How can we train ourselves to hold our breath longer?
There are some people who can hold their breath for a long time, up to a maximum of twenty minutes(1). Most people can hold their breath for a minute or two but if they hold it any longer it may cause problems like fainting, damaging the kidney and liver(2). When you do not have enough oxygen to help your body function then your diaphragm may experience muscle contraction. (3) It is the diaphragm that controls breathing and therefore any problem with your diaphragm will severely impact your ability to breathe.
Typically divers use oxygen tanks to allow them to breathe underwater. However, there are some people who like to dive without oxygen tanks; these people are called freedivers. If you want to become a freediver you have to know how to hold your breath for a long time. One way to practice holding your breath longer is to do it for one minute every day and you’ll soon be used to it(3). If you want to hold your breath for long, first try it for one minute, then breath normally for two minutes then repeat the process again(4). When you do this you will soon be used to holding your breath without a problem.
freediving scuba diving
1.https://www.outsideonline.com/1784106/how-long-can-humans-hold-their-breath
Does genetics play any part in being able to hold your breath for a long or short period of time?
how could deeper waters/more water pressure affect this?
How long can most people hold their breathe before they start to feel dizzy.
read the second line ry
Hi Peter,
Your post is very interesting! It’s impressive that people can train to hold their breath for that long. The human body can learn to adapt in so many ways. Will you be practicing these techniques?
Hi Peter,
Interesting question! Are you personally interested in diving? After reading your post it is really impressive how freedivers trust their abilities to hold their breath. Are you thinking of extending this question into future questions? If so, maybe you could research more about how freedivers prepare for dives. Maybe look into the do’s and don’t’s of freediving if that interests you.
Here are some resources that could be helpful if you find that intriguing.
https://www.deeperblue.com/the-science-behind-the-freediving-breath-hold/
https://scubadiving.com.au/pages/scuba-diving-freediving-frequently-asked-questions-faq
https://www.wired.com/story/what-it-takes-to-hold-your-breath-for-24-minutes-yeah-its-a-thing/
Good luck!
Hello Peter,
Your post was very interesting and gave some good information on how it might damage your body if you hold your breath for too long. Do you personally do freediving or trying to get into it?
Here is a cite about the best conditions for diving:
https://dtmag.com/thelibrary/assessing-conditions-whether-experience-good-bad-often-determined-even-enter-water/#:~:text=Under%20most%20circumstances%2C%20diving%20at,what's%20termed%20a%20slack%20tide.
Hi Peter,
This post is very fascinating! I never knew that humans could hold their breath for 20 minutes, great work!
I really like how you started the document with an interesting fact, “There are some people who can hold their breath for a long time, up to a maximum of twenty minutes(1).” This grabbed my attention almost immediately.
Here are a few sources that might help:
https://www.healthline.com/health/holding-your-breath
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-long-can-the-average-person-hold-their-breath
https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.200208-876OC#:~:text=The%20volume%20of%20adult%20female,and%20the%20diaphragm%20abdomen%20compartments.
https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/160/9/893/86535
https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/how-lungs-work/lung-capacity-and-aging
Peter,
this was such an interesting read! I think that it is crazy that someone has been able to hold their breath for twenty minutes! I really liked that you explained what happens when we do not get enough oxygen in our body while hollding our breaths! Question, have you ever tried holding your breath underwater, and if so, for how long were you able to do it for?
Overall, a great round of research! I am looking forward to your future posts,
best of luck!
Hi Peter,
I really enjoyed reading your post! I have always had trouble holding my breath, but I really enjoy swimming. Because of this, I’ve wondered if there’s any way I can become better at holding my breath, so naturally I was very interested in your post.
Do you think how long you can hold your breath has to do with lung capacity?
Hey Peter, cool post; you have chosen a very interesting and unique topic, which I find super refreshing! While I knew that holding your breath for too long could disrupt brain function, I had no clue that your diaphragm may also experience muscle contraction when you hold your breath for too long. Intriguing stuff!
Some questions I have for you:
1. Are you personally interested in this subject because you swim or dive?
2. Can most people really hold their breath for one to two minutes, I can barely hold mine for forty-five seconds.
Some resources you may find useful are:
https://www.outsideonline.com/1784106/how-long-can-humans-hold-their-breath
https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/science/how-long-can-a-person-hold-their-breath
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/is-it-safe-to-hold-your-breath