Life begins with our first breath and ends with our final exhalation. As divers, we spend a lot of time thinking and talking about breathing, and rightfully so.
The Right Breath
First, what is the right way to breathe when diving? If you look at basic scuba-diving course materials, most advise you to take “deep, slow breaths,” but often this prompts people to take very big breaths, sucking in air until their lungs are completely filled, and then exhaling it all again. Not only will you use more air than you really need, this practice will also affect your buoyancy. Remember, a deep breath doesn’t necessarily mean a big breath. Instead of trying to fill your lungs all the way, try to breathe with your diaphragm, at the very bottom of your belly. Lie on your back, on a firm mattress or a yoga mat. Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Now try to breathe so that only the hand on your belly moves, not the one on your chest. Practice this when you dive.
As for speed and rhythm, try recording yourself while you’re asleep. Listen to the recording and try to mimic the rhythm of your breath when you sleep — sans the snoring, of course. If you’re really ambitious about making your breathing as efficient as possible, consider visiting your local yoga center for classes on yogic breathing techniques. We’ll explore the benefits of yoga on diving in a later piece.
Breath Goes Up And Down (And So Do You)
Our breath does more than supply us with air when we dive; it is also critical for buoyancy control. I always say we have three BCD’s — the outer one (the BC we wear), the inner one (our lungs), and the mental one (our level of stress and anxiety can greatly influence buoyancy). The outer one most people get the hang of fairly quickly, but the inner one can be tricky. I’ve seen divers pop to the surface of a shallow dive many times seemingly without cause, when in fact they most likely took an overly large breath.
Focus first on taking deep — but not big — breaths, as described above. By focusing on slow, steady breaths, you’ll also improve your buoyancy control. Actively using your breath will also make your diving experience a lot better. Using the breath to adjust your depth — breathing slightly deeper as you swim over a rocky outcrop, or exhaling as you descend into a canyon — is a skill that requires some training, but one that pays huge dividends.
Breathe Out Stress
It has long been known that as stress increases, so too does our breathing rhythm. We start breathing deeper, moving towards hyperventilation. But by slowing down our breathing, and taking slow, deep breaths, we can actually allay our state of stress significantly. Any time you start to feel anxious or stressed while diving, focus on controlling your breath, and through that, of your emotional state.
Stress and rapid breathing can also become a vicious cycle if we’re wearing a tight BCD or wetsuit. When we breathe deep and fast, due to stress, our bodies sense the restriction. Our brains receive an emergency message that we can’t breathe. This in turn causes more stress, which can lead to hyperventilation. The entire experience can become a downward spiral, which often ends with a diver heading for the surface too soon and too fast.
Breathing may be something we take for granted on land, but we can all improve our underwater technique. The next time you’re out diving, focus on your breath and learn how to use this powerful tool to become a better diver.
