Posted by R Bear on March 09, 2001 at 08:42:59:
In Reply to: Definition of Breath Holding... posted by mattschechter on March 08, 2001 at 18:17:17:
People are focusing on the red herring of defining breath holding. The fact is that there is a difference between the way most people hold-their-breath and the way most people don't-breath-for-a-moment. As mattschechter points out, that difference involves the epiglottis. The epiglottis can "lock" the air in your lungs. Whereas in the normal pause in breathing, the air is still free to leave your lungs. A diver who has a totally full lung and is ascending will most likely embolize if holding-his-breath. The same diver with a full lung who is actively trying to breath in while rising will actully lose air because his diaphram will not hold the air in. This is contrary to common sense so let me repeat... A man holding his breath while asending will maintain air volume and the failure point will be his lungs. A man trying his hardest to inhale on ascent will loose air volume because the failure point will be his diaphram, but this will save his lungs from failing.
Don't believe me?
Try this simple experiment sitting at your computer.
Inhale very deep and hold it.
Holding it takes no effort, right?
Now release.
THAT actually took effort, didn't it.
Take a second deep breath. This time instead of holding it, keep trying to gulp in just a little more air even though you are already full.
Now release.
As soon as you suspended your efforts at INHALING, the air just started rushing out of your lungs. No effort was required to exhale.
Call it whatever you want. There is a difference between holding-your-breath, and just not-breathing-in-and-out-continuously.
DSAO
Ron