We must breathe to stay alive, but freedivers make us question our preconceived notions about the body’s oxygen requirements. With practice and knowledge, anyone can learn to hold his or her breath for longer than a minute, and most people – even smokers – can hold their breath for closer to two minutes. But how do you overcome the urge to breathe? Here, we’ll take a closer look at this process.
Carbon Dioxide Level and the Urge to Breathe
Most people assume that low levels of oxygen trigger the urge to inhale. Instead, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream is what brings on the desire to breathe. Everyone has low levels of carbon dioxide in their blood; it is a product of normal oxygen metabolism, and is controlled by the frequency and intensity of breathing. When your body works hard, you’ll notice that you have a tendency to breathe faster and harder. When you are relaxing, your body requires less oxygen, so you find that you are able to breathe slower and take shallower breaths if you want to.
Because a freediver’s carbon dioxide level increases as the oxygen in the lungs is metabolized, the urge to breathe can be very strong, manifesting as contractions through the diaphragm and a burning sensation. It is possible to feel these sensations and keep on holding your breath, although you should push your limits slowly and progress bit by bit over time. As a freediver, you can use these sensations of discomfort as a warning that it is time to head calmly to the surface.
The human body is wonderfully adaptive, and with practice, it is possible to train yourself to become increasingly tolerant to elevated carbon dioxide levels and allow yourself to extend your dive times. Even so, it is important that you understand that the ability to tolerate increased carbon dioxide levels varies between individuals.
Each time you practice, you will notice that holding your breath becomes easier, particularly if you use specific training techniques that have been developed to increase lung capacity while increasing your body’s tolerance to increasing carbon dioxide levels. Breathing up and conducting other exercises while reducing your respiration level are two ways you can increase your ability to fight the urge to breathe. So will calming your mind to achieve greater comfort with freediving while increasing your ability to relax while holding your breath.
In the past, it was believed that hyperventilation was a safe technique to use before freediving; today, we know that it reduces the blood’s carbon dioxide level without increasing the amount of oxygen available to the body. The main problem with hyperventilating to reduce the urge to breathe is that you may not notice discomfort and begin ascent until your oxygen reserves are dangerously low.
Safely learning freediving techniques is best accomplished with the assistance of a professional, experienced freediving instructor. It does take time to learn and apply the appropriate techniques, however your body may surprise you with its incredible ability to adapt. Many new freedivers find themselves rapidly increasing depth and enjoying their newfound breath-holding skills.