Learn how the didgeridoo relieves obstructive sleep apnea and snoring, and see our Package Deal that includes everything you need to get started.
Below are videos, info, and medical news links for you to reference. Let us introduce you to the didgeridoo and how easily it's played. Proven to help relieve the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, it also promotes calm and healthier breathing. Customers tell us they experience less daytime sleepiness after
just a few weeks. Some report a complete cessation of symptoms after 3 to 4 months. We're here to help
you get started with the proper instrument and tutorials.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health says,
"One of the challenges in the treatment of sleep disorders is poor
compliance. Thus new treatments not only need to be effective but also
be ones that people are motivated enough to use. Didgeridoo playing seems to meet these requirements.
Participants were highly motivated during the trial and practiced, on
average, almost six days a week, which was even more than the protocol
asked for.Regular
playing of a didgeridoo reduces sleep apnea and snoring in
people with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and also improves
the sleep quality of partners. Severity of disease, expressed by the
apnea-hypopnoea index, is also substantially reduced after four months
of didgeridoo playing." The Mayo Clinic concurs with these findings in a new book titled "The Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies". This book was published in Nov. of 2010 so the content is fresh while the home remedies are ancient to modern.
"Learning to play the didgeridoo is emerging as a surprisingly
effective and practical strategy for managing snoring and sleep apnea
symptoms. I encourage all my patients with these concerns to discuss
this option with their doctors." Rubin Naiman, PhD., Clinical
Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Arizona.
Doctors recommend practicing 20-30 minutes a day, 4-5 days a week.
Barry from L.A.Outback guests on "The Doctors" to show how the didgeridoo can help relieve Sleep Apnea and Snoring.
<< Click on video at left to play.
Watch this video about how the Didgeridoo works to relieve Sleep Apnea and Snoring. << Click on video at left to play.
You'll receive our easy to play therapy-grade didgeridoo (as pictured above) along with an instructional DVD, cover, and a 2 oz spray bottle of DidgeriClean to keep the mouthpiece of your didgeridoo sanitized. The didgeridoo in this package is the same one being used in an upcoming clinical trial at UCLA, a follow-up to the original Sleep Apnea & Didgeridoo study at the University of Zurich.
Made in the USA, our
modern didgeridoo offers a bright and cavernous acoustic. It's about
four feet in length and two inches in diameter with an expertly shaped
mouthpiece that's sanded smooth and sized to an opening of about 1.25
inches to fit your lips perfectly (no beeswax needed).Hand crafted from a light in weight yet virtually indestructible polyresin. Rain, sun, or freezing temperatures are no worries. Perfect for a beginner and the #1 choice for Sleep Apnea Therapy. Your improved health and satisfaction is our goal. We want you to benefit from this proven therapy and share your results with others.
If you have questions, or would rather order over the phone just ring us on 1-800-519-1140. Orders usually ship within 24 hours and take 1-4 business days for delivery.
The Science Behind the Therapy
We've been in the didgeridoo community for 15 years but hadn't heard of sleep apnea until the didgeridoo study at the University of Zurich came out in 2006. They made headlines with their therapy, and below are some links to credible resources where you can read about the science behind this fun and affordable practice to combat obstructive sleep apnea:
Click on any of the above links for articles reviewing the health benefits that playing a didgeridoo can offer those suffering with obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. Many were kind enough to mention L.A.Outback as the place to go for didgeridoos, and we're very appreciative. The original article was on the Reuters news service, and here is how it read:
Regular didgeridoo playing reduces snoring and daytime sleepiness, finds a study published by the British Medical Journal. Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome are common sleep disorders caused by the collapse of the upper airways. Reports of didgeridoo players experiencing reduced daytime sleepiness and snoring after practicing, led experts in Switzerland to test the theory that training of the upper airways by didgeridoo playing can improve these disorders. They identified 25 patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and who complained about snoring. Patients were randomly allocated to an intervention group (didgeridoo lessons and daily practice at home for four months) or a control group (remained on a waiting list for lessons). Compared with the control group, daytime sleepiness and apnea scores improved significantly in the didgeridoo group. Partners of patients in the didgeridoo group also reported much less sleep disturbance. The authors conclude that regular training of the upper airways by didgeridoo playing reduces daytime sleepiness and snoring in people with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and also improves the sleep quality of partners.
Sleep Apnea Patients Talk About Didgeridoo Therapy
Watch these customers
featured in an online news story.
They formed a group to practice
together. Hear what they say. << Click
on video at left to play.
