the study, the treatment group (14 participants) were given standardised didgeridoos, lessons and practice for four months. The control group remained on the waiting list for lessons. The treatment group practiced on average for 25mins a day, for 6 days a week over the four months of the trial. This treatment were found to have had their daytime sleepiness and their sleep apnoea significantly improve (see picture). The researchers concluded that regular didgeridoo playing is an effective treatment alternative which is also well accepted by patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. To see this article go to: http://www.bmj.com/content/332/7536/266
