Low-Tech Treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

This study is looking at simple exercises to help people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. It compares two groups: one doing "High-Resistance Breathing and Drinking Exercises" and another doing "Low-Resistance Breathing and Drinking Exercises." Both groups will drink water through a special nozzle and use a breathing device for three months. The study wants to see if these exercises improve sleep and if a history of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) affects the results. You might be able to join if you are 18-65 years old, have a new OSA diagnosis or your current OSA treatment isn't working, and are willing to stop other OSA treatments for three months. The main goal is to measure changes in your Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI), which indicates how often your breathing stops or gets shallow during sleep.

Study design: This is an interventional study with 60 planned participants. It compares two different behavioral exercise programs.
What's involved: Participants will perform daily breathing and drinking exercises for three months. They will also be assessed for their Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) at the beginning and end of the intervention.
Compensation: Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up: Participants are followed from enrollment to the end of the three-month intervention period.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

Low-Tech Treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Recruiting

PHASE1Ages 18–65InterventionalTreatment

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

~60 participants

Updated 2026-02-17 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What's tested:High-Resistance Breathing and Drinking ExercisesLow-Resistance Breathing and Drinking Exercises

At a glance

Recruiting sites

1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now

RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open

What they're measuring

Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI)

Measured over From enrollment to end of three-month intervention

Conditions

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states

Maryland1

Who to contact

Nancy P. Solomon, Ph.D.

[email protected]

301-319-7042

Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

New diagnosis of OSA (AHI, ≥ 5) or failure of first-line OSA treatment;

Willingness to forego first-line OSA treatment or stop current OSA treatment for 3 months;

Ability to follow directions and perform the required exercises;

Age between 18-65 yr.

Exclusion

Current use of OSA treatment;

Medical comorbidities that require restricting fluid intake (e.g., dysphagia, renal disease, liver disease, hyponatremia);

Severe nasal obstruction; 4) severe ankyloglossia; 4) craniofacial abnormality; 5) severe pulmonary disease; 6) severe post-traumatic stress disorder; 7) very severe insomnia; 8) body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2

What this trial measures

Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI)From enrollment to end of three-month intervention
AHI is the number of apneic and hypopneic episodes per hour of sleep. The scores start at zero, meaning no events are taking place. A mild score falls in the range of 5-15; moderate 15-30, and a severe diagnosis is 30 or more events per hour. Pre-intervention AHI is obtained from standard-of-care in-clinic sleep study. Post-intervention AHI is obtained from an in-clinic sleep study conducted as part of this research.

Trialytics