The Urge to Breathe | Freedive Earth

Register | Login | Logout

Freediving & Spearfishing's Ultimate Community

HOME

NEWS

GUIDE

EVENTS

MEDIA

SHOP

FIND A BUDDY

SCHOOLS

FORUM

The Urge to Breathe

BLOG

CATEGORIES
Search

Competition And
Records
Discussion

USER MENU
Log In
Register

Gear, Equipment
& Products
HOT NEWS
Interviews
Lifestyle
Photography
Physiology Of
Freediving
Results

Breathing is a multistage biological process that is designed to move

air in (inhalation) and out (exhalation) of the lungs. As we all know
breathing is a function that is essential to life as the process brings
delivers oxygen (O2) to the body and removes metabolic waste
products such as carbon dioxide (CO2). Oxygen is required for the
release of energy during cellular respiration and this gas exchange
occurs primarily in the capillary system of the lungs where oxygen is
exchanged for carbon dioxide. The atmospheric air that we breathe
consists of approximately 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and ~1%
carbon dioxide and other trace gasses.

http://www.freedive-earth.com/blog/urge-breathe[5/16/2016 1:17:34 PM]

ADD YOUR
FREEDIVING
SCHOOL,
INSTRUCTOR
PROFILE OR
EVENT TO THE
BIGGEST
DIRECTORY
ONLINE.
SIMPLY REGISTER
AND ADD YOUR
NEW FREEDIVING
COMPETITION OR
SCHOOL.

Safety
Science &
Research

NEWSLETTER
Theories
Who's Who

BLOG

Subscribe to the Freedive

Earth newsletter for the latest
news and future event and
competition updates from
around the world.

The Urge to Breathe | Freedive Earth

Email Address *

TAGS
Freediving
Photography

First Name

CWT

world
record

AIDA

Subscribe

VB14

FIM
CNF

MEDIA OF THE
WEEK

Contrary to popular belief the breathing cycle is primarily driven by an

increase in CO2 in the blood stream, which triggers the cycle, and not
by a decrease in the levels of O2 (in fact, the typical exhalation
consists of ~16% oxygen)! Low levels of CO2 are naturally present in
the circulatory system and the body regulates this through the
intensity of the breathing cycle. Exercise for example increases the
demand for oxygen due to increased energy requirements at the
cellular level and higher levels of carbon dioxide are then released due
to the metabolization of the oxygen as a result, breathing rates
increase to facilitate the exhalation of these greater concentrations of
CO2.
In states of apnea, such as freediving, the body is unable to regulate the
increase of CO2 by moderating the intensity and frequency of the
breathing cycle, and thus the body signals the brain that there are
increased levels of CO2 in the bloodstream (hypercapnia) creating
the urge to breathe. For freedivers, the urge to breathe often manifests

Bahamas

Vertical

Freediving movie
"Pressure" released on
Vimeo

Blue

Competition
More

RECENT
COMMENTS
good
question.6
months 2 days
ago

FREEDIVERS
Johnny Sunnex
Goran Colak

Marianna Krupnitskaya

Michael

Board
Natalia
Molchanova
Misuzu
Okamoto
Mateusz
Malina
Daan

itself as a burning sensation in upper portions of the chest or in the

form of contractions/convulsions of the diaphragm directly under the
ribcage. Despite these feelings, which can be overwhelming and
unnerving for untrained divers, there is no need to panic as these are
only signs that the levels of CO2 in the bloodstream are increasing
and there is still plenty of usable oxygen remaining in the system. The
ability to recognize your personal limits and tolerance to increased
carbon dioxide levels is something that will be developed overtime
and with practice ultimately dive times can be increased by training
the body to tolerate higher levels of CO2.
Never attempt to over-breathe or hyperventilate while freediving.
Hyperventilation or increasing the rate of breathing does not aid in the
absorption of oxygen to the system (which is limited) and only serves
to lower the level of carbon dioxide in the blood. With a lower level of
CO2 in the bloodstream, it will take longer for CO2 to build up to a
level that will trigger the urge to breath. By delaying the urge to
breathe, the freediver will not feel the urge to breath until the levels of
CO2 are significantly high and by that time the level of O2 in the
system will be dangerously low increasing the likelihood of a
blackout and loss of motor control (LMC/Samba). In the past, many
untrained freedivers have used hyperventilation as a technique to

http://www.freedive-earth.com/blog/urge-breathe[5/16/2016 1:17:34 PM]

Verhoeven
Miguel

Lozano
Kate
Middleton
Alexey

Molchanov

William

Trubridge
More

The Urge to Breathe | Freedive Earth

extend their bottom time by prolonging their urge to breathe.

