Author and human guinea pig A.J. Jacobs tries snoring solutions

Author A.J. Jacobs has a snoring problem. His wife kicked him out of the bedroom because he was “as loud as an outboard motor, the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport, and a stadium full of Justin Bieber fans.”

In his new article “The End of Snoring,” published in the latest issue of parade magazine, Jacobs enlisted AASM member Dr. Steven Park to help him on his quest to gain re-entry to his bedroom.

If you've read anything by A.J. Jacobs, you'll know he tries to take on the role of human guinea pig. Like in his New York Times bestselling book “The Year of Living Biblically,” he made lifestyle changes for his story. On the advice of Dr. Park, he tries a slew of snoring solutions, from making lifestyle changes to visiting a sleep center.

Some of his attempts are comically unconventional. After reading a study about using an Australian aboriginal didgeridoo to treat sleep apnea, he orders one online.

It took Jacobs an entire day to learn how to use the four-foot long wind musical instrument. He never figured out if it worked, but he did note it kept the neighbors from snoring.

He tried tongue and throat exercises he found on the internet. The only effect there was a quip from his wife.

With mixed success using various at-home remedies, he booked a visit to a sleep center, where he learned he had a mild form of sleep apnea. Dr. Park said Jacobs woke up 185 times in his sleep study, the primary reason why patients with sleep apnea don’t get restful sleep.

Jacobs tried an oral appliance and CPAP therapy. Both worked, significantly cutting down his snoring. Jacobs reported trouble getting comfortable with both treatments, especially CPAP.

That’s a common issue reported by new CPAP users. On the CPAP Central section of our website you can find tips on how to make this effective therapy a better experience.

In the end, Jacobs settled for a mix of remedies, not entirely cutting out his snoring. The AASM recommends anyone with more advanced cases of sleep apnea continue their treatment. Sleep apnea can lead to deadly complications.

His wife eventually allowed him back in the bedroom, but surely she’s learning what its like to be one of the many “Real Wives of Sleep Apnea.”

Learn on sleepeducation.com what you can do to stop snoring

Are Musical Instruments the Answer for Sleep Apnea?

Maybe you shouldn’t have dropped out of band class in junior high or high school. There has been some recent interest in using wind instruments as a possible treatment for obstructive sleep apnea.

The theory is that playing a wind instrument makes the muscles in the upper airway stronger. This could prevent soft tissue in the throat from collapsing and blocking the airway during sleep.

The idea gained support from a small study in 2006 in the British Medical Journal. Fourteen participants with sleep apnea learned how to play an acrylic plastic didgeridoo. They were given lessons and practiced at home for four months. They practiced for an average of about 25 minutes, 5.9 days per week.

Eleven people with sleep apnea were kept on a waiting list as a control. Results show that daytime sleepiness and sleep apnea severity improved in those who played the didgeridoo.



In a recent study researchers put this wind-instrument theory to the test. They surveyed professional orchestra members. Their risk of sleep apnea was assessed using the Berlin questionnaire.

A total of 1,111 orchestra members responded. About 31 percent (348) had a high risk of sleep apnea.

And those who play a wind instrument? Did they have a lower risk of sleep apnea?

Actually, they were more likely than non-wind players to be at high risk for sleep apnea. But this was not statistically significant when adjusted for age, body mass index and gender.

So wind instruments may not be the answer for sleep apnea. But each instrument requires a different rate of airflow and air pressure. Future research could find that specific instruments have more treatment potential than others.

But there’s no need to go to an orchestra hall to find a treatment for sleep apnea. A sleep specialist at an AASM-accredited sleep center can determine which treatment option is best for you. Effective treatments include CPAP and oral appliances.