How to Breathe While You Are Underwater Scuba Diving

How to Breathe While You Are Underwater Scuba Diving

Whilst above water, breathing is something that comes totally naturally to us. However, our instinct when we put our faces under water is to hold our breath and not to breathe. So, once you get under water, how do you breathe and enjoy it? Not just that, but how do you do this efficiently?

Just relax
Well for a start, there is a little bit of concentration required to get the most efficient breathing, however over thinking about the process might start you getting the breathing wrong. So this leads us nicely to the first point about breathing under water - just relax!

You have limited supplies - use it well
When you breathe underwater you have only a limited amount of air on your back so your breathing technique has to be efficient and to make the most of the limited supply of air you have available. Your breathing should also relax you so that you are not panicked and can fully enjoy your dive. The feeling of being under water, rolling onto your back and watching your exhaled bubbles vanishing to the surface of the water is fantastic. So enjoy the feeling.

The purpose of the regulators
Air is supplied to you under the optimal pressure. The regulator in your mouth and the regulator on the tank reduce the air pressure to a safe level so that you can comfortably breathe it, whilst providing you your air at the same pressure as the water that is all around you. This gives a much easier and natural feeling to the breathing, so no need to suck hard.

Taking the actual breaths
Once you get your face under the water, start to slowly inhale through the regulator in your mouth. There is no need to do forced breaths that are too slow or too quick, just do not rush the breathing. And it is far more efficient to take a deeper breath than it is to take short sharp breaths. Again, going for a natural rhythm is best, but if you feel a slight panic setting in and your breathing quickening, make a conscious effort to control your breathing and take longer, slower breaths. Not only will this relax you, but it is more efficient.

Why? Well quite simply the air that you breath in does not all go into your lungs. Some stays in your mouth, your throat and the other passage ways leading to your lungs. A very shallow breath will actually mean that you only exhale this air and then replace it, meaning that no air is being replaced from your lungs. A deeper breath ensures that plenty of stale air is breathed out and fresh air reaches your lungs.

Keith Lunt owns http://www.godiving.org. If you want to know more about diving, then call into our scuba diving blog. Happy diving!

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By Keith Lunt