Simple tongue exercises could be a game-changer for snorers and their exasperated partners.
Research out of Brazil has shown how a regime of tongue exercises can help sufferers of sleep apnoea, or OSA, which affects five to 10 per cent of the population, Seven Sharp reported.
And it's much less invasive than other treatments which involve wearing devices over the mouth or nose.
Sleep and respiratory physiologist, Professor Danny Eckert, explained the four exercises which involve things such as lifting the top of your tongue, placing it on the roof of your mouth and moving it backwards.
The man behind the exercise therapy is Brazilian professor Geraldo Lorenzi-Filho whose research proved the four exercises are successful in reducing snoring and sleep apnoea by 59 per cent.
Sufferers of sleep apnoea stop breathing momentarily when the windpipe collapses during sleep, stopping the flow of oxygen to the lungs.
And a lack of sleep, or broken sleep, can have dire consequences.
"It affects every organ in the body. You might have headaches, might not be able to think and concentrate during the day. We know it's linked to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease," Professor Eckert said.
"The first step is to go and see your doctor and talk about it. This is a serious medical condition and can affect all aspects of your life."
Professor Lorenzi-Filho is an invited speaker at Sleep Downunder 2017, the annual conference of the Australasian Sleep Association being held at the Auckland Convention Centre from today until Saturday.
The congress showcases the latest in clinical research to improve sleep.
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