Holding Your Breath

[canadianpoet]

Going back to the original question!!!

 

Yes it is possible to increase the time you hold your breath! It takes a lot of effort and training of your body, but you can do it. I once managed to hold my breath for almost 4 minutes using this method.

 

What you have to do is slow your whole body down! Slow your heart rate, and your metabolism. The easiest way to do this is meditate! (stick with me) You have to get yourself super relaxed, almost to the point that you could drop off to sleep! The best way to do this is concentrate on a ticking clock. Don’t count the ticks just listen to them, eventually, and you wont notice this all being well, you won’t hear the ticks anymore. At this point you will feel super relaxed and everything will have slowed down, don’t check though, because that will bring you out of that state. Anyway, the more you do it, the easier you will find it and the easier it will be for you to recognise when you are in the right state. It's at this point you can take some really deep breaths and then hold it!

 

It will take you many attempts and some time to increase your time, and it takes more effort than you might think to make small increases, but it's always a good party trick! Good luck.

 

PS you can't go too far with it. Worse case: you starve your brain of oxygen, pass out, then it all kicks in again and you start breathing normally.

[Aardvark]

If you chill your brain it decreases the amount of oxygen required.

 

This helps account for people being revived after being unconcious and not breathing for some hours after falling ito freezing water. Probably not such a good party trick though.

[aommaster]

Probably not such a good party trick though.

 

Of course it won't. What will people say when you say "Wait a minute while I go to freeze my brain!"?

[admiral_ju00]

The easiest way to do this is meditate! (stick with me) You have to get yourself super relaxed, almost to the point that you could drop off to sleep!

 

Good point as when you sleep, your breathing is slowed down significantly.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

If you breathed pure oxygen for a while, and then held your breath, wouldn't you be able to hold it much longer?

[Sayonara]

No, because you'd be dead.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

And why's that?

[aommaster]

Pure oxygen isn't really good for the brain. It causes halluciinations and all. That's why deep see divers wear AIR tanks, not pure OXYGEN tanks!

[Aardvark]

Might it be possible to oxygenate the bloodstream in a way which bypasses the lungs?

 

A slow release capsule of some kind implanted in the body could conceivably keep the blood oxygenated at a constant rate so negating the need to breath.

 

Party tricks, high altitude climbing, diving with the fish, that could be fun.

[Sayonara]

And why's that?

Because oxygen is corrosive, and therefore when concentrated it is highly damaging to tissues - especially those that are specialised for oxygen absorbtion.

 

In the scenario you described, you would quickly be overcome by hyperoxic euphoria and would most likely be unaware of the danger you were in.

[Guest breathholder]

Hi My record for holding my breath underwater is 5 minutes 6 seconds set in 10 ft of water . I train fir freediving and for fun I can train other people too, just email me. CHRASH.. whats your record for holding your breath? please email me at Breathholdchamp@aol.com Thanks

[Guest breathholder]

Crash what is your record for holding your breath??? please email me if u want too breathholdchamp@aol.com

[JaKiri]

Oh dear lord

[aommaster]

Why? Has it become a private discussion now? ONLY BY E-MAIL!! Just wondering!

[Guest breathholder]

I just meant i can teach you to hold your breath longer if you want to. You can email me if you want. its fun I do it for fun and I am training for freediving. Its very relaxing underwater and we have breathholding contests a lot. I wondered what Crash's record time is for holding his breath? he must be good at it. Thanks Chris

[Severian]

I hardly ever breath, I can hold my breath so long. I did take a long gulp once, when I was about 4 I think, but nothing since.

[IMI]

Just a random question: does constantly holding your breath create any health problems? Or is it like an aerobic exercise where it helps you? I was just wondering.

 

I've read that even small bouts of oxygen deprivation, ie. holding one's breath, can negatively effect the blood vessels of the eyes.

[5614]

and in response to the same question that the previous thread answered to:

 

although the only way to improve at holding ur breath is to do it!

 

it is not too healthy for you, and whilst i also believe the above post is true, other effects could POSSIBLY happen,

 

however, have you ever heard of a diver having health problems? nope? well i havent, so i think that it is unlikely that you will come to any harm, but it is not advised all the same! if you can help it!

[Guest breathholder]

does anyone like having breathholding contests at the pools? they are cool :) chris

[DreamLord]

I don't know, but couldn't holding your breath for long enough bring your oxygen levels dangerously low? I've heard of divers that can still function fairly well with only 50% oxygen levels, but it still seems rather dangerous to bring the oxygen levels that low.

[Wolfman]

what happens when you hold your breath for too long is you pass out but then you automatically start breathing again. I think alot of us have expirience in that when we were kids, I know I did.