How long can humans hold their breath?

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Hold your breath is a deliberate temporary cessation of breathing such as when diving, suffocating smoke, going to toxic gas areas... Normal healthy people can hold their breath for 3-5 minutes on average. However, a person's ability to hold their breath can be increased if the person exercises regularly, is a diver or professional athlete.

1. How long is the human's ability to hold their breath?

Hold your breath is a deliberate temporary cessation of breathing such as when diving, when you are suffocated by smoke, going to toxic gas areas... Normal healthy people can hold their breath for 3-5 minutes on average.
However, a person's ability to hold their breath can be increased under exceptional circumstances such as:
Some people who exercise regularly will be able to use oxygen more efficiently, allowing their brain to withstand lack of oxygen for longer. Divers and professional athletes who practice regularly can hold their breath longer. The world record for holding breath underwater is held by Stig Severinsen (Danish) who holds his breath underwater for 22 minutes.

2. What happens when people hold their breath?

Holding your breath for a period of time is also known as voluntary apnea, this is a tough challenge. Professional divers often practice and they often take deep breaths before holding their breath to dive into the water. By holding their breath before entering the water, a diver can push carbon dioxide out of his body while underwater.
Most normal healthy adults can comfortably hold their breath for one to two minutes. But you should avoid holding your breath because it can expose you to some dangerous conditions as follows:
The oxygen level drops when you hold your breath When you hold your breath, no oxygen gets into your body, so the storm level Your blood oxygen level will decrease. This means your brain and organs won't get the oxygen they need to function.
When your brain starts not getting enough oxygen, the first manifestations are a feeling of confusion, a change in your decisions and a loss of coordination.
Carbon dioxide levels increase when you hold your breath When you have to hold your breath, the oxygen level in your blood will start to decrease and the carbon dioxide level will increase. Your body expels carbon dioxide from your body when you exhale, so when you hold your breath, it builds up and makes you feel the urge to exhale and inhale more oxygenated air.
However, this increase in carbon dioxide doesn't just happen when holding your breath underwater. A study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that when divers deliberately hold their breath or exercise before entering the water, their carbon dioxide levels can also increase. This can put the diver at risk of unconsciousness.

When you hold your breath, you risk brain damage A study found that when divers hold their breath for a long time, they have higher levels of the protein S100B in their blood than the average person.
Protein S100B is an indicator of brain damage. However, this increase is only temporary and it should return to normal when they start breathing again.
Research results have shown that prolonged breathing compromises integrity of the central nervous system and can have cumulative effects that lead to later injury.
Breath-holding people can lose coordination Research has also shown that divers have higher blood lactate levels when they hold their breath. Lactic acid builds up in the muscles when you hold your breath for a long time or during intense exercise and can lead to cramping, soreness, and loss of coordination. An increase in lactic acid in the blood stream means your muscles are not getting enough oxygen.
Blood sugar rises when you hold your breath Holding your breath for too long can cause your blood sugar to spike. Researchers discovered higher blood sugar levels in divers when they held their breath.
Experts have yet to figure out why blood sugar levels rise when the body lacks oxygen. It is theorized that the condition may be related to the inability of the body to secrete insulin during that time.
Heart rate slows down when you hold your breath When your body is starved of oxygen, the heart can pump oxygenated blood out to the body. Studies show that holding your breath for about 30 seconds can lead to a lower heart rate and decreased cardiac output.
Blood pressure rises when you hold your breath While you hold your breath, your heart rate drops so your body tries to compensate by increasing blood pressure so it can pump blood around your body. This is due to the constriction of blood vessels. High blood pressure usually occurs after holding your breath for three minutes, once your blood oxygen level begins to drop.

You can pass out by holding your breath The most dangerous danger of holding your breath underwater is unconsciousness. According to experts, when children hold their breath underwater, the pressure in their chest will cause their blood vessels to cut off blood flow to the right side of the heart.
When this happens, the heart is unable to pump blood, resulting in a fainting reflex. When adults hold their breath for a long period of time underwater, there is also a risk of passing out.
In short, the average healthy person can hold their breath for 3-5 minutes. A person's ability to hold their breath can be increased if the person exercises regularly, is a diver or professional athlete. Holding your breath can cause high blood pressure, brain damage, or even fainting. Therefore, if you are not a professional athlete or diver, do not hold your breath.

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