[LifeStyle] How to Hold Your Breath Underwater

[Agent47]

Whether you want to hold your breath to impress your friends or be a faster swimmer, you'll need to practice holding your breath for long periods of time. Proper breathing techniques will help you be able to stay underwater longer without needing air. This skill is useful for diving, surfing, swimming, and any water activity that requires you to be underwater at any given time.

 

1
Sit or lie down on solid ground. Find comfortable ground to lay down on or sit upright on your knees.[1] Practice holding your breath for long periods of time out of water first so you can practice proper breathing techniques.

 

2
Relax your mind and body. While lying down or sitting, focus on clearing your mind of all extra thoughts and worries. Don't move your body around; sit as still as possible. This lowers your blood pulse. A lowered pulse means your body is using less oxygen.[2]
Your body needs oxygen to move and function. The less you move, the less oxygen your body will need.
First, practice holding your breath without moving. Then, add in simple, slow movements like walking to train your body to conserve oxygen. This will prepare your body to dive and swim with less air.

 

3
Inhale slowly using your diaphragm. You should feel your belly rise instead of your shoulders if you're using your diaphragm to inhale. Your diaphragm is the muscle attached to the bottom of your lungs that helps expand your lungs to hold more oxygen.[3]
Start inhaling for 5 seconds at a time. Then, increase by a few seconds every time you inhale. You will be stretching out your lungs and increasing their ability to hold more air.
Puffing up your cheeks does not mean that you have enough oxygen. It makes you use face muscles that spend oxygen instead of conserving it.

 

4
Exhale a little at a time. While you hold your breath, let out little puffs of air at a time. You will feel your body try and force you to exhale completely. These little convulsions are your body telling you that carbon dioxide is building up in your lungs.[4]
Push out as much air as possible when you've finished to get rid of any extra carbon dioxide.
As you hold your breath, your body turns oxygen into carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is toxic to your body and can cause you to pass out.
Once you get past the convulsions, your spleen releases more oxygen-filled blood into your bloodstream. Hold your breath past this point to be able to hold it even longer.[5]

 

5
Repeat inhaling and exhaling. Every time you repeat a breath cycle, push yourself to go a little longer each time. Breathe in and out for two minutes at a time, keeping yourself at a calm and even pace. You are training your body to handle being without oxygen.