Hyperventilation is extremely dangerous. Breath-hold activities such
as freediving and spearfishing are inherently safe when done properly
and with the appropriate safety protocols. However, obtaining the
proper instruction from a certified instructor/agency, following the
proper safety protocols, always diving with a trained and capable
buddy, and knowing your personal limits are very important.
Sources: Albert, B., & Craig, J. R. (1961). Causes of loss of
consciousness during underwater swimming. Journal of applied
physiology, 16(4), 583-586. Craig, A. B. (1961). Underwater
swimming and loss of consciousness. JAMA, 176(4), 255-258. Harty,
H. R., Mummery, C. J., Adams, L., Banzett, R. B., Wright, I. G.,
Banner, N. R., ... & Guz, A. (1996). Ventilatory relief of the sensation
of the urge to breathe in humans: are pulmonary receptors
important?. The Journal of physiology, 490(3), 805-815.
Blog tags:
Breathing
Urge to Breathe
lungs
apnea
Blog categories:
Physiology Of Freediving
Science & Research
Log in or register to post comments

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Spencer Ash
I am currently a marine conservation graduate student at the
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS)
where I am focusing on the the interaction between the oceans and
human health - although, at the moment, my research is on the
mitigation of the effects that invasive exotic plant species have in
South Florida's mangrove forests. At RSMAS, I am also developing
the curriculum for a program for Scientific Freediving for
Underwater Research, which is being designed for use at all marine
science institutions. As an avid freediver, when I am not in the field
you can find me on the water where I promote ethical-subsistence
spearfishing, document and remove marine debris, volunteer as an
apnea competition safety diver, and explore the deep blue (because
why not?). www.theAquaticAdvocate.com

http://www.freedive-earth.com/blog/urge-breathe[5/16/2016 1:17:34 PM]

The Urge to Breathe | Freedive Earth

GET INVOLVED
Register
Add Your Event

USER LOGIN
Username or e-mail *

Add Your School

Forum

Password *

Comment
Website by Martin Toole Web
Developer & Underwater
Photography Wales

Log in using OpenID

Create new account
Request new password
Log in

TRAINING EVENTS

3
FREEDIVING
SCHOOLS

109
FREEDIVING
COMPETITIONS

COMPETITION
EVENTS
Carribean CUP 2016
Competition date:
05/24/2016 - 12 to 05/31/2016
- 12
Nirvana OceanQuest
Competition date:
06/03/2016 - 12 to 06/09/2016
- 12
2016 USOA SPEARFISHING
NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Competition date:
06/23/2016 (All day) to
06/24/2016 (All day)
AIDA Pool World
Championships 2016 Finland
Competition date:
06/24/2016 - 12 to 07/02/2016
- 12
Bonaire DeepSea Challenge
2016
Competition date:
09/02/2016 (All day) to
09/10/2016 (All day)

TRAINING CAMP
EVENTS
Umberto Pellizari y-40
Deepest Pool Freediving
Course
12/04/2015 - 19 to 12/05/2015
- 19
GO DEEP ASIA 2015 with
Alexey Molchanov
12/09/2015 (All day) to
12/11/2015 (All day)
Freediving training camp in
Bali (Indonesia)
01/21/2016 - 11 to 02/04/2016
- 11
5 Day High Performance
Alexey Molchanov Training
Camp
02/04/2016 (All day) to
02/09/2016 (All day)
The Original Freediving
Training Camp- Dominica,
02/11/2016 (All day)

http://www.freedive-earth.com/blog/urge-breathe[5/16/2016 1:17:34 PM]