It always surprises me when I read these threads, old and new, on breathing patterns and diving. To me there is nothing "natural" about breathing underwater. I do not breathe the same diving as I do dry. It is simply different. Prehaps it stems from the first time putting my head underwater and taking a breath. It felt wrong. It took a conscious effort. I even found myself hyperventilating and feeling like I couldn't get a good breath my first pool dives. It was embarrassing. Me, the one that nothing bothers and swimming since a toddler, was afraid that I might actually not be able to dive.
But I knew what was happening and was able to work through it. Slow deep breaths. And yes, a brief pause. It is not breath holding. It is not skip breathing. It is a more "normal" pattern of breathing. Without that brief pause, we would indeed be hyperventilating.
My advanced nitrox instructor, a seasoned diver, said there were two patterns of breathing in divers, those that had a brief pause after inhalation, and those that had a brief pause after exhalation. He said that most divers had a longer pause at end inhalation and because of this they typically need slightly more weight. Divers that paused at exhalation were less common and needed slightly less weight. I haven't tested this but it does make some sense.
When he asked which I was, I thought a moment and said pause at end exhalation, because that is "natural" for me on land. But I found I was wrong. I pause at end inhalation when diving. Focusing on this, I found that I do take slower and deeper breaths diving and I then exhale more fully so I have the impulse to breathe in sooner then I would otherwise. Hence I found I was an end inhalation pauser.
Advice to new divers to not worry about breathing patterns is sound but for divers with a few more dives under their belt it may well be worthwhile to be a little more conscious of their breathing and analyze the pattern, then take a look at yoga. Not just for the breathing technique but for the relaxation that can follow a conscious effort to breathe relaxed.
And what did we learn in rescue? Stop-breathe-think. When I find myself stressed, I stop, slow my breathing, make sure a have that brief pause so I am not over breathing, then I can proceed more calmly. Breathing and actions go hand in hand.
And you are less likely to scare the fish away with all those bubbles and movements!
But I knew what was happening and was able to work through it. Slow deep breaths. And yes, a brief pause. It is not breath holding. It is not skip breathing. It is a more "normal" pattern of breathing. Without that brief pause, we would indeed be hyperventilating.
My advanced nitrox instructor, a seasoned diver, said there were two patterns of breathing in divers, those that had a brief pause after inhalation, and those that had a brief pause after exhalation. He said that most divers had a longer pause at end inhalation and because of this they typically need slightly more weight. Divers that paused at exhalation were less common and needed slightly less weight. I haven't tested this but it does make some sense.
When he asked which I was, I thought a moment and said pause at end exhalation, because that is "natural" for me on land. But I found I was wrong. I pause at end inhalation when diving. Focusing on this, I found that I do take slower and deeper breaths diving and I then exhale more fully so I have the impulse to breathe in sooner then I would otherwise. Hence I found I was an end inhalation pauser.
Advice to new divers to not worry about breathing patterns is sound but for divers with a few more dives under their belt it may well be worthwhile to be a little more conscious of their breathing and analyze the pattern, then take a look at yoga. Not just for the breathing technique but for the relaxation that can follow a conscious effort to breathe relaxed.
And what did we learn in rescue? Stop-breathe-think. When I find myself stressed, I stop, slow my breathing, make sure a have that brief pause so I am not over breathing, then I can proceed more calmly. Breathing and actions go hand in hand.
And you are less likely to scare the fish away with all those bubbles and movements!
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