What Is a Didgeridoo?
The didgeridoo is a wind instrument traditionally made from the trunk of termite hollowed eucalyptus trees from Australia (like the one pictured at left). They average about 4 feet in length, and are played by vibrating your lips into the top end of the instrument which creates a deep humming drone. The didgeridoo is a rhythm instrument, so you play "beats" instead of melodic songs. Play at your own speed as well: quiet or loud, fast or slow... you'll develop your own style. There are no rules or complex memorization. This makes learning the instrument very intuitive, so you don't need any musical training or years of lessons to enjoy playing the didgeridoo straight away. And there's no lung power needed as with other wind instruments. The didgeridoo is played with gently vibrating lips, voice, and tongue movement, not lung power. You won't believe how quickly you can learn this and how much fun it can be. "I live in an apartment. Will the sound disturb my neighbors?" No dramas about the loudness of a didgeridoo, as you can play softly and
quietly simply by relaxing your breath. You can also put a folded towel under the "bell" end of a didge to absorb some of the sound. You get the same therapeutic benefit no matter how loudly or quietly you play.
Therapy-Grade Didgeridoos and Instruction
Buying a Didgeridoo for Sleep Apnea
Didgeridoos
can come in many sizes and keys, so it's important that you get one that meets the proven criteria for therapeutic use. Our world famous Modern Didgeridoos
are the leading choice for use in Sleep Apnea therapy. They are the same size and pitch of those used in the original sleep apnea study at the University of Zurich. They are also inexpensive, light in weight, and practically indestructible.
OurModern Didgeridoosare the most popular choice for Sleep Apnea therapy.
You want a didgeridoo which will offer the best therapeutic benefit, so crush the urge to go for the cheapest model you can find on the internet. We've been selling didgeridoos for 15 years, and while there are heaps of low quality didges on the market we've had countless customers buy a poor quality one elsewhere only to come back to us for a proper one. And yes, other types of didgeridoos (besides the Modern ones) also work for Sleep Apnea Therapy. Contact us and we'll help you choose the right one based on size, pitch, and compression.
Learning How to Play the Didgeridoo
If you live in southern California or are planning a trip here we offer FREE didgeridoo classes for beginners (see photo at right). To find out when the next class is scheduled simply give us a ring on 1-800-519-1140, or check our Didgeridoo Event Calendar.
Our Didgeridoo Courses on CD or DVD are an excellent way to get started and learn at your own pace. At 60 minutes in length the video includes: Achieving a Clear Tone, Varying the Tone, Making Animal Sounds, 3 Steps to Circular Breathing, Basic Rhythms, Advanced Rhythms and more. The DVD is included in our Package Deal available above.
We're Always Here to Help
Please contact us if you want help in selecting a didgeridoo from our website or shop, or if you have a question about any of our products or services. We can play the didgeridoos for you over the phone, and give you advice about an instrument that perfectly suits your needs and your budget.
Our toll free number is 800-519-1140 or in California you can ring us on 818-985-8359. If you prefer to email us simply click on this link info@laoutback.com
Good vibes,
Mark, Barry, Jorge, George, Dubbo and Tooey
Ethical Didgeridoo Buying and What to Avoid: Avoid instruments manufactured in third world countries like India and Indonesia. These are cheaply mass produced as decorative items and are not musical quality––certainly not Therapy Grade. Healthy teak trees are harvested for wood didgeridoos in Indonesia and plastic didgeridoos that look like wood are being made in India. We know it's tempting to go for the cheaper prices, but these decorative pieces are not good sonically or therapeutically, and are not Fair Trade.
Medical Disclaimer: We (L.A.Outback) are not medical professionals or experts on sleep apnea syndrome. Our specialty for 16 years is the didgeridoo, and we are responding to the proof of principal results published in the British Medical Journal. It is our express concern that you consider didgeridoo playing only as a supplemental therapy to compliment your CPAP or any related therapies as prescribed by your doctor. There is no cure for sleep apnea, and while the clinical results of didgeridoo playing are promising, you should not decrease or discontinue your CPAP regimen without consulting your physician.
Eucalyptus
Paintings On Canvas
The didgeridoo is a wind instrument traditionally made from the trunk of termite hollowed eucalyptus trees from Australia (like the one pictured at left). They average about 4 feet in length, and
If you live in southern California or are planning a trip here we offer FREE didgeridoo classes for beginners (see photo at right). To find out when the next class is scheduled simply give us a ring